Nordstrom Reports March 2003 Sales

SEATTLE, April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported preliminary sales of $518.0 million for the five-week period ending April 5, 2003, an increase of 2.9 percent compared to sales of $503.6 million for the five-week period ending April 6, 2002. Same-store sales decreased 1.7 percent, in-line with the company's recently revised expectations.

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

For the five-week period, same-store sales in full-line stores increased in the Central States and East Coast geographic regions but decreased in the Northwest and Southwest regions. By merchandise division, same-store sales increased in Cosmetics, Accessories and Women's Active Wear, while Women's Shoes and the Designer and Bridge segments of Women's Apparel were flat for the month.

Preliminary quarter-to-date (February -- March) sales of $885.7 million increased 2.7 percent compared to 2002 quarter-to-date sales of $862.6 million. Quarter-to-date same-store sales decreased 1.9 percent.

Future Reporting Dates

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

 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 143 US stores located in 27 states.  Founded in 1901 as a shoe
store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 89 full-line stores, 47 Nordstrom
Racks, five Faconnable boutiques, one free-standing shoe store, and one
clearance store.  Nordstrom also operates 24 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             Mar.           Mar.         YTD       YTD
    (unaudited;               2003           2002         2003      2002
     $ in millions)

    Total sales              $518.0         $503.6      $885.7    $862.6
    Total sales
     percentage
     change                    2.9%           1.8%        2.7%      1.3%
    Same-store sales
     percentage change
      Full-line stores       (1.6%)         (1.8%)      (1.9%)    (3.0%)
      Rack and other
       stores                (1.8%)           2.7%      (2.1%)      0.2%
      All stores             (1.7%)         (1.3%)      (1.9%)    (2.6%)
    Number of stores
     (as of April 5, 2003)
      Full-line                  89             83
      Rack and other             54             52
      International
       Faconnable
       boutiques                 24             24
      Total                     167            159
    Gross square
     footage (as of
     April 5, 2003)      18,613,000     17,447,000

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.
    -0-                             04/09/2003
    /CONTACT:  Investors, Stephanie Allen, +1-206-303-3262, or Media,
Shasha Richardson, +1-206-373-3038, both of Nordstrom, Inc./
    /Photo:  NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001011/NORDLOGO
             AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
             PRN Photo Desk, 1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840/
    /Web site:  http://www.nordstrom.com /
    (JWN)

CO:  Nordstrom, Inc.
ST:  Washington
IN:  FAS REA TEX
SU:  SLS



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6573 04/09/2003 16:05 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com