Snapshot of early back-to-school sales

_Department store operator J.C. Penney Co.:

Same-store sales: down 4.8 percent at department store business in August

Wall Street expectations: Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected a 6.3 percent decline

Outlook: expects a mid- to high-single digit decrease in same-store sales for September

_Department store retailer Kohl's Corp.:

Same-store sales: down 5.8 percent in August

Wall Street expectations: Analysts expected a 7.6 percent drop

_Warehouse club operator Costco Wholesale Corp.:

Same-store sales: up 9 percent in August