8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC  20549

________________

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

February 3, 2011

(Date of Report, Date of Earliest Event Reported)

Stage Stores, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in 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:

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

o   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

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

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

Item 8.01                      Other Events

On February 3, 2011, Stage Stores, Inc. issued a News Release reporting its January 2011 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 February 3, 2011, reporting its January 2011 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.
February 4, 2011	/s/ Oded Shein
(Date)	Oded Shein
	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 Increases of 7.6% in Total Sales and 5.1% in Comparable Store Sales for January

Company Raises 4th Quarter and Full Year EPS Guidance

HOUSTON, TX, February 3, 2011 - Stage Stores, Inc. (NYSE: SSI) today reported that its total sales for the four week January period ended January 29, 2011 increased 7.6% to $72 million from $67 million in the prior year period ended January 30, 2010.  Comparable store sales increased 5.1%.

Most merchandise categories achieved January comparable store sales increases, with shoes, cosmetics, accessories and outerwear in line or better than the Company average.  Geographically, the South Central, Southeast and Southwest regions had the strongest comparable store sales gains.

For the fourth quarter ended January 29, 2011, the Company reported that total sales increased 5.1% to $454 million.  Comparable store sales for the quarter increased 2.5%.  For the fiscal year ended January 29, 2011, total sales increased 2.7% to $1,471 million.  Comparable store sales increased 0.2% for the year.

Andy Hall, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are pleased with our comparable store sales increases for January and the fourth quarter.  We also expect our fourth quarter gross margin rate to exceed guidance.  Based on the anticipated gross margin rate improvement and sales near the high end of our previous guidance, we are raising our fourth quarter EPS guidance to $0.84 to $0.85 from our previous guidance of $0.78 to $0.81.  Similarly, our fiscal year EPS guidance is increasing to $0.97 to $0.98 versus our previous guidance of $0.91 to $0.94.”

The Company plans to report its fourth quarter and 2010 fiscal year results before the market opens on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, and will hold a conference call and webcast the same day beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

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Stage Stores Reports

January Sales

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The following table is provided for reference purposes and details the sales history for the Company on a monthly and quarterly basis for the 2010 and 2009 fiscal years.

SALES SUMMARY
	Comparable Store Sales Trend		Total Sales
	% Increase (Decrease)		($ in Millions)
Fiscal Period	2010	2009	2010	2009
February	(3.9)%	(8.6)%	$99	$101
March	8.6	(15.0)	140	125
April	(8.3)	(1.5)	101	107
1st Quarter	(0.6)	(9.0)	340	333
May	(2.9)	(7.2)	116	117
June	(1.2)	(12.6)	129	128
July	(0.6)	(11.9)	100	97
2nd Quarter	(1.6)	(10.7)	345	342
August	0.5	(9.5)	114	111
September	1.8	(5.6)	118	113
October	(3.5)	(0.1)	100	101
3rd Quarter	(0.3)	(5.4)	332	325
November	2.4	(12.5)	116	110
December	1.9	(2.2)	266	255
January	5.1	(11.3)	72	67
4th Quarter	2.5	(6.5)	454	432
Full Year	0.2%	(7.9)%	$1,471	$1,432

Store Activity

The Company reported that it closed three stores in January.  For the 2010 fiscal year, the Company had a net increase of 28 stores, growing from 758 stores to 786 stores.  Looking ahead, the Company anticipates opening 35 to 40 new stores during the 2011 fiscal year.

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Stage Stores Reports

January Sales

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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 786 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.stagestoresinc.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 Company’s gross margin rate outlook for the fourth quarter, as well comments regarding the Company’s EPS outlooks for the fourth quarter and 2010 fiscal year.  Forward-looking statements 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 in our Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 30, 2010, 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.

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