8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    ---------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 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): January 4, 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 5.02(c)  Departure  of  Directors  or  Principal   Officers;   Election  of
              Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers

     Ken C. Hicks has been  promoted  to the  position  of  President  and Chief
Merchandising  Officer of J. C.  Penney  Company,  Inc.  ("Company"),  effective
January 4, 2005.

     Mr. Hicks, age 52, joined JCPenney in 2002 as President and Chief Operating
Officer of Stores and Merchandise Operations of J. C. Penney Corporation,  Inc.,
the Company's wholly-owned operating subsidiary. In July 2004, he was elected as
an  officer  of the  parent  Company  to serve in that same  capacity.  Prior to
joining JCPenney,  he served as president of Payless Shoe Source, Inc. from 1999
to 2002.  He has also held senior  merchandising  positions at the Home Shopping
Network and May Department Stores.



Item 9.01(c)      Financial Statements and Exhibits

    Exhibit 99    News Release dated January 4, 2005  announcing  the promotion
of Ken C. Hicks to the position of President and Chief Merchandising  Officer of
J. C. Penney Company, Inc.














                                   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:  January 7, 2005

EX-99

                                                                    Exhibit 99
                              JCPenney News Release

                                                                               
CONTACT
Carolyn Covey Morris         Quinton Crenshaw               Bob Johnson                 Ed Merritt
Public Relations             Public Relations               Investor Relations          Investor Relations
(972) 431-4753               (972) 431-5581                 (972) 431-2217              (972) 431-8167
ccovey1@jcpenney.com         qcrensha@jcpenney.com          rvjohnso@jcpenney.com       emerritt@jcpenney.com
- --------------------         ---------------------          ---------------------       ---------------------



       JCPenney Names Ken Hicks President and Chief Merchandising Officer

     PLANO,  Texas,  January 4, 2005 -- Ken Hicks has been promoted to President
and Chief Merchandising Officer of JCPenney, reporting to Chairman and CEO Myron
(Mike) Ullman.

     In announcing the appointment,  Ullman said, "Ken is a proven merchandising
professional who has done an outstanding job leading JCPenney's stores, planning
and allocation,  and merchandise  operational support functions for the past two
years. He brings terrific JCPenney experience to this new assignment, along with
excellent merchandising know-how from previous work in other organizations. I am
confident Ken is the right person for this critical role."

     Hicks said, "I am excited about the  opportunity  to lead such a strong and
respected merchandise team. Our focus will continue to be on ways to enhance the
quality,  style,  and value  JCPenney is known for, and the  convenience  of our
store, catalog, and Internet shopping options."

     Hicks joined  JCPenney as President and Chief  Operating  Officer of Stores
and Merchandise  Operations in 2002,  after a career spanning more than 20 years
in merchandising and product development.  Before joining JCPenney, he served as
President  of  Payless  Shoe  Source,   Inc.,   where  he  was  responsible  for
merchandising,  marketing, product distribution, and product development. He has
also served as executive vice president and general  merchandise manager for the
Home Shopping Network, and senior vice president and general merchandise manager
for May Department Stores in its May Merchandising and Foley's divisions,  where
he was responsible for shoes, accessories, cosmetics, home, juniors and intimate
apparel. Hicks joined May Department Stores as senior vice president,  strategic
planning,  from the consulting  firm of McKinsey and Company.  He graduated from
the United States Military Academy and earned an M.B.A. with highest distinction
from the Harvard  Business  School.  Hicks will continue to be  responsible  for
JCPenney stores,  supply chain, and store  environment,  design and construction
until a chief operating officer successor is identified.


     J. C. Penney Corporation,  Inc., the wholly-owned  operating  subsidiary of
the  Company,  is  one of  America's  largest  department  store,  catalog,  and
e-commerce retailers,  employing approximately 150,000 associates. As of October
30, 2004, J. C. Penney  Corporation,  Inc.  operated 1,020  JCPenney  department
stores  throughout the United States and Puerto Rico,  and 61 Renner  department
stores in  Brazil.  JCPenney  Catalog,  including  e-commerce,  is the  nation's
largest catalog merchant of general merchandise,  and JCPenney.com is one of the
largest  apparel  and home  furnishings  sites  on the  Internet.  J. C.  Penney
Corporation,  Inc. is a contributor to JCPenney  Afterschool  Fund, a charitable
organization  committed to  providing  children  with high quality  after school
programs to help them reach their full potential.

     This release may contain  forward-looking  statements within the meaning of
the  Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform Act of 1995.  Such  forward-looking
statements,  which  reflect the  Company's  current  views of future  events and
financial  performance,  involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties  that
may cause the Company's  actual results to be materially  different from planned
or expected results.  Those risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited
to,  competition,   consumer  demand,  seasonality,   economic  conditions,  and
government  activity.  Investors should take such risks into account when making
investment decisions.  In addition,  non-GAAP terms referenced,  if any, such as
EBITDA and free cash flow,  are  defined and  presented  in the  Company's  2003
Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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