Sears Q3 loss wider than expected   

-- Home Textiles Today, 12/2/2008 2:37:00 PM

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Sears Holdings today posted a net loss of $146, or 16 cents per share for the third quarter ended Nov. 1. In last year’s third quarter, the company reported net income of $4 million, or 3 cents per share.

Earnings were impacted by 49 cents a share from a charge related to closing 14 stores as well as a gain of 23 cents a share on Sears Canada hedge transactions.

Sales dropped 8% to $10.7 billion. Comps fell 10.6% at U.S. Sears stores and 7% at Kmart, for a consolidated corporate decline of 9%.

Comps sales fell across most major categories at Kmart and U.S. Sears stores – and were especially hard hit in home-related goods, the company said.

Sears Holdings also announced today that it will buy back up to $500 million in shares. There is already an authorization in place to buy up to $72 million worth of shares. Year to date as of Nov. 1, Sears Holdings had repurchased $558 million in shares. From Nov. 2 to Nov. 29, the company repurchased $53 million in shares.