Grocer Empire reports Q1 profit and sales up from year ago

Empire says it earned $261.0 million in its latest quarter, up from $187.5 million in the same quarter last year, boosted by the sale of its 56 gas stations in Western Canada to Shell Canada.

The grocer, which owns Sobeys and Safeway and other banners, says the profit amounted to $1.03 per share for the quarter ended Aug. 5, up from a profit of 71 cents per share a year earlier.

Sales in what was Empire's first quarter totalled $8.08 billion, up from $7.94 billion in the same quarter last year. 

Same-store sales were up 3.0 per cent, while same-store sales, excluding fuel, were up 4.1 per cent.