12:03 PM EST - Maple Leaf Foods Inc. : reported first quarter net earnings of $2.87 million or $0.02 per share, compared to a loss of $10,000 or breakeven per share in the same quarter of last year. Adjusted earnings for the quarter were $0.05 per share, compared to $0.04 per share last year. Comprehensive income for the quarter was $6.05 million, up from $3.67 million in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted Operating Earnings in the Meat Products Group declined to $11.4 million in the first quarter of 2009 compared to $25.0 million last year. Sales for the first quarter increased 6.3 per cent to $1.3 billion compared to $1.2 billion last year, reflecting price increases and the benefit of favourable foreign currency changes on fresh meat sales. Maple Leaf Foods Inc.
shares T.MFI are trading up $0.04 at $8.49.
