Dive Brief:

• L Brands Thursday said same-store sales in January were up 9%, flying by expectations of a .5% rise.

• Victoria’s Secret was the secret to the success, with a same-store sales increase of 10% and a 12% increase for its online and catalog sales, which the brand attributed to its semi-annual sale. 

• A semi-annual sale also helped L Brands’ Bath & Body Works, which saw a rise in January same-store sales of 6%. Even the company’s Canadian lingerie brand, La Senza, saw a same-store sales increase of 4%.

Dive Insight:

L Brands saw some sunshine in January with sales increases that beat expectations and improved its outlook. The good news was tempered somewhat by the news that January’s $731.2 million in sales were down from $986.4 last year, but credit for the boost was given largely to semi-annual sales in at least two brands, which underscores how amenable consumers are to discounts and deals.