JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Winn-Dixie Stores here reported record sales for the second quarter ended Jan. 10.
Overall, sales jumped 12.1% to $3.97 billion for the 16 weeks and 13.1% to $6.9 billion for the 28 weeks. Same-store sales increased 5.6% for both the quarter and the year-to-date.
Quarterly income increased 7.4% to $72.5 million. Earnings for the first six months of the year increased 10% to $118.3 million.
President James Kufeldt explained that the operating results were "slightly affected" by the company's "aggressive" store expansion plan.
Winn-Dixie opened 33 new stores, averaging 47,400 square feet; closed 28 older stores, averaging 29,600 square feet, and remodeled or enlarged 75 stores. Forty-seven stores are currently under construction. The company plans to open 70 new stores and enlarge or remodel 120 existing units, according to a statement.
At the end of the quarter, Winn-Dixie operated 1,180 supermarkets compared with 1,158 in the year-ago period.
