UPDATE 1-Nordstrom Dec. same-store sales fall 4 pct

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ATLANTA Jan 10 (Reuters) - Upscale department store chain Nordstrom Inc (JWN.N) said on Thursday that December sales at stores open at least a year fell 4 percent, hurt by a calendar change.

Analysts, on average, were expecting same-store sales to fall 4.1 percent, according to Reuters Estimates.

The Seattle-based retailer said preliminary data indicated total sales for the five weeks ended Jan. 5 fell 3.8 percent to $1.2 billion.

A change in the retail calendar shifted a week of holiday sales into the prior month. For November, Nordstrom reported a same-store sales increase of 8.7 percent.

For the fourth quarter to date, Nordstrom said its same-store sales were up 0.7 percent.

On a recorded call, the company said impact from the calendar shift on January sales was expected to be "minimal."

Nordstrom shares were up 69 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $33.00 in afternoon New York Stock Exchange trading. (Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)