SEATTLE, Wash. - February 14, 2002 - Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) today reported that based on better than expected fourth quarter sales and operating trends, the Company now estimates fourth quarter earnings per share on a diluted basis of $0.36 to $0.38, increased from the previous range of $0.27 to $0.31. For the full year ended January 31, 2002, earnings per share are now estimated in the range of $0.91 to $0.93 versus previous guidance of $0.82 to $0.86.

Celebrating 100 years of service, Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation's leading fashion specialty retailers, with 131 US stores located in 25 states. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, Nordstrom today operates 80 full-line stores, 44 Nordstrom Racks, four U.S. Façonnable boutiques, two freestanding shoe stores, and one clearance store. Nordstrom also operates 23 international Façonnable boutiques, primarily in Europe. Additionally, Nordstrom serves customers through its online presence at http://www.nordstrom.com and through its direct mail catalogs.

Certain statements in this news release contain "forward-looking" information (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that involves risks and uncertainties, including anticipated earnings, store openings and distribution channels, planned capital expenditures, and trends in company operations. Actual future results and trends may differ materially from historical results or current expectations depending upon factors including, but not limited to, the company's ability to predict fashion trends, consumer apparel buying patterns, the company's ability to control costs, weather conditions, hazards of nature such as earthquakes and floods, trends in personal bankruptcies and bad debt write-offs, employee relations, the company's ability to continue its expansion plans, and the impact of economic and competitive market forces, including the impact of the recent terrorist activity on the company, its customers and the industry.
Our SEC reports may contain other information on these and other factors that could affect our financial results and cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking information we may provide.