By Patrick Avenell

SYDNEY, NSW: Harvey Norman retail sales for the three months up to 30 September 2009 rose 4.3 per cent, according to a notice to Australian Securities Exchange by chief financial officer Chris Mentis.

This figure takes in sales from Harvey Norman’s franchised commercial divisions and other sales outlets in Australia, New Zealand, Slovenia and Ireland. Singapore is not included.

For this same period, like for like sales across Harvey Norman’s international franchised divisions was up by 2.1 per cent.

Mentis wrote that Australia’s operations performed even better.

“In Australia, for the three months ended 30 September 2009, sales from the franchised Harvey Norman complexes, commercial divisions and other sales outlets increased by 5.8 per cent when compared to the same corresponding period ended 30 September 2008,” wrote Mentis. “Like for like sales for the three months ended 30 September 2009, when compared to the same corresponding period ended 30 September 2008, increased by 4.6 per cent.”