RETAILING

Federated’s Profit Climbs: The department store chain reported a 47.7% increase in profit for the quarter ended Jan. 29, which included the Christmas season and is the most important period in the retailing year. Federated Department Stores reported earning $146 million, or $1.16 a share, on sales of $2.35 billion. That compares to earnings of $99 million, or 78 cents a share, on sales of $2.26 billion in the year-earlier period. Federated operates stores in 26 states including Bloomingdale’s, Abraham & Straus and The Bon Marche.