JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Winn-Dixie Stores on Monday reported a $24.1 million loss on sales of $1.6 billion for the 12-week fiscal first quarter that ended Sept. 21.
Identical-store sales improved by 3.3% compared with the same period last year. Quarterly EBITDA improved to $7.4 million from a loss of $6.8 million last year, while gross profit edged up to 27.5% of sales, up 10 basis points from last year’s first quarter. Winn-Dixie attributed the gross margin improvement to lower warehouse and shrink costs, partially offset by a higher inventory charge.
The company affirmed its projection of EBITDA being in the range of $120 million to $135 million for the fiscal year, a figure based on expectations of 2.5% to 3.5% identical-store sales growth during the year.
Peter Lynch, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Winn-Dixie, in a statement said that sales during the first five weeks of the current second quarter exceeded first-quarter growth.
