Sears Holdings Corporation reported a decline of 2.5% in its comparable store sales in the fourth quarter of FY 2009. The largest U. S. department-store company released its quarterly results today.

The net income for the fourth quarter topped the market estimates and was reported more than double from the figures of the same quarter last year.

Net income in the fourth quarter was posted $430 million or $3.74 a share, increasing by 126% while it was reported $190 million or $1.55 per share in the same period last year. The Fourth quarter last year results were heavily impacted by a write down of the company's Orchard Supply Hardware unit that was valued at $187 million.

The adjusted earnings for the fourth quarter were reported $3.69 per share while in the same quarter last year the adjusted earnings were reported $2.94 per share. The company reported the sales of $13.2 billion in the fourth quarter, decreasing by around 1% while comparing to the prior year fourth quarter.

The sales were decreased primarily due to lower comparable store sales and 62 fewer Kmart and Sears full line stores.

Sears reported in its results that the domestic comparable store sales were declined by 2.5% and the sales at Sears Domestic were decreased by 6.1%. On the other hand sales at Kmart stores were reported increased by 1.7%. Yesterday Sears also announced that the company has decided to close 21 Sears and Kmart stores in April and May.