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Ingles Comps Rise in Q4

Trips and basket up but competition pressures profits. Ingles Markets’ comparable store sales in its fiscal fourth quarter increased by a robust 3.6% behind increases in store traffic and higher average ticket, and aided by incremental sales triggered by hurricanes affecting its Southeast markets.

Jon Springer, Executive Editor

January 1, 2018

1 Min Read
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Ingles Markets’ comparable store sales in its fiscal fourth quarter increased by a robust 3.6% behind increases in store traffic and higher average ticket, and aided by incremental sales triggered by hurricanes affecting its Southeast markets.

For the 14-week quarter ended Sept. 30, sales of $1.1 billion increased by 13.2% from the 13-week fourth quarter of 2016. Gross profit as a percentage of sales was down 40 basis points to 24% as competitive pressure increased and offset a favorable sales mix change, the company said.

For the 53-week fiscal year, Ingles posted $4 billion in sales, compared with $3.8 billion in fiscal 2016. Comparable store sales increased 1.5% over fiscal 2016, excluding gasoline, and adjusted to reflect the same number of weeks in each fiscal year. The number of transactions and the average transaction size were both higher in fiscal 2017.

Net income for fiscal 2017 totaled $53.9 million, down slightly from $54.2 million in fiscal 2016.

“Our Company achieved strong results due to the hard work and dedication of our associates. We will continue to bring our customers products they desire and flawless service in our stores,” Chairman Robert Ingle II said in a statement.

Asheville, N.C.-based Ingles operates 199 stores in the Southeast.

Related:Ingles Investor Nominates 2 Board Members

About the Author

Jon Springer

Executive Editor

Jon Springer is executive editor of Winsight Grocery Business with responsibility for leading its digital news team. Jon has more than 20 years of experience covering consumer business and retail in New York, including more than 14 years at the Retail/Financial desk at Supermarket News. His previous experience includes covering consumer markets for KPMG’s Insiders; the U.S. beverage industry for Beverage Spectrum; and he was a Senior Editor covering commercial real estate and retail for the International Council of Shopping Centers. Jon began his career as a sports reporter and features editor for the Cecil Whig, a daily newspaper in Elkton, Md. Jon is also the author of two books on baseball. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English-Journalism from the University of Delaware. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. with his family.

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