Nordstrom Reports Earnings Increase

Seattle-based upscale retailer Nordstrom earned $38.7 million, or 27 cents a share on a diluted basis, in the third quarter, compared with $36.15 million, or 23 cents a share, a year ago.

Sales rose a mere 0.4 percent to $1.094 billion, up from $1.089 billion last year. Sales from stores open at least a year, which are considered the most accurate measure of a retailer’s strength, fell 4.2 percent in the quarter.

The report, which was released after financial markets closed Wednesday, were slightly above Wall Street analysts’ estimates.