Area JCPenney stores avoid shuttering amid closures

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

All area JCPenney stores will remain open through the 18 closures this year.

A JCPenney spokeswoman confirmed that stores at the Mall at Fairfield Commons, Miami Valley Mall, Dayton Mall, Bridgewater Falls, Governors Plaza, Stone Creek Town Center and Eastgate Mall will not close.

JCPenney announced last month that it would close 27 of its 860 stores this year, a result of continuously dropping profits. The 27 stores include 18 full-line department stores and nine home and furniture stores.

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Comparable sales at JCPenney fell 4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, down a total 3.1 percent for the year. Net sales for the fourth quarter dropped 9.5 percent. The company’s net loss of $255 million far exceeded its $75 million net income for the quarter.

Net income was $242 million the same quarter of the previous year.

“In spite of our past financial performance, we have already taken meaningful steps to drive improvement in key businesses such as women’s apparel, active apparel, special sized apparel and fine jewelry,” said Jill Soltau, CEO of JCPenney.

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