Stage Stores January same-store sales rise 1 percent

(Reuters) - Specialty department store retailer Stage Stores Inc (SSI.N) posted a 1 percent rise in January same-store sales on growth in major product categories.

The company said its children's, cosmetics, dresses, mens, misses sportswear and plus sizes departments all achieved comparable-store sales increases in January.

Stage Stores' January total sales fell 17.5 percent to $82.1 million for the four-week January period.

The company, which operates through its Stage, Bealls, Palais Royal, and Peebles stores, offers moderately priced apparel and accessories, cosmetics, and footwear.

Stage Stores also reaffirmed its fourth-quarter and 2007 earnings outlook of 76 cents to 81 cents a share and $1.23 to $1.27 a share, respectively.

The company's stock closed at $11.73 Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Sharangdhar Limaye in Bangalore; Editing by Amitha Rajan)