Apple Ranked as Fastest-Growing Major Retailer in U.S.

Earlier this week, USA Today reported on research from retail sales analyst David Berman ranking Apple as the fastest-growing major retailer in the United States during the first quarter of this year, boosting its domestic sales by 80% over last year's numbers. 

Calling Apple's sales "mind-boggling", Berman notes that Apple's brick-and-mortar retail stores are even outpacing the company's overall performance, growing by 90% year-over-year.

That increase accounted for one-fifth of all sales growth by publicly traded retailers in the U.S., according to a recent analysis of sales trends by retail sales expert David Berman. In part, that's a reflection of poor sales among most retailers. But it also highlights how Steve Jobs' technology giant is grabbing a big slice of market share in everything from smartphones to PCs.

Apple's year-over-year U.S. sales growth of $4.6 billion for the first quarter was followed by Amazon and Wal-Mart, with total sales growth from public retailers coming in at $23.2 billion. 

Apple is set to announce its financial results for the second calendar quarter (third fiscal quarter) of the year next Tuesday, July 19th.