COLTON, Calif. -- Stater Bros. Markets here said last week sales achieved record levels for the 53-week year ended Sept. 30.
For the 14-week fourth quarter, sales jumped 15% to $696.8 million, compared with the prior year's 13-week quarter, and comparable-store sales climbed 6.8% on a 13-week basis.
The company reported net income of $7.8 million for the year, compared with a loss of $6.2 million a year ago, and an increase in net income for the quarter of 125.9% to $2.4 million. Net income results in the prior year were impacted by costs related to Stater's acquisition of 43 supermarkets from Albertson's.
Those supermarkets were among the stores Albertson's was required to divest to earn Federal Trade Commission approval for the company's 1999 acquisition of American Stores.