** Shares of apparel, accessories retailer Citi Trends

jump 9% to $22.65 premarket

** Company raises second half FY24 same-store sales growth forecast to low to mid-single digit percentage range, compared to its prior forecast of flat to low-single digit percentage rise

** CTRN expects to see bargain hungry shoppers shopping at its stores for discounted items, its major base are African-American customers

** CEO Ken Seipel says company saw "strong early results" of the holiday period

** Co raises Q4 comparable store sales growth forecast to low to the mid-single digits percentage range

** However, CTRN's Q3 sales fell 0.3% to $179.1 mln

** Co's quarterly net loss widened to $7.15 million, or 86 cents per share, from $3.86 million or 47 cents per share a year earlier

** Up to last day's close, stock had fallen nearly 27% YTD

(Reporting by Aamir Sohail in Bengaluru)

((Aamir.Sohail@thomsonreuters.com;))