AUSTIN, Texas — Comparable-store sales fell 4% at Whole Foods Market here in the first quarter, the company said yesterday. Net income declined 17.4%, to $32.3 million, on flat sales overall of about $2.47 billion.
Excluding $15.6 million in sales from 13 Wild Oats stores that have been closed in the past year, sales were up about 1%. Identical-store sales, excluding eight relocated stores and three expansions, declined 4.9%. Excluding the negative impact of foreign currency translation related to its British operations, comparable-store sales decreased 3.4%, and identical-store sales decreased 4.2%. Those U.K. stores, most of which previously had been operating under the Fresh and Wild banner, have been rebranded as Whole Foods.
The company declined to comment further on its antitrust settlement negotiations with the Federal Trade Commission.
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