s holiday season. macy's, bloomingdale's, blue mercury and the outlet formats all improved and sales across a number ofegories also grew, including bueauty, active apparel, children, home, among others but the two-month holiday period is not enough to pull macy's comps positive for the year although they are increasing its full year guidance, including guidance with tax reform benefits and also narrowing the sales guidance gross margins didn't improve as the street had hoped macy's also identifying 11 stores to close. this is part of the 100-store closure program that was announced in august of 2016. those clearance sales are set to begin on january 8 macy's shares are down about 6% to 7% in reaction. up, though, about 30% in the last two months. so we have seen a run-up when we started to hear inklings that the season was strong. j.c. penney also reporting strong holiday sales, up 3.4%. the company reaffirming its full-year forecast like macy's, j.c. penney's shares down about 5% today but up about 48% over the last two months again, part of that run-up when we started to hear that the season was stro