Net earnings were $175.4-million in the third quarter compared with $161.4-million for the same period last year.
Total sales increased by 4.9 per cent to $7.3 billion, reflecting the purchase of the Longo’s supermarket chain in the Toronto-Hamilton area.
Sobeys is the company’s main supermarket brand; others are FreshCo, IGA and Safeway.
It ranks second to Loblaws in the Canadian market.
Same-store sales are a key indicator of the success of supermarkets. Empire said the re-opening of restaurants is responsible for the decline.
