Empire Co. Ltd. says it earned $159 million in its latest quarter, down from $173 million in the same quarter last year.

The company behind Sobeys says its profit amounted to 69 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Nov. 1 compared with a profit of 73 cents per diluted share a year earlier.

Sales for what was the company’s second quarter totalled $8 billion, up from $7.8 billion in the same quarter last year.

Same-store sales were up two per cent, while food same-store sales rose 2.5 per cent.

RBC analyst Irene Nattel said operating results were in line with forecast, “underpinned by solid merchandising strategies in place to address ongoing value-seeking consumer spending behaviour.”

She said Empire continued to execute on its strategy to maximize revenues in full-service sto

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