J. C. Penney sales down

January sales at the J. C. Penney chain, which has an anchor store at Northpark Mall in Joplin, were down 16.4 percent:

For the fourth quarter, same-store sales decreased 10.8 percent, in line with the company’s forecast of a decline in the range of 9 to 11 percent.

For 2009, Penney said it anticipates weak consumer spending and negative sales trends to continue and is planning for a full-year same-store sales decline of about 10 percent.