As Dollar Tree reported strong sales and earnings for its fiscal 2012, CEO Bob Sasser told investors the retailer would be expanding categories in 2013, and he was particularly excited about the products headed to the company’s 4,671 stores later this year.

“You're going to see expansions in our stores through the course of the year in our household products area, in our candy, snacks and beverage area, in our stationery business,” Sasser said on a conference call, according to transcripts from Seeking Alpha. “We're very excited about our stationery business. And also in our party business. … We really want our customers to be challenged by great value and to purchase great product from the time they enter the store until the time they leave the store.”

Same-store sales at Dollar Tree rose 2.4 percent in the fiscal fourth quarter, with earnings rising 26.3 percent and total sales reaching $2.25 billion. That’s the first quarter with more than $2 billion in sales in Dollar Tree’s history, Sasser said, according to the Seeking Alpha transcripts.

For the full year, same-store sales rose 3.4 percent, total sales climbed 11.5 percent to $7.39 billion, and earnings rose 33.3 percent.

“We believe we're more relevant today with the consumer under pressure than we've ever been,” Sasser said. “And we think that's going to continue for a few years, several years.”

Sasser also took time to talk about the company’s buyer trip to Asia in January, saying it was the best trip that he’d been on with the merchants.

“We went off and went to Asia with a real plan, worked with the vendors, got the best prices,” he said. “And I got to tell you, with the merchandise that's coming from that trip, first of all, for our fourth quarter next year, our mark on is going to be on plan.

“The merchandise is going to be really exciting. We have new home and textile products, their own trend, our housewares categories are exceptional, especially our dinnerware is just striking, really. We're able to do what our merchants are able to do for the $1 price point. They've updated our stationery assortment. They've updated our party assortment. Our toy department was completely overhauled. It's just really was an exciting trip. And frankly, it is the best trip I've been on since I've been with Dollar Tree.”