Nordstrom Reports February 2003 Sales

SEATTLE, Mar 5, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported preliminary sales of $367.6 million for the four-week period ending March 1, 2003, an increase of 2.4 percent compared to sales of $359.1 million for the four-week period ending March 2, 2002. Same-store sales decreased 2.3 percent, in-line with company expectations. February sales were unfavorably impacted by severe weather conditions, which resulted in multiple days of store closures on the East Coast.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001011/NORDLOGO )

For the four-week period, same-store sales in full-line stores increased in the Central States region and were flat in the Northwest and Southwest geographic regions. Same-store sales increased in the Cosmetics, Women's Designer and Accessories merchandise divisions.

    FUTURE REPORTING DATES

Nordstrom's financial release calendar for the next several months is provided in the table below.

     March Sales Release       Wed., April 9, 2003
     April Sales Release       Wed., May 7, 2003
     First Quarter Earnings    Mon., May 19, 2003
     Annual Meeting            Tue., May 20, 2003
     May Sales Release         Wed., June 4, 2003

Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's leading fashion specialty retailers, with 142 US stores located in 27 states. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 88 full-line stores, 47 Nordstrom Racks, five Faconnable boutiques, one free-standing shoe store, and one clearance store. Nordstrom also operates 23 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.

     SALES SUMMARY            Feb.         Feb.         YTD         YTD
     (unaudited;              2003         2002        2003         2002
      $ in millions)

     Total sales             $367.6      $359.1       $367.6      $359.1
     Total sales
      percentage change        2.4%        0.6%         2.4%        0.6%
     Same-store sales
      percentage change
       Full-line stores      (2.3%)      (4.3%)       (2.3%)      (4.3%)
       Rack and other
        stores               (2.6%)      (2.8%)       (2.6%)      (2.8%)
       All stores            (2.3%)      (4.1%)       (2.3%)      (4.1%)
     Number of stores
      (as of March 1, 2003)
       Full-line                 88          80
       Rack and other            54          51
       International
        Faconnable
        boutiques                23          24
       Total                    165         155
     Gross square
      footage (as of
      March 1, 2003)     18,385,000  17,011,000

Certain statements in this news release 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.

CONTACT: Investors, Stephanie Allen, +1-206-303-3262, or Media, Shasha Richardson, +1-206-373-3038, both of Nordstrom, Inc.

SOURCE Nordstrom, Inc.

CONTACT:          Investors, Stephanie Allen, +1-206-303-3262, or Media,
                  Shasha Richardson, +1-206-373-3038, both of Nordstrom, Inc.
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URL:              http://www.nordstrom.com
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