Empire profits flat in Q1

Empire Co., parent of grocery chains Sobeys and Safeway, said this week its Q1 sales were up 4.1 percent to $7.9 billion. Net earnings came to $187.5 million, or $0.71 per share, compared to $188.5 million ($0.70) a year earlier. Higher costs from supply-chain issues ate into the company’s margins, while e-commerce activity has dropped off since the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions.