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Best Buy Co., the largest chain of electronics stores in the United States, on Friday adjusted its forecast for annual earnings, after reporting a fall of 6.5 percent in comparable sales in December, during the worst U.S. holiday season in almost 40 years.

The company said it now expects to earn between 2.5 and $ 2.7 per share in fiscal year 2009, which ends next month, with a drop of 2 to 3 percent in comparable sales at stores open or makes at least 14 months.


This compares with a forecast in November and down from 2.3 to 2.9 U.S. dollars per share, when Best Buy said that the collapse of financial markets had led to changes "seismic" in the behavior of consumers.

Analysts expected a profit of $ 2.59 per paper, according to Reuters Estimates.


Best Buy said total sales for the month ended Jan. 3 rose 4 percent over the same period the previous year to 7,500 million dollars, in line with expectations.

The retail chain has increased its sales of mobile phones and launched the bid to offset growing competition from discount stores like Wal-Mart Stores.


But Best Buy could also benefit in the long term a possible consolidation in the retail industry of electronics.

His rival Circuit City Stores, which aims to exit bankruptcy in the first half, had to liquidate inventories and then close 155 stores in the United States during November and December.