Don't Hold Your Breath for a J.C. Penney Turnaround

In an effort to boost investor sentiment, J.C. Penney recently announced that comparable store sales rose 10.1% in November.

Why, then, did the stock fall more than 4% on the news?

In the following video, the Fool's Steve Symington says it helps to consider J.C. Penney's dismal comparable-store sales results during the same year-ago quarter, which set an incredibly low bar for the struggling retailer to beat.

In fact, Steve notes, there are a number of reasons these seemingly positive results are actually worrisome. Check out the video below to get his full take, then feel free to weigh in to let us know whether you think shares of J.C. Penney are a buy at today's levels.

Consider these cash-rich retailers instead
To learn about two retailers with especially good prospects, take a look at The Motley Fool's special free report: "The Real Cash Kings Changing the Face of Retail." In it, you'll see how these two cash kings are able to consistently outperform and how they're planning to ride the waves of retail's changing tide. You can access it by clicking here.

The article Don't Hold Your Breath for a J.C. Penney Turnaround originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Steve Symington has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.