J.C. Penney reports smaller loss in 2Q; sales improve

J.C. Penney Inc. reported a smaller loss in the second quarter as the department store operator’s sales improved, fueled by such moves as bringing back appliances and refreshing other areas of the store.

Its shares edged up in premarket trading,

The news is encouraging, but Penney still faces an uphill climb as it continues to claw its way back after a catastrophic reinvention plan under former CEO Ron Johnson sent sales and profits into a free fall in 2012 and 2013. Business has stabilized, though it has yet to fully recover.