Shares of J.C. Penney have struggled this year, down more than 16% as the company gears up to report its fourth-quarter earnings results Friday before the open . J.C. Penney is another apparel-selling, mall-based retailer, and that’s not good, TheStreet’s Jim Cramer, co-manager of the Action Alerts PLUS portfolio , said from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday.