Arts and crafts retailer Michaels Stores Inc. improved its performance for the first quarter of 2009, posting net income of $4 million, a big jump up from the company’s $20 million net loss in showed for the first quarter of 2008.

During that period in 2008, the Irving-based company faced non-deductible severance costs that negatively impacted its 2008 effective tax expense rate.

For the first quarter of 2009, total sales at Michaels Inc. reached $852 million, up from $847 million a year earlier.

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