Sears Reports December Comparable Store Sales

Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE: S) announced today that comparable domestic store revenues decreased 3.0 percent for the five weeks ended Jan. 1, 2005. Total domestic store revenues were $3.84 billion for the five-week period in December 2004, down 2.4 percent compared with the five weeks ended Jan. 3, 2004.

"Relatively strong sales at the end of the holiday shopping season were insufficient to offset a slow start to the month," said Sears Chairman and CEO Alan J. Lacy. "Most categories in apparel and the home group had sales declines. Sears' online business and gift card sales reported solid growth."

Specialty retail store revenues were up in the low-single digit range, led by Orchard Supply, Sears Hardware and The Great Indoors.

   Sears, Roebuck and Co.
   Domestic Store Revenues & Comparable Store Revenues
   (*According to National Retail Federation Fiscal Calendar.)
   (**A store is considered to be comparable at the beginning of the 13th
   month after the store is opened.)

                          Fiscal Period Ending              Percent Change
                       January 1,       January 3,          All       Comp
                          2005            2004            Stores    Stores**
    December        $3,840,600,000   $3,933,200,000       -2.4%       -3.0%
    Year-to-Date*  $25,012,800,000  $25,711,900,000       -2.7%       -1.7%

The company has made available by phone a recorded message on sales performance of its domestic stores for December 2004. The message can be heard by calling (847) 286-6111 and will be available for approximately one week.

About Sears

Sears, Roebuck and Co. is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services. With revenues in 2003 of $41.1 billion, the company offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,300 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the U.S. and Canada, which includes approximately 870 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com, and specialty catalogs. Sears is the only retailer where consumers can find each of the Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End brands together -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the largest provider of product repair services with more than 14 million service calls made annually.

SOURCE: Sears, Roebuck and Co.

CONTACT: News Media Contact, Edgar P. McDougal, +1-847-286-9669, or
Investor Contact, Scott A. Bohaboy, +1-847-286-7419, both of Sears, Roebuck
and Co.

Web site: http://www.sears.com/