NRSInsights Reports 4.9% Year-Over-Year Increase in Same-Store Sales for May 2025

NRSInsights reported a 4.9% year-over-year increase in same-store sales for May 2025, driven by a 3.6% rise in units sold and a 2.9% increase in average prices. The NRS network, serving over 31,300 independent retailers, processed $2.1 billion in sales during the month, reflecting an 18% year-over-year increase. While same-store sales growth is positive, it modestly lags broader retail market increases reported by the U.S. Commerce Department.

Analysis

NRSInsights reported an acceleration in May 2025 same-store sales, which rose 4.9% year-over-year, driven by a 3.6% increase in units sold and a 2.9% rise in average prices, reflecting both volume growth and inflationary effects within its network of approximately 31,300 independent retailers. This performance contributed to the NRS POS platform processing $2.1 billion in sales during May, an 18% year-over-year increase, highlighting the platform's expanding operational scale. While this 4.9% same-store sales growth represents NRS's highest annual rate since November, it trailed the U.S. Commerce Department's broader (unadjusted) retail market increase of 5.7% for May 2025, and year-over-year growth in transaction baskets per store decelerated to 0.9% from 1.3% in April. Specific consumer trends are evident, with prepared cocktails and chocolate snacks showing notable growth. For IDT Corporation, the parent company of NRS, these positive operational metrics from its subsidiary are set against a backdrop of recent insider selling, with four sales and no purchases by insiders in the past six months, including significant sales by the CTO and EVP of Global Human Resources. Conversely, Q1 2025 hedge fund activity showed net positive institutional interest, with 94 firms adding IDT shares versus 77 reducing, including substantial position increases by institutions like Millennium Management.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Investors should critically assess NRS's same-store sales trajectory against broader retail benchmarks to determine if its current growth rate, while accelerating, can consistently match or outperform the wider market, considering its specific focus on urban independent retailers.
• The divergence between significant IDT insider sales and notable net institutional buying in Q1 2025 presents a mixed signal; continued monitoring of both insider transactions and institutional holdings is crucial for gauging shifts in informed market sentiment.
• Evaluate the impact of the 2.9% year-over-year increase in average prices on both nominal sales figures and real consumer demand, while also tracking the performance of high-growth categories like prepared cocktails to understand NRS's adaptability to evolving consumer preferences.