TEL AVIV (MarketWatch) -- Macy's Inc., M, +3.82% the Cincinnati retailer, lifted its estimate of profit for the second half to $1.50 to $1.55 a share, up a nickel on the top and bottom ends. A survey of analysts by FactSet Research was looking for a total of $1.52 for the final two quarters of the fiscal year ending in January. The firm expects fourth-quarter same-store sales up 3% to 4%. For the second half, that means same-store sales up 3.3% to 4%, against Macy's previous estimate of 3% to 3.5%. Third-quarter same-store sales rose 3.9%, Macy's said in a Thursday statement. Total third-quarter sales rose 6.6% to $5.62 billion. In October, same-store sales rose 2.5% while a survey of analysts from Thomson Reuters was looking for a 1.6% rise. October sales totaled $1.81 billion, up 6.8%.