Gap and Target were among US retailers posting February same-store sales gains that topped analysts’ estimates as unseasonably warm weather boosted purchases of spring merchandise.

Sales at Gap, the largest US apparel chain, climbed 4 percent, beating the average projection for a 1.4 percent drop from analysts surveyed by Retail Metrics. Target, the second-largest US discount retailer, posted a 7 percent same-store sales gain, topping the 5 percent estimate.

US retailers that aggressively rolled out new products benefited as warmer weather induced consumers to get a jump on their spring shopping, Eric Beder, an analyst at Brean Murray Carret & Co. said in a report.

Same-store sales for the more than 20 companies tracked by Swampscott, Mass.-based researcher Retail Metrics rose 6.5 percent, beating the estimate for a 3.5 percent gain.