S.S.S. = same store sales

A statistic used in retail industry analysis. It compares sales of stores that have been open for a year or more. This statistic allows investors to determine what portion of new sales has come from sales growth and what portion from the opening of new stores. This analysis is important because, although new stores are good, a saturation point--where future sales growth is determined by same store sales growth--eventually occurs. Same store sales are usually released by retail companies on a monthly basis. This is also known as "comps."