SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    ---------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


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

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 20, 2005


                           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

===============================================================================
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[    ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[    ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
     CFR 240.14a-12)

[    ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[    ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13d-4(c) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))




Item 1.01         Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

     On May 20, 2005, the stockholders of J. C. Penney Company, Inc. ("Company")
approved the J. C. Penney Company,  Inc. 2005 Equity  Compensation Plan ("Equity
Plan").  The maximum  number of shares of Company  Common  Stock of 50(cent) par
value  ("Common  Stock") upon which  options to purchase  shares of Common Stock
("Stock Options"), stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), or awards of Common Stock
or share units ("Stock  Awards"),  ("Stock  Options," "SARs," and "Stock Awards"
herein collectively called "Equity Awards"), may be issued under the Equity Plan
is  14,400,000  shares,  plus up to  2,800,000  shares which on May 31, 2005 are
reserved  but not then  subject  to  awards  under  the  Company's  2001  Equity
Compensation  Plan.  Under the Equity Plan: (i) Equity Awards and cash incentive
awards may be made to such associates,  including  officers and officers serving
as directors of the Company,  as the Human Resources and Compensation  Committee
of the Board of Directors may determine;  and (ii) Equity Awards will be made to
individuals who serve as non-employee  directors of the Company, as set forth in
the Equity Plan. The Equity Plan will become effective on June 1, 2005. No award
may be made under the Equity Plan after May 31,  2010. A copy of the Equity Plan
is hereby  incorporated  by reference to Annex A to the Company's 2005 Notice of
Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement (SEC File No. 1-15274).

     On May 20, 2005 the Company's  Board of Directors,  after  considering  the
recommendation  of the Board's  Corporate  Governance  Committee,  approved  the
compensation  structure for the Company's  non-employee directors for the period
June 1, 2005 through May 31, 2006. The compensation  structure and levels remain
unchanged  from that of the previous  June 1, 2004 to May 31, 2005 period,  with
the exception  that the May 2005 annual equity award to  non-employee  directors
will be made in restricted stock units, as opposed to restricted stock awards. A
more  detailed  discussion of the  compensation  for  non-employee  directors is
contained in Exhibit 99.2 attached hereto and  incorporated by reference to this
report.

     On May 20, 2005,  the  Company's  Board of Directors  approved  resolutions
providing that G. L. Davis,  the Company's  retiring  Executive Vice  President,
Chief Human Resources and Administration Officer, continue as an employee of the
Company  through  December  31, 2005 in order to provide  from time to time such
services as may be requested by the Company to permit a smooth transition of the
responsibilities  of the Chief Human Resources and Administration  Officer to M.
T.  Theilmann;  that in such  capacity  Mr.  Davis will  continue to receive his
current  base  salary and be entitled  to earn a profit  incentive  compensation
award under the J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc. Management Incentive Compensation
Program  for the  period  from  February  1 through  June 30,  2005 based on the
Company's  actual  results  for fiscal  2005 and for the  period  from July 1 to
December  31,  2005 based on a target  amount of 50% of his base salary for that
period.







Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.


Exhibit 99.1       J. C. Penney Company, Inc. 2005 Equity Compensation Plan
                   (incorporated by reference to Annex A to the Company's
                   2005 Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy
                   Statement, SEC File No. 1-15274).

Exhibit 99.2       Description of Non-Employee Directors' Compensation






                                   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/ Joanne L. Bober
                                                   ----------------------------
                                 Joanne L. Bober
                                                   Senior Vice President,
                                                   General Counsel and Secretary




Date:  May 24, 2005






                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number          Description


99.1                    J. C. Penney Company, Inc. 2005 Equity Compensation
                        Plan (incorporated by reference to Annex A to the
                        Company's 2005 Notice of Annual Meeting of
                        Stockholders and Proxy Statement, SEC File No. 1-15274).

99.2                    Description of Non-Employee Directors' Compensation





                                                                    Exhibit 99.2


Company employees are not paid additional amounts for serving as directors.
Directors who are not Company employees ("Non-Employee Directors") receive:

o    an annual cash retainer of $60,000;

o    an annual award of  restricted  stock units with a market value at the time
     of grant of $75,000;

o    an annual cash  retainer  of $10,000 for the chair of the Audit  Committee;
     and

o    an annual cash retainer of $7,500 for the chairs of the Corporate
     Governance Committee, the Finance Committee and the Human Resources and
     Compensation Committee.

     Directors are not paid a fee for meeting attendance, but are reimbursed for
expenses incurred for attending any meeting which they attend in their official
capacities as directors. Non-Employee Directors are also paid $1,000 for each
full day of service to the Company in addition to those services which they
perform in connection with Board and committee responsibilities, and are
reimbursed for expenses in connection with their performance of such services.
Directors may elect to receive all or a portion of their cash retainers and fees
in Common Stock. A director may also elect to defer payment of all or part of
any of the above fees under the terms of a deferred compensation plan for
directors.