Citi Trends reports 13.9% comparable store sales increase
Citi Trends’ Q1 2026 performance was driven by a 13.9% comparable store sales increase.
The company attributed nearly half of the sales growth to increased customer traffic.
Gross margin expansion of 40 basis points was fueled by improved merchandise margins and AI-driven allocation systems.
Operational leverage was a key theme, with SG&A leveraging by 250 basis points as the company successfully scaled sales against a largely fixed cost structure.