Sears Holdings announced gains in its recent earnings report, breaking a three-quarter streak of losses.
The Hoffman Estates-based company runs Sears, Kmart and Lands’ End.
David Stowell, a Northwestern University finance professor, said the company profited from selling off some of its stores.
“We just don’t know ultimately what Sears will do,” Stowell said. “Whether it will be successful as a retailer or whether it will just slowly sell itself, sell its stores for real estate gains and wind down.”
Sears earned $189 million during the first quarter of this year, but revenue slipped by nearly three percent.
