The May Department Stores Company reported preliminary net retail sales of $2.57 billion for the five-week period ended Jan. 4, 2003, a 2.9% decrease from $2.65 billion in the similar period last year. Store-for-store sales decreased 4.7%.

Sales for the first 11 months of fiscal 2002 were $13.17 billion, a 2.2% decrease compared with $13.47 billion during the first 11 months of fiscal 2001.