Target same-store sales up 6.1 pct

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Target Corp. (TGT.N) on Thursday said sales at stores open at least a year rose 6.1 percent in July, which was within the discount retailer's forecasted range.

Analysts, on average, were expecting Target's same-store sales to rise 5.8 percent, according to Reuters Estimates. The company had forecast July same-store sales growth of 5 percent to 7 percent.

Sales for the four weeks that ended August 4, rose 10.8 percent to $4.36 billion.

For August, Target said it expects same-store sales to rise between 4 percent and 6 percent. August same-store sales a year ago rose 2.8 percent.

On a recorded call, Target said July sales were strong in health care, stationary and electronics, but weaker in men's apparel, lawn and garden, and hosiery.

(Reporting by Nicole Maestri)