Used in: CMG analysis, GPC analysis, Week 20
What It Is
Comparable store sales also called comp sales, same-store sales, or SSS measures how much more or less revenue a specific store or restaurant made this year compared to the same location last year. It strips out the effect of opening new locations so you can see whether the existing business is actually growing.
Why It Matters
A company can report strong total revenue growth just by opening new locations while every existing location gets worse. Comp sales removes that noise. When comp sales are positive, existing customers are spending more or coming in more often. When they are negative, the core business is losing ground regardless of how many new stores the company opens.
Where to Find It
In quarterly earnings releases. Search for “comparable,” “same-store,” or “comp sales” in the press release. Companies always disclose this number, though sometimes you need to dig into the supplemental tables rather than the headline.
Real Example
Chipotle, Q1 2026. Comp sales came in at +0.5 percent the first positive number in four quarters. The headline looked like a recovery. But the decomposition showed transaction count +0.6 percent and average check -0.1 percent. The traffic came back by giving up pricing. You only see that when you look past the headline comp number into its components.