Guess? Inc. (NYSE: GES), a fashion retailer that competes in the mall with companies like Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF), Gap (NYSE: GPS), and JCPenney (NYSE: JCP), told the market how it did in Q1 on Thursday after the bell. As I write this during the early afternoon on Friday, shares of Guess? are up well over 6% on very good volume. Was there something to this earnings report?

I didn't think the numbers were particularly fetching. Revenues declined nearly 10%, thanks in part to the effects of currency translation (maybe that should be no thanks). Earnings per share came in at $0.35, a massive 30% decline. And same-store sales in North America dipped 10% (take out currency, and the dip was 6%, which still wasn't good).

J. C. Penney Inc. (NYSE: JCP) has been sliding today, setting a new 52-week low.

It's in good company. The entire retail sector is flailing after the Labor Department reported that applications for jobless benefits rose to 337,000 last week, the largest amount since early February, leading investors to fear that consumer spending could tighten even more as we head into the holiday season.

Also lending to the department store's woes, competitor Bon-Ton Stores Inc (NASDAQ: BONT) warned on Wednesday that the company would likely miss 2007 earnings estimates. If you think that these factors are enough to weigh down J. C. Penney's stock over the next few months, then now could be a good time to take a look at a bearish hedged trade on JCP.

J. C. Penney Company, Inc (NYSE: JCP) opened at $71.20. So far today the stock has hit a low of $70.55 and a high of $71.60. As of 10:55, JCP is trading at 70.78, down 1.74 (-2.4%).

After hitting a one year high of 87.18 in February, the stock has stumbled recently, finding some support at the 70 line last month. Competitor Sears (NASDAQ: SHLD) lowered their earnings guidance this morning, dropping shares nearly 7% and dragging other retail stocks down with it. Recent technical indicators for JCP have been bearish and steady, while S&P gives the stock a neutral 3 STARS (out of 5) hold rating.

For a bearish hedged play on this stock, I would consider a November bear-call credit spread above the $90 range. JCP has never been above $90 and has shown resistance around $84 recently. This trade could be risky if the company's earnings (due out in late August) are a positive surprise, but even if that happens, this stock could have trouble getting over $85, where it has seen some serious resistance over the past 6 months.

Brent Archer is an options analyst and writer at Investors Observer. Do you have any deadwood in your portfolio? Check out the 18 Warning Signs That Tell You When To Dump A Stock.

DISCLOSURE: Mr. Archer owns and/or controls diversified portfolios of long and short stock and option positions that may include holdings in companies he writes about. At publication time, Brent neither owns nor controls positions in SHLD or JCP.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Energizer Holdings, Inc (ENR), Gilead Sciences, Inc (GILD), Intel Corp (INTC) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) were some of today's more noteworthy upgrades:

• Prudential upgraded Energizer Holdings Inc (NYSE: ENR) to Neutral from Underweight. The firm said Energizer has been overly focused on the negative potential of cost inflation without fully appreciating the positive mix shift being generated by faster growth of high-margin specialty products and new products that indicate innovation and a competitive edge.

• Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Leerink Swann following Gilead's strong quarter.

• FTN Midwest upgraded shares of Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NYSE: AMD) and Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) to Buy from Neutral as the firm believes they are seeing the beginnings of a truce with between the two companies which could lead to higher ASPs.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• CNOOC Ltd (NYSE: CEO) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan to reflect the company's prospects for production growth.

• Stifel raised shares of Washington Real Estate Investment Trust (NYSE: WRE) to Buy from Hold with a $42 target.

• AG Edwards upgraded FARO Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: FARO) to Buy from Hold.

• William Blair upgraded Illinois Tool Works, Inc (NYSE: ITW) to Outperform from Market Perform.

• JP Morgan added J.C. Penney Co (NYSE: JCP) to its Focus List.

• Matrix USA upgraded shares of Henry Schein, Inc (NASDAQ: HSIC) to Buy from Hold on valuation.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).