SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    ---------

                                   FORM 8-K/A

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 18, 2004


                           J. C. PENNEY COMPANY, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


 Delaware                           1-15274                        26-0037077
(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission File No.)          (I.R.S. Employer
 of incorporation )                                          Identification No.)

6501 Legacy Drive
Plano, Texas                                                       75024-3698

(Address of principal executive offices)                           (Zip code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (972) 431-1000







Item 12.        Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

     J.  C.  Penney  Company,  Inc.  issued  a news  release  on May  18,  2004,
     announcing its first quarter consolidated  earnings,  which was filed as an
     Exhibit to its Form 8-K on May 20, 2004. The schedule "Summary of Operating
     Results" was  inadvertently  omitted from that  filing.  The news  release,
     including all schedules, is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.



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                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                 J. C. PENNEY COMPANY, Inc.



                                             By: /s/ Jeffrey J. Vawrinek
                                                 --------------------------
                                                   Jeffrey J. Vawrinek
                                                   Assistant Secretary


Date:  May 25, 2004


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number                    Description

    99.1                      J. C. Penney Company, Inc. News Release
                              issued May 18, 2004









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