The May Department Stores Company Reports Sales for August

The May Department Stores Company Reports Sales for August 


ST. LOUIS, Sept. 2  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The May Department Stores Company
[NYSE: MAY] reported preliminary net sales of $1.05 billion for the four-week
period ended Aug. 28, 2004, a 10.5% increase from $953.8 million in the similar
period last year.  Store-for-store sales decreased 6.7%.  August
store-for-store sales decreased 5.9%, excluding the remaining 15 stores that
May previously announced it will divest.

August sales were positively impacted by a timing change in the Texas sales tax
holiday and the related movement of a major end-of-week sales promotion event
at the Foley's division from the last week of July 2003 to the first week of
August 2004.  However, this increase was more than offset by the movement of
the pre-Labor Day sales promotion event from the last week of August 2003 to
the first week of September 2004.

Net sales for the first seven months of fiscal 2004 were $6.97 billion, a 2.1%
increase, compared with $6.83 billion during the first seven months of fiscal
2003.

  Net sales were as follows:

  (dollars in          Fiscal   Fiscal   Percent    Store-for-Store Decrease
   millions)             2004     2003   Increase       Actual    Adjusted *

  August             $1,053.9    $953.8     10.5 %       (6.7)%      (5.9)%
  Year-to-date        6,972.5   6,826.7      2.1         (1.1)       (0.5)

  * Excludes the remaining 15 stores that May previously announced it will
    divest.



Net sales include merchandise sales and lease department income.  Store-
for-store sales compare sales of stores open during both years beginning the
first day a new store has prior-year sales and exclude sales of stores closed
during both years. Beginning Aug. 1, 2004, Marshall Field's is included in net
sales, but not store-for-store sales.

August sales included strong performances in a number of merchandise
categories, offset by weakness in home furnishings and apparel clearance.
Stronger performing categories were ladies' bridge shoes, ladies' suits, men's
suit separates, neckwear, luggage, and electronic giftables.  Ladies'
accessories also achieved a sales increase, benefiting from the appeal of this
season's must-haves, including signature handbags, linear earrings, brooches,
and ponchos.

In ladies' sportswear and children's, new fall merchandise performed well.
Tailored sportswear looks -- led by fashion newness in item jackets, novelty
tops, and skirts -- won with the young-adult female customer, as did denim
jeans and jackets.  Apparel sales in juniors and young men's were above the
total store trend, while dresses and intimate apparel lagged the store's
performance.

May's Bridal Group opened one After Hours Formalwear store in August for a
total of eight new stores to date this year.  An additional 12 After Hours
stores will open by year-end.

The May Department Stores Company currently operates 497 department stores
under the names of Famous-Barr, Filene's, Foley's, Hecht's, Kaufmann's, Lord &
Taylor, L.S. Ayres, Marshall Field's, Meier & Frank, Robinsons-May,
Strawbridge's, and The Jones Store, as well as 220 David's Bridal stores, 455
After Hours Formalwear stores, and 10 Priscilla of Boston stores in its Bridal
Group.  May operates in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

For more information, contact Sharon Bateman at [phone]. 

DATASOURCE: The May Department Stores Company



CONTACT:  Sharon Bateman, The May Department Stores Company,

[phone]

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