Retailers post mixed January sales results

NEW YORK - Retailers are reporting mixed sales results for January in a sign that American shoppers are continuing to be cautious about when and where they spend their money in the shaky economy.

Of the 12 merchants reporting monthly sales this week, the number of those who beat estimates and those who missed expectations were even, according to a Thursday morning tally by Thomson Reuters.

Costco Wholesale Corp. and Target Corp. were among those reporting sales gains that were above Wall Street expectations, while Cincinnati-based Macy's Inc. and Dillard's Inc. posted figures that were below analysts' estimates.

The figures are based on revenue at stores opened at least a year and are considered a key indicator of a retailer's health.