Federated Plans Name Change

New York City, Federated Department Stores on Tuesday said it would ask shareholders to approve changing the company's corporate name to Macy's Group Inc. A vote to amend the corporation's charter to accommodate the new name will be held in conjunction with Federated's annual meeting on May 18. If approved, the company will be known as Macy's Group Inc., effective June 1. The move comes on the heels of the company changing most of its store nameplates to Macy's.

“Macy’s Group is the appropriate name for our company, given that about 90% of our sales involve the Macy’s brand. That said, Bloomingdale’s is—and will remain—a very important part of our company,” said Terry J. Lundgren, Federated’s chief executive. Federated Department Stores also said stronger sales at established stores and lower costs drove a 5% rise in fourth-quarter earnings. For the quarter ended Feb. 3, net income rose to $733 million from $699 million the prior-year period. Sales fell 4% to $9.16 billion from $9.57 billion, as the company shuttered 80 "duplicative" store locations. Comp-store sales rose 6.1% in the quarter.

During the quarter, Federated lowered its selling, general and administrative costs 11% to $2.31 billion.

The company also announced a $4 billion increase to its stock buyback program and said it will immediately repurchase 45 million shares for $2 billion under the plan.