MAY DEPARTMENT STORES CO
8-K, 1996-01-18
DEPARTMENT STORES
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                            FORM 8-K

               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                     Washington, D.C.  20549



                                           


                         CURRENT REPORT

             PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                 SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934




        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
                         January 17, 1996



                 THE MAY DEPARTMENT STORES COMPANY               
     (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

   New York                   I-79               43-0398035      
(State or other           (Commission         (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of           File Number)        Identification No.)
incorporation)



  611 Olive Street, St. Louis, Missouri               63101    
(Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip code)



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                          (314) 342-6300                  






                        Page 1
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Item 5.   Other Events.


      On January 17, 1996, Registrant announced that it intends to
spin-off Payless ShoeSource, Inc., its chain of self-service
family shoe stores, as an independent company.  The shares of
Payless will be distributed to Registrant's shareowners in a tax-
free transaction.  The spin-off is expected to be completed in
late Spring 1996.  Following the anticipated spin-off, senior
management of Payless, including Steven J. Douglass, chairman and
chief executive officer of Payless, and Richard A. Jolosky,
President of Payless, would continue with Payless.




Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c)  Exhibits.  The following documents are filed as Exhibits.

                                                     Sequential
                                                     Numbering
                                                     System
Exhibit No.    Exhibit                               Page Number

     99-1      Press Release dated January 17, 1996      5
























                        Page 2

<PAGE>

                            SIGNATURE



     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                              THE MAY DEPARTMENT STORES COMPANY



Dated:  January 17, 1996      By:     /s/ Richard A. Brickson     
  

                                   Richard A. Brickson
                                   Secretary and Senior Counsel
































                        Page 3

<PAGE>


                       INDEX TO EXHIBITS



                                                     Sequential
                                                     Numbering
                                                     System
Exhibit No.    Exhibit                               Page Number

     99-1      Press Release dated January 17, 1996      5








































                        Page 4

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(MA)
MAY NEWS
For Immediate Release    
Contact Jim Abrams  (314) 342-6343


THE MAY DEPARTMENT STORES COMPANY ANNOUNCES PLANNED
SPIN-OFF OF PAYLESS SHOESOURCE, INC.

     St. Louis, MO, January 17, 1996 - The May Department Stores
Company (NYSE: MA) announced today that it intends to spin-off
Payless ShoeSource, Inc., its chain of self-service family shoe
stores, as an independent, industry-leading company.
     David C. Farrell, chairman and chief executive officer of
May, said, "Payless is a terrific business that we expect will
perform well as an independent entity.  The company, which
currently sells one out of every five pairs of shoes in the
United States, will be the leading competitor in its segment of
the retail industry, have strong cash flow and be well-positioned
for future growth with a strengthened management team and
streamlined operating structure.  
     The spin-off of Payless will allow May to focus totally on
operating its expanding department store business.  May's strong
financial position will be enhanced, increasing its flexibility
for future acquisitions or stock repurchases.
     "We believe that separating our two businesses into two,
independent companies is in the best interest of our
shareowners."
     Shares in the new company will be distributed to May
shareowners in a tax-free transaction.  May expects to complete
the transaction in late Spring 1996.
     The current senior management of Payless will continue to
guide the company moving forward.  Steven J. Douglass will remain
chairman and chief executive officer of Payless and Richard A.
Jolosky will continue as president of the company.

<PAGE>
     Steven J. Douglass, chairman and chief executive officer of
Payless, said, "We are excited by the opportunity to operate as
an independent company with $2.3 billion in sales and over $1
billion in assets.  This is a tremendous opportunity for Payless
and its 25,000 associates across the country.  As a stand-alone
company with our own common stock, we will be able to structure
our incentive and benefits programs to reflect Payless' earnings
and equity performance more directly."
     The management team at Payless announced Payless will close
or relocate about 450 stores.  The costs related to the store
closings and certain costs of the spin-off will be taken as a
charge by May in its fourth quarter.  That charge is estimated to
be approximately $70 million.  Payless ShoeSource will be treated
as discontinued operations of May for financial reporting
purposes.
     May is one of the largest retailers in the United States. 
It currently operates 346 department stores in 30 states and the 
District of Columbia.  Payless, headquartered in Topeka, Kansas,
will be the largest independent shoe retailer in the country; it
currently operates 4,557 self-service family shoe stores in 49
states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands.

<PAGE>
The May Department Stores Company

Department Stores

Business:  The May Department Stores Company is one of the
country's leading department store companies operating 346
quality department stores nationwide.  Each of our department
store companies holds a leading position in its region.  The May
Department Stores Company was founded in 1877, incorporated in
New York in 1910 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in
1911.  In 1994, May achieved its 20th consecutive year of record
sales and earnings per share.  In December, 1995, May paid its
337th consecutive dividend, completing 84 years of consecutive
dividends without interruption.

Operating
Division         1994 Sales   Stores*  Markets*

Lord & Taylor    $1.5 bil.      57     24 markets, including: 
                                       New York City, Chicago,
                                       Boston, Washington, D.C.,
                                       Detroit, Dallas-Fort
                                       Worth,  
                                       Atlanta and Miami 
Hecht's          $1.4 bil.      62     17 markets, including:
                                       Washington, D.C.,
                                       Philadelphia, Baltimore,
                                       Richmond and Norfolk
Foley's          $1.6 bil.      51     16 markets, including:
                                       Houston, Dallas-Fort
                                       Worth, Denver, San Antonio,
                                       Oklahoma City and Tucson
Robinsons-May    $1.5 bil.      53     9 markets, including:
                                       Los Angeles, San Diego,
                                       Orange County, Phoenix and
                                       Riverside-San Bernardino
Kaufmann's       $1.3 bil.      46     20 markets, including: 
                                       Pittsburgh, Cleveland,
                                       Buffalo, Rochester, Akron
                                       and Syracuse
Filene's         $1.2 bil.      39     16 markets, including:
                                       Boston, New Haven-
                                       Bridgeport-Danbury-
                                       Stamford-Waterbury, 
                                       Hartford and Providence
Famous-Barr      $947 mil.      30     14 markets, including: 
                                       St. Louis, Indianapolis, 
                                       Fort Wayne and South Bend
Meier & Frank    $347 mil.       8     4 markets:  Portland-
                                       Vancouver, Salem, Eugene 
                                       and Medford
* Number of stores and markets as of January, 1996

No. of Employees    95,000

Headquarters        St. Louis, MO 


Payless ShoeSource

Business:  Payless ShoeSource, Inc. is the largest chain of
self-service family shoe stores in the nation, with 1994 sales of
over $2.1 billion.  Payless sold 185 million pairs of shoes in
1994 - one of every five pairs sold in the United States. 
Payless (formerly known as Volume Shoe Corporation) was founded
in 1956 and incorporated in Missouri in 1961.  The May Department
Stores Company acquired Payless in 1979.

Stores              More than 4,550 stores in 49 states, 
                    the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 
                    the Virgin Islands.

Payless Kids        In 1992, Payless introduced Payless Kids 
                    expansion stores, adding these units adjacent
                    to existing Payless stores.  There are now
                    773 Payless Kids stores.

No. of Employees    25,000

Headquarters        Topeka, Kansas


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<TABLE>
         The May Department Stores Company
         Preliminary Condensed Results of Operations
         (Unaudited)

         
         (Millions, except per share)             1995
                                                  1st      2nd      3rd
                                                  Qtr      Qtr      Qtr       YTD

             <S>                                 <C>      <C>      <C>       <C>      
         Net Retail Sales                        $2,128   $2,243   $2,489    $6,860

         Revenues                                $2,218   $2,325   $2,569    $7,112
         Cost of Sales                            1,543    1,625    1,798     4,966
         Selling, general and
            administrative expenses                 470      463      526     1,459
         Interest expense, net                       58       57       61       176

         Earnings before income taxes               147      180      184       511
         Provision for income taxes                  60       73       74       207
         Net Earnings from continuing operations    $87     $107     $110      $304

         Net Earnings from discontinued operation    27       34       25        86

         Net Earnings                              $114     $141     $135      $390

         Net Earnings Per Share:
            Continuing operations                 $0.32    $0.40    $0.41     $1.13
            Discontinued operation                 0.10     0.13     0.09      0.32
            Net Earnings per share                $0.42    $0.53    $0.50     $1.45

         Fully Diluted Average Shares
             and Equivalents                      264.5    265.7    265.3     264.9

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
                                                  1994                                                      1993
                                                  1st      2nd      3rd                 4th       Full      Full
                                                  Qtr      Qtr      Qtr       YTD       Qtr       Year      Year

            <S>                                  <C>      <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>      <C>        <C>        
         Net Retail Sales                        $2,010   $2,074   $2,324    $6,408    $3,351    $9,759    $9,020

         Revenues                                $2,105   $2,162   $2,404    $6,671    $3,436   $10,107    $9,562
         Cost of Sales                            1,463    1,510    1,679     4,652     2,227     6,879     6,537
         Selling, general and
            administrative expenses                 452      439      494     1,385       531     1,916     1,824
         Interest expense, net                       59       56       56       171        62       233       244

         Earnings before income taxes               131      157      175       463       616     1,079       957
         Provision for income taxes                  54       64       70       188       241       429       379
         Net Earnings from continuing operations    $77      $93     $105      $275      $375      $650      $578

         Net Earnings from discontinued operation    35       37       34       106        26       132       133

         Net Earnings                              $112     $130     $139      $381      $401      $782      $711

         Net Earnings Per Share:
            Continuing operations                 $0.28    $0.35    $0.38     $1.01     $1.42     $2.43     $2.15
            Discontinued operation                 0.13     0.14     0.13      0.40      0.09      0.49      0.50
            Net Earnings per share                $0.41    $0.49    $0.51     $1.41     $1.51     $2.92     $2.65

         Fully Diluted Average Shares
             and Equivalents                      265.3    265.2    264.7     265.0     264.4     264.9     265.5

</TABLE>

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