Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 3, 1992                   TAG: 9203030050
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

REPORTED EARNINGS

Consolidated Stores Corp., parent of the Roanoke Big Lots stores, reported record fourth-quarter earnings of $16.9 million, or 37 cents a share, up 141 percent from $7 million, or 15 cents a share, in the 1990 period.

Retail sales for the quarter that ended Feb. 1 increased 17.7 percent to a record $246.3 million from $209.1 million in the 1990 quarter. Sales for comparable stores open at least two years rose 4.7 percent.

In fiscal 1991, net earnings increased 342.2 percent to $20.1 million, or 44 cents per share, from $4.5 million, or 10 cents per share. Retail sales for fiscal 1991 were $752.6 million, an increase of 13.7 percent for all stores and 5.6 percent for comparable stores.

The Columbus, Ohio, company specializes in closeout merchandise. At the end of fiscal 1991, Consolidated ran 358 Odd Lot and Big Lot stores and 40 All for One shops.