J.C. Penney Co. (JCP -3.07%) forecast a sharper-than-expected decline in fiscal first-quarter sales, citing the effect of former Chief Executive Ron Johnson's strategies to turn around the struggling department-store operator. For the quarter ended Saturday, the company said it expects to post sales of roughly $2.64 billion, a 16% drop from the prior year. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect sales of $2.74 billion, or a 13% decline. Same-store sales were estimated to be down 16.6%, after falling 18.9% a year earlier.