<page>
Exhibit 99.1
For Immediate Release
- ---------------------
March 4, 2004
NORDSTROM FEBRUARY SAME-STORE SALES INCREASE 14.1 PERCENT
---------------------------------------------------------
SEATTLE - March 4, 2004 - Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported
preliminary sales of $431.3 million for the 28-day period ending February 28,
2004, an increase of 11.8 percent compared to sales of $385.8 million for the
29-day period ending March 1, 2003. Same-store sales increased 8.8 percent
for the 28-day period in 2004 compared to the 29-day period in 2003. On a
comparable 28-day to 28-day basis, same-store sales increased 14.1 percent.
February same-store sales in full-line stores increased in all geographic
regions and all major merchandise categories.
SALES RECORDING
To hear Nordstrom's prerecorded February sales message, please dial (402)
220-6036. This recording will be available for one week.
GAAP SALES PERFORMANCE
The additional information provided in this section is to comply with the
Securities and Exchange Commission's Regulation G. The Company converted to a
4-5-4 Retail Calendar at the beginning of 2003. This change in the fiscal
calendar has resulted in differences in the number of days included in the
current period versus the same period in the prior year. The Company believes
that adjusting for this difference provides a more comparable basis (4-5-4 vs.
4-5-4) from which to evaluate sales performance. The following reconciliation
bridges 2003 GAAP sales to the 4-5-4 comparable sales.
<table>
<caption>
Dollar % Change % Change
Sales Reconciliation ($M) February 2004 February 2003 Increase Total Sales Comp Sales
------------- ------------- ---------- ----------- ----------
<s> <c> <c> <c> <c> <c>
Number of Days GAAP 28 29
GAAP Sales $431.3 $385.8 $45.5 11.8% 8.8%
Less Feb. 1, 2003 sales -- ($18.2)
Reported 4-5-4 sales $431.3 $367.6 $63.7 17.3% 14.1%
========= =========
4-5-4 Adjusted Days 28 28
</table>
FUTURE REPORTING DATES
Nordstrom's financial release calendar for the next several months is provided
in the table below.
March Sales Release Thurs., April 8, 2004
April Sales Release Thurs., May 6, 2004
First Quarter Earnings Thurs., May 20, 2004
Annual Meeting Tues., May 25, 2004
Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's leading fashion specialty
retailers, with 148 US stores located in 27 states. Founded in 1901 as a shoe
store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 92 full-line stores, 49 Nordstrom
Racks, five Faconnable boutiques, one free-standing shoe store, and one
clearance store. Nordstrom also operates 31 international Faconnable
boutiques, primarily in Europe. Additionally, Nordstrom serves customers
through its online presence at http://www.nordstrom.com and through its direct
mail catalogs.
<page>
<table>
<caption>
SALES SUMMARY
(unaudited; $ in millions) Feb. Feb.
2004 2003
---- ----
<s> <c> <c>
Total sales $431.3 $367.6
Total sales percentage change 17.3% 2.4%
Same-store sales percentage change 14.1% (2.3%)
Number of stores (as of Feb. 29, 2004)
Full-line 92 88
Rack and other 56 54
International Faconnable boutiques 31 23
--- ---
Total 179 165
Gross square footage 19,138,000 18,385,000
</table>
Investor Contact:
Stephanie Allen, 206-303-3262
Media Contact:
Shasha Richardson, 206-373-3038
Certain statements in this news release might contain "forward-looking"
information (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995) that involves risks and uncertainties, including anticipated results,
store openings and distribution channels, planned capital expenditures, and
trends in company operations. Actual future results and trends may differ
materially from historical results or current expectations depending upon
factors including, but not limited to, the company's ability to predict
fashion trends, consumer apparel buying patterns, the company's ability to
control costs, weather conditions, hazards of nature such as earthquakes and
floods, trends in personal bankruptcies and bad debt write-offs, changes in
interest rates, employee relations, the company's ability to continue its
expansion plans, and the impact of economic and competitive market forces,
including the impact of terrorist activity or the impact of a war on the
company, its customers and the retail industry. Our SEC reports may contain
other information on these and other factors that could affect our financial
results and cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking
information we may provide.
###