Aeon, FamilyMart Profit as Heat Wave Lifts Japan Retail Sales, Nikkei Says

Japanese retailers including Aeon Co. and FamilyMart Co. profited as higher-than-normal temperatures in July and August drove sales, Nikkei news reported, without saying where it obtained the data.

Aeon’s operating profit jumped 70 percent from a year earlier to more than 60 billion yen ($721 million) for the six months to August on demand for beer and lightweight clothing, according to the report. Convenience store chain FamilyMart’s operating profit rose 10 percent to about 22 billion yen in the period as consumers bought more soft drinks and chilled noodles.

Demand for air conditioners sent Bic Camera Inc.’s operating profit up as much as 70 percent for the 12 months ended August, Nikkei said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Yusuke Miyazawa in Tokyo at ymiyazawa3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jim McDonald at jmcdonald8@bloomberg.net