Macys Inc's Business Segments

The Company, through its Bloomingdale's and macys.com subsidiaries, conducts direct-to-customer mail catalog and electronic commerce businesses under the names 'Bloomingdale's By Mail' and 'macys.com.' Additionally, the Company offers on-line bridal registry and gift purchase facilities to customers.

The Company provides various support functions to its retail operating divisions on an integrated, company-wide basis.

''The Company's financial, administrative and credit services subsidiary, FACS Group, Inc. ('FACS'), provides credit processing, collections, customer service and credit marketing services for the proprietary credit programs of the Company's retail operating divisions in respect of all proprietary and non-proprietary credit card accounts owned by the Company and credit processing, customer service and credit marketing for those accounts owned by GE Capital Consumer Card Co., ('GE Bank'). GE Bank owns all of the 'Macy's' credit card accounts originated prior to December'19, 1994, when R.H. Macy'& Co., Inc. was acquired pursuant to a merger, and an allocated portion of the 'Macy's' credit card accounts originated subsequent to such merger. In addition, FACS provides payroll and benefits services to the Company's retail operating and service divisions.

''The Company's data processing subsidiary, Federated Systems Group, Inc. ('FSG'), provides (directly and pursuant to outsourcing arrangements with third parties) operational electronic data processing and management information services to each of the Company's retail operating and service divisions.

''Federated Merchandising Group ('FMG'), a division of the Company, helps the Company to centrally develop and execute consistent merchandise strategies while retaining the ability to tailor merchandise assortments and strategies to the particular character and customer base of the Company's various department store franchises. FMG is also responsible for all of the private label development of the Company's retail operating divisions except Bloomingdale's, which sources most of its private label merchandise through Associated Merchandising Corporation.

''Federated Logistics and Operations ('FLO'), a division of a subsidiary of the Company, provides warehousing and merchandise distribution services, store design and construction services and certain supply purchasing services for the Company's retail operating divisions.

''A specialized staff maintained in the Company's corporate offices provides services to each of the Company's retail operating and service divisions in such areas as accounting, real estate and insurance, as well as various other corporate office functions.

''In February 2004, the Company announced its plans to create a centralized organization with responsibility for the overall strategy, merchandising and marketing of home-related categories of business in all of its stores, except stores operated under the 'Bloomingdale's' name.

FACS, FSG and FMG also offer their services to unrelated third parties.

Competition. The retailing industry, in general, and the department store and direct-to-customer businesses, in particular, are intensely competitive. Generally, the Company's stores and direct-to-customer business operations compete with other department stores in the geographic areas in which they operate, as well as numerous other types of retail outlets, including specialty stores, general merchandise stores, off-price and discount stores, new and established forms of home shopping (including the Internet, mail order catalogs and television) and manufacturers' outlets. The operators of department stores with which the Company competes to a substantial degree include, among others, Dillard's, J.C. Penney, Kohl's, May, Nordstrom, and Sears.