Department store operator J.C. Penney Co Inc. reported a decreased profit in the fourth quarter but still the figures beat the expectations of the analysts.

J.C. Penney posted a net income of $200 million or 84 cents a share in the fourth quarter ended January, reporting a decrease by 5.2% while in the same period last year the company posted net income of $211 million or 94 cents a share.

The results beat the estimates as analysts were expecting net income of 82 cents per share for the quarter. On an adjusted basis, excluding the qualified pension expense, adjusted income from continuing operations was reported $242 million or $1.02 per share in the quarter increasing by 30% as it was posted $186 million or $0.84 per share in the same period last year.

Total sales for the quarter were posted $ 5.55 billion, decreasing by 3.6% from $5.76 billion in the same quarter last year.

Net income for full year 2009 was reported $251 million decreasing by 65% over the fiscal ended January 2008. The company posted the revenue of $17.6 billion in FY 2009 decreased by 5%.

J.C. Penney Co., the third-largest U.S. department-store chain expects that in 2010 its same store sales would improve. For fiscal 2010, Penney expects earnings of $1.55 per share, while analysts are expecting $1.45 per share. In the first quarter of 2010, it expects the earnings of 16 cents to 20 cents per share, while analysts expect 18 cents.