LONDON -(Dow Jones)- ASDA Stores, a British supermarket and subsidiary of Wal-Mart, said Thursday like for like sales for the three months ending March 31 was up 2.2%. MAIN FACTS: -Like for like 1Q sales, including the additional leap year day increased 5% excluding acquisitions, VAT and fuel. -Like for like 1Q customer numbers up 2.9% with basket spend up 2.1%. -Total sales, excluding acquisitions, VAT and fuel, grew by 7.1 per cent -U.K.'s gross profit rate, excluding acquisitions, relatively flat compared to the previous year. -Online business sales growth in the U.K. 19.2 per cent. -Asda's 1Q LFL, excluding both this week and the benefit of an additional day in the quarter due to the leap year, was 2.2 per cent. -By Mark Shapland, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 207 8429358; mark.shapland@dowjones.com
