Nordstrom holiday quarter profit rises, sees more gains in 2013

Feb 21 (Reuters) - Nordstrom Inc on Thursday reported a higher winter holiday quarter profit, helped by surging e-commerce sales, and forecast further increases in same-store sales for its new fiscal year.

The high-end retailer, which also operates the Nordstrom Rack chain of lower-priced outlet stores, reported net income for the quarter ended Feb. 2 of $284 million, or $1.40 share, compared to $236 million, or $1.11 per share, a year earlier.

As previously reported, Nordstrom sales at stores open at least year rose 6.3 percent for the three-month period that included the holiday season, helped by online sales that were up 31 percent.

For the current fiscal year, which began Feb. 3, Nordstrom expects a profit of $3.65 to $3.80 per share. Nordstrom forecast same-store sales will rise between 3 percent and 5.5 percent this year.