Department Store

Does J.C. Penney have time on its side? Or to put it another way: How long will investors wait for J.C. Penney’s transformation? Because, based on the chain’s awful first quarter, it doesn’t appear to have even taken root yet. I’m not surprised.

Anaheim, Calif. -- Pacific Sunwear of California reported Thursday a loss of $15.6 million, narrowed from a loss of $28.7 million in the year-ago period.

Sales edged up to $173.8 million from $171.9 million, and same-store sales increased 1%.

Charlotte, N.C. -- Women’s apparel retailer Cato Corp. said Thursday that first-quarter profit rose 4% to $31.7 million, from $30.5 million last year, prompting the company to raise its full-year profit forecast.

Sales inched up 1% to $275.3 million, but same-store sales dipped 2% among its Cato, Cato Fashions, Cato Plus, It's Fashion, It's Fashion Metro and Versona Accessories banners.

San Francisco -- Gap Inc. said Thursday that profit for the quarter ended April 28 was flat compared with the year-ago period, but its results beat Wall Street forecasts and prompted the retailer to raise its outlook for the year.

Gap reported a profit of $233 million for the first quarter. Revenue rose 6% to $3.49 billion, beating analysts’ estimated $3.46 billion in revenue, and same-store sales rose 4%.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported a better-than-expected 9.2% increase in first-quarter profit on increased sales in the United States and a strong performance abroad.

Wal-Mart earned $3.74 billion in the quarter ended April 30, 2012, up from $3.39 billion period. 

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings posted net income of $189 million in the quarter, compared with a loss of $165 million in the prior-year period.

After several rounds of closings of Kmart and Sears full-line stores in the past months, revenues decreased $270 million to $9.3 billion for the quarter ended April 28. Domestic comp-store sales declined 1.3% -- 1.0% at Sears Domestic and 1.6% at Kmart. Sears also saw declines in its home appliances and consumer electronics categories.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. reported Thursday that it generated a profit of $189 million for the quarter ended April 28, after losing $170 million in the same period last year. The improvement was due largely to a $233-million gain from selling off some of its stores.

Secaucus, N.J. -- The Children's Place reported Thursday that net income for the first quarter slid 19% to $23.6 million from $29.1 million last year, but beat Wall Street forecasts and prompted the retailer to raise the low end of its full-year outlook.

Revenue rose 2% to $438.5 million from $430.8 million, widely missing Wall Street’s expected $447.7 million in revenue, and same-store sales dipped 0.7%.