• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, March 4, 2025

While plenty of luxury brands experienced grinchy holiday results, Nordstrom had plenty to celebrate. When adjusted for a calendar shift, the Seattle-based retailer says comparable sales rose 4.7%. Led by strength in women's apparel, active and men's apparel, it experienced growth in both banners and all channels, beating analyst expectations.

Sales at Nordstrom rose 5.3% on a comparable basis, while results at Nordstrom Rack advanced 3.5%.

Net sales declined slightly to $4.2 billion from $4.3 billion in the year-ago period, while net income rose to $165 million from $134 million.

"Customers responded positively to the strength of our offering across both banners in the fourth quarter," says Erik Nordstrom, CEO of the Seattle-based retailer, in the announcement. "We maintained the momentum we built throughout the year, which resulted in full-year sales and profitability coming in at the high end of our expectations."

Nordstrom also said it is on track to become a privately held company in the first half of this year, in an acquisition by members of the Nordstrom family and El Puerto de Liverpool, S.A.B de C.V.

Nordstrom also announced that Cathy Smith, CFO, will be stepping down. She has been named to the same role at Starbucks.

The company also recently launched the latest phase of “Nordstrom for Everything New York.”

Shot by photographer Cass Bird and styled by Kate Young, it features legendary New Yorkers like actors Amy Sedaris and John Turturro and  filmmaker Spike Lee, and is running in print, digital, social media, and out-of-home.

The idea is to raise awareness about the offerings of the New York City flagship, including on-site beauty experiences, last-minute alterations, complimentary styling, and multiple food and beverage concepts.

Nordstrom shot the ads with four partners: the American Museum of Natural History, the Plaza Hotel, Zabar’s, and Nom Wah, lower Manhattan’s vintage dim sum parlor. The department store is teaming up with each to create in-store activations.