LB LandBridge Company LLC

   DOW JONES NEWSWIRES 

Limited Brands Inc. (LTD) posted a surprise double-digit increase in same-store sales for the third-straight month, sharply beating Wall Street estimates for March.

Surging same-store sales and improved margins have driven the bottom line of late at the parent of Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works.

For the five weeks ended April 2, Limited's same-store sales jumped 14%, well ahead of the 1.5% increase forecast from analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. At the beginning of March, Limited guided for roughly flat same-store sales for the month. Net sales rose 16% to $863 million in the period.

Shares closed at $35.23 Wednesday and were inactive premarket. The stock has risen 23% over the past three months.

-By Drew FitzGerald, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2909; Andrew.FitzGerald@dowjones.com