Good start to the year for Penney

Article Excerpt

J.C. PENNEY CO. INC. $36 (New York symbol JCP; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 229.9 million; Market cap: $8.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.5; Dividend yield: 2.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.jcpenney.com) reported that its sales rose 0.4% in the three months ended April 30, 2011, to $3.94 billion from $3.93 billion a year earlier. The shutdown of the company’s catalogue business was offset by a 3.8% jump in same-store sales at its 1,100 department stores, due to strong demand for its private-label clothing. Earnings rose 6.7% in the quarter, to $64.0 million from $60.0 million, mainly due to lower pension expenses. Earnings per share jumped 12.0%, to $0.28 from $0.25, on fewer shares outstanding. J.C. Penney is a buy. buy…