Empire Co. (TSX:EMP.A) says it earned $175.4 million in its latest quarter, up from $161.4 million in the same period last year.
The Sobeys parent company says its profit amounted to $0.66 per diluted share for the 13-week period ended October 30, up from $0.60 per diluted share a year earlier.
Sales in what was the company's second quarter totalled $7.32 billion, up from $6.98 billion a year ago.
Empire says the growth was due to its acquisition of the Longo's supermarket chain earlier this year and higher fuel prices, as well as the expansion of its Farm Boy banner and Voila online grocery service in Ontario.
However, the gains were tempered by a stabilization of shopper behaviour as COVID-19 restrictions were eased across the country. Same-store sales grew 0.4% compared with a year ago, while sale store sales, excluding fuel, fell 1.3%.
