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Exhibit 99.1
For Immediate Release
August 5, 2004
NORDSTROM JULY SAME-STORE SALES INCREASE 6.1 PERCENT
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SEATTLE - August 5, 2004 - Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported
preliminary sales of $746.9 million for the four-week period ending July 31,
2004, an increase of 8.9 percent compared to sales of $686.0 million for the
four-week period ending August 2, 2003. Same-store sales increased 6.1
percent.
July same-store sales in full-line stores increased in all geographic
regions and all major merchandise categories.
Preliminary quarter-to-date sales of $2.0 billion increased 9.4 percent
compared to 2003 quarter-to-date sales of $1.8 billion. Quarter-to-date same-
store sales increased 6.8 percent.
Preliminary year-to-date sales of $3.5 billion increased 12.5 percent
compared to sales of $3.1 billion in 2003. Year-to-date same-store sales
increased 9.5 percent.
SALES RECORDING
To hear Nordstrom's prerecorded July sales message, please dial (402)
220-6036. This recording will be available for one week.
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SALES SUMMARY July July QTD QTD YTD YTD
(unaudited; $ in millions) 2004 2003 2004 2003 2004 2003
------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
<s> <c> <c> <c> <c> <c> <c>
Total sales $746.9 $686.0 $1,953.5 $1,784.8 $3,489.0 $3,102.1
Total sales percentage change 8.9% 8.8% 9.4% 7.8% 12.5% 5.9%
Same-store sales percentage change 6.1% 6.0% 6.8% 3.8% 9.5% 1.5%
Number of stores (as of July 31, 2004)
Full-line 93 89
Rack and other 56 54
International
Faconnable boutiques 31 31
--- ---
Total 180 174
Gross square footage 19,289,000 18,629,000
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GAAP SALES PERFORMANCE
The additional information provided in this section is to comply with the
Securities and Exchange Commission's Regulation G. The Company converted to a
4-5-4 Retail Calendar at the beginning of 2003. Year-to-date results for 2003
include one more day than the year-to-date for 2004. The Company believes
that adjusting for this difference provides a more comparable basis from which
to evaluate sales performance. The following reconciliation bridges the year-
to-date 2003 GAAP sales to the 4-5-4 comparable sales.
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Dollar % Change % Change
Sales Reconciliation ($M) YTD 2003 YTD 2004 Increase Total Sales Comp Sales
-------- -------- ---------- ----------- ----------
<s> <c> <c> <c> <c> <c>
Number of Days GAAP 183 182
GAAP Sales $3,120.3 $3,489.0 $368.7 11.8% 8.8%
Less Feb. 1, 2003 sales ($18.2) --
-------- --------
Reported 4-5-4 sales $3,102.1 $3,489.0 $386.9 12.5% 9.5%
========= =========
4-5-4 Adjusted Days 182 182
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FUTURE REPORTING DATES
Nordstrom's financial release calendar for the next several months is provided
in the table below.
Second Quarter Earnings Thurs., Aug.19, 2004
August Sales Release Thurs., Sept. 2, 2004
September Sales Release Thurs., Oct. 7, 2004
October Sales Release Thurs., Nov. 4, 2004
Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's leading fashion specialty
retailers, with 149 US stores located in 27 states. Founded in 1901 as a shoe
store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 93 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.
Investor Contact:
Stephanie Allen, 206-303-3262
Media Contact:
Deniz Anders, 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.