Federated Reports First Quarter Earnings of 11 Cents Per Diluted Share from Continuing Operations, up from a Loss of 13 Cents Per Diluted Share Last Year.

Diluted EPS is 16 Cents, Excluding Merger Integration Costs

CINCINNATI -- Federated Department Stores, Inc. (NYSE:FD)(NYSE Arca:FD) today reported diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of 11 cents for the first quarter of 2007, ended May 5, 2007. This compares with a loss of 13 cents per diluted share from continuing operations for the same 13-week period last year.

Excluding May Company merger integration costs of $36 million ($22 million after tax or 5 cents per diluted share), first quarter diluted earnings per share from continuing operations was 16 cents. This compares with diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of 1 cent for the first quarter of 2006, excluding merger integration costs and related inventory valuation adjustments of $129 million ($81 million after tax or 14 cents per diluted share). The first quarter 2007 earnings per diluted share is within the company's guidance for 15 to 20 cents excluding merger integration costs.

"Sales in the quarter were soft, particularly in April. For the quarter as a whole, we were pleased with sales in the legacy Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores," said Terry J. Lundgren, Federated's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "However, sales in the new Macy's locations were disappointing in the quarter. In spite of weak sales, we achieved strong gross margin results and reduction in expense as a percent to sales. We are on track to deliver at least $450 million in annual expense savings as a result of the May Company acquisition. While April has given us some concern about the consumer and the economic environment, we remain optimistic that our trends will improve particularly in the back half of the year as we reach the first anniversary of the Macy's brand conversion."

Sales

Sales in the first quarter totaled $5.921 billion, a decrease of 0.2 percent compared to sales of $5.930 billion in the same period last year. This is below the company's guidance for first quarter sales to be in the range of $6 billion to $6.1 billion. On a same-store basis, Federated's first quarter sales were up 0.6 percent.

In the first quarter of 2007, the company opened six new stores - Macy's in Bolingbrook, IL; Boston and Hyannis, MA; Collierville, TN; and Austin, TX, as well as a Bloomingdale's in Costa Mesa, CA. A Macy's store in Salt Lake City, UT, was closed.

Operating Income 

Federated's operating income totaled $208 million or 3.5 percent of sales for the quarter ended May 5, 2007, compared with operating income of $20 million or 0.3 percent of sales for the same period last year. Federated's first quarter 2007 operating income includes $36 million in May Company integration costs, compared with $129 million in integration costs and related inventory valuation adjustments in the first quarter of 2006. Excluding these items, operating income was $244 million or 4.1 percent of sales in the first quarter of 2007, and $149 million or 2.5 percent of sales in the first quarter of 2006.

The recurring gross margin rate for the first quarter of 2007 was 39.8 percent, compared with 38.8 percent in the same quarter a year earlier.

First quarter 2007 selling, general and administrative expenses as a percent of sales improved by 0.6 of a percentage point compared with last year.

Cash Flow

Net cash used by continuing operating activities was $370 million in the first quarter of 2007, compared with $114 million in the first quarter last year. The difference reflects the fact that the company no longer owns proprietary credit receivables. In addition, inventory levels in the first quarter of 2006 were impacted by the liquidation of merchandise in the former May Company stores.

Net cash used by continuing investing activities in the first quarter of 2007 was $31 million, compared with $84 million a year ago. Net cash used by continuing financing activities was $309 million in the first quarter of 2007, compared with $178 million in cash provided by continuing financing activities in the first quarter last year. The company issued $1.6 billion in long-term debt in the first quarter.

The company repurchased 45 million outstanding shares of common stock on Feb. 27, 2007 for an initial payment of approximately $2 billion through accelerated share repurchase agreements. Credit Suisse has completed the variable term accelerated share repurchase agreement, involving 22.5 million shares. The second part of the program, representing 22.5 million shares, is ongoing. At the end of the quarter, the company had remaining authorization to repurchase up to approximately $2.2 billion of its common stock.

Looking Ahead

Federated reiterated its full-year 2007 earnings guidance of $2.45 to $2.60 per diluted share from continuing operations, excluding merger integration costs.

Federated's guidance is for total sales of $6.0 billion to $6.1 billion in the second quarter, compared with previous guidance of $6.1 billion to $6.2 billion. On a same-store basis, the company expects second quarter sales to be flat to up 2 percent, versus prior guidance of up 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent. Earnings per diluted share, excluding merger integration costs, are now expected to be in the range of 35 to 45 cents, compared with previous guidance of 40 to 45 cents, in the second quarter. The revised second quarter guidance reflects management's concern about uncertainty in the economic environment.

Federated, with corporate offices in Cincinnati and New York, is one of the nation's premier retailers, with fiscal 2006 sales of $27 billion. Federated operates more than 850 department stores in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico under the names of Macy's and Bloomingdale's. The company also operates macys.com, bloomingdales.com and Bloomingdale's By Mail. Contingent on shareholder approval, Federated's name will change to Macy's, Inc. and trade on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol "M", effective June 1, 2007.

All statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Federated's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this release because of a variety of factors, including conditions to, or changes in the timing of, proposed transactions, prevailing interest rates, competitive pressures from specialty stores, general merchandise stores, manufacturers' outlets, off-price and discount stores, new and established forms of home shopping (including the Internet, mail-order catalogs and television) and general consumer spending levels, including the impact of the availability and level of consumer debt, the effect of weather and other factors identified in documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(NOTE: Additional information on Federated is available on the Internet at www.fds.com/pressroom. A webcast of Federated's first quarter earnings call with analysts will be held beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, May 16. Pre-registration is requested. Those unable to access the webcast at www.fds.com may call 1-800-946-0719, passcode 2749916, to listen to the audio in real time. The webcast will be archived for replay beginning approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live call.)

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