J.C. PENNEY LOSES $284M IN 4TH QUARTER.(BUSINESS)

Byline: DAVID KOENIG Associated Press

PLANO, Texas -- A disappointing holiday-sales season and charges for store closings left J.C. Penney Co. Inc. with a loss of $284 million in the fourth quarter,

But the retailer's loss excluding the charges was smaller than Wall Street expected.

The company said Thursday its loss was $1.11 per share for the three months ended Jan. 27 compared with a loss of $12 million, or 8 cents per share, a year ago.

Excluding the one-time charges, the loss was 3 cents per share, narrower than the 5-cent loss expected among analysts surveyed by First Call/Thomson Financial.

Revenue fell to $9.75 billion …