MEMO: MAY STORE EARNINGS UP FROM ONE YEAR AGO

May Department Stores Co.'s fourth-quarter earnings rose 1 percent from a year ago as total sales from its Lord & Taylor, Hecht's and Filene's stores rose 5 percent. The results met Wall Street expectations.

May, based in St. Louis, earned $518 million, or $1.59 per share, in the quarter ending Feb. 3. That's compared to earnings of $513, or $1.45 per share, a year ago. Sales were $4.95 billion, compared to sales of $4.69 billion in the fourth quarter a year ago.

For the year, May earned $858 million, or $2.62 per share. Last year, May earned $927 million, $2.60 per share. Sales rose to $14.45 billion, compared to $13.85 billion a year earlier. Comparable-store sales rose 0.5 percent.

May operates Famous Barr at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park in Cape Girardeau.

In 2000, May opened 23 new departments stores and purchased David's Bridal stores, the nation's largest retailer of bridal apparel. May now operates 427 department stores and 123 David's Bridal stores in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

The company plans to open 21 department stores in 2001, including eight in Tennessee and Louisiana being purchased from Saks Inc. May also plans to open 28 new David's Bridal stores this year.