ALEXANDRIA, VA - NACS has released the NACS State of the Industry Report of 2011 Data, the industry??s premier benchmarking tool and most comprehensive collection of industry and firm-level category data and trends based on the convenience and fuel retailing industry??s 2011 performance.

Compiling and analyzing industry totals, trends and averages, the 174-page report also examines economic conditions and their potential impact on the industry. Charts and tables focus on every area of the industry??s 2011 performance, including financial performance, store operations, merchandising, foodservice, motor fuels sales and quartile analysis.

"The NACS State of the Industry Report provides the industry??s deepest analysis of performance in every significant area," said NACS Director of Research and Statistics Bob Swanson. "From our first report in 1970 to this latest report, retailers and suppliers alike consider the NACS State of the Industry Report to be the industry??s vital resource for benchmarking store performance."

According to the report, convenience store sales, both at the pump and inside the store, set new records in 2011. In-store convenience store sales grew 2.4%, reaching a record $195.0 billion. Combined with $486.9 billion in motor fuels sales, total convenience store sales in 2011 were $681.9 billion, or one out of every 22 dollars of the overall $15.04 trillion U.S. gross domestic product.

Meanwhile, fuels price volatility continues to play a huge role in motor fuels sales data. While motor fuels revenues jumped 27.1%, gallons sold per store declined 0.4% compared to 2010. Motor fuels gross margins increased from 15.8 cents to 18.4 cents per gallon before expenses, but dipped on a percentage basis, falling from 5.64% to 5.23%.

Part of the industry??s sales growth also can be attributed to an increase in store count. The number of U.S. convenience stores grew 1.2% over the past year to a record 148,126 stores, according to the NACS/Nielsen Convenience Industry Store Count, released in January 2012. Convenience stores now account for 34.6% of all retail outlets, according to Nielsen.

Complimentary copies of this year??s report are being shipped to the companies that participated in the annual survey. "We are extremely grateful to those who submitted data for this year??s survey. In addition to providing critical benchmarking data, the NACS State of the Industry Report compiles data and analysis that is indispensable in quantifying our priority issues, both on Capitol Hill and with the national media," said Swanson.

Purchasers of the NACS State of the Industry Report of 2011 Data report will also receive a link to the NACS Convenience Store Industry Fact Book. The 25th edition of the Fact Book provides a detailed statistical account of industry data over the past several years ?" or in some cases, decades ?" as well as a historical recap of the industry and key definitions and events that have shaped it. The Fact Book will be available in July.

The NACS State of the Industry Report of 2011 Data and the Convenience Store Industry Fact Book are available to NACS member companies (order number 40022058) for $249 ($749 regular price). Additional copies of the State of the Industry Report of 2011 Data (order number 40022059) are available for $40. The Report/Fact Book package also is available as an electronic PDF edition (order number 40022061) to NACS members for $599 ($1,199 regular price). Orders can be placed online or by calling NACS Customer Service at (800) 966-6227.