8-K

UNITED STATES

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

September 3, 2009

(Date of Report, date of earliest event reported)

Stage Stores, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

1-14035

(Commission File Number)

NEVADA (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	91-1826900 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
10201 Main Street, Houston, Texas (Address of principal executive offices)	77025 (Zip Code)

(800) 579-2302

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

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:

oWritten communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

oSoliciting material pursuant to rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

oPre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

oPre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01.                      Other Events.

On September 3, 2009, Stage Stores, Inc. issued a News Release reporting its August 2009 sales results.  A copy of the News Release is attached to this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.

Item 9.01.                      Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)                      Exhibits.

99           News Release issued by Stage Stores, Inc. on September 3, 2009 reporting its August 2009 sales results.     

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.

	STAGE STORES, INC.
September 4, 2009	/s/ Edward J. Record
(Date)	Edward J. Record
	Executive Vice President and
	Chief Financial Officer

EX-99

Exhibit 99

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT:

Bob Aronson

Vice President, Investor Relations

800-579-2302

(baronson@stagestores.com)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STAGE STORES REPORTS AUGUST SALES

HOUSTON, TX, September 3, 2009 - Stage Stores, Inc. (NYSE: SSI) today reported that its total sales for the four week August period ended August 29, 2009 decreased 7.4% to $111 million from $120 million in the prior year four week period ended August 30, 2008.  Comparable store sales decreased 9.5% this year versus a decrease of 8.3% last year.

Cosmetics, which achieved a comparable store sales increase during August, continued as the Company’s best performing merchandise category.  Intimates, juniors, men’s, misses sportswear, petites and plus sizes performed better than the Company average.  The Southeast was the Company’s best performing region, while the Northeast was its weakest.

SALES SUMMARY

	Comparable Store Sales Trend		Total Sales
	% Increase (Decrease)		($ in Millions)
Fiscal Period	2009	2008	2009	2008
1st Quarter	(9.0)%	(5.4)%	$333	$353
2nd Quarter	(10.7)	(1.4)	342	373
August	(9.5)	(8.3)	111	120
Year-To-Date (7 Mos)	(9.8)	(4.1)	786	846

--more--

Stage Stores Reports

August Sales

Page - 2

Store Activity

The Company opened nine stores and closed one store in August.  Goody’s stores were opened in Dayton, Kimball and Rogersville, TN; Maysville, Murray and Shelbyville, KY; Martinsville, IN and Lincoln, IL.  A Stage store was opened in Batesville, AR, and a Stage store was closed in Rogers, AR.  The Company expects to open an additional eight new stores during the next three months, six of which will be opened under the Goody’s name.

About Stage Stores

Stage Stores, Inc. brings nationally recognized brand name apparel, accessories, cosmetics and footwear for the entire family to small and mid-size towns and communities through 751 stores located in 39 states.  The Company operates its stores under the five names of Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles and Stage.  For more information about Stage Stores, visit the Company’s web site at www.stagestores.com.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements reflect our expectations regarding future events and operating performance and often contain words such as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "could", "anticipate", "plan" or similar words.  In this document, forward-looking statements include comments regarding the number of new stores that the Company expects to open in the next three months.  Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements.  These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 30, 2009, and other factors as may periodically be described in our other filings with the SEC.  Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document.  We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.

###