BOULDER, Colo. -- Wild Oats Markets here reported comparable-store sales gains of 8.5% during its fiscal first quarter ended March 27, sparked in part by effects of the labor dispute in Southern California. Excluding the five Wild Oats and 17 Henry's Marketplace stores affected by the strike, comps were up by 3.6%, the company said.
Wild Oats reported earnings of $2.4 million on sales of $264 million. Earnings were up 63.7%, and sales climbed by 11.4% from the same period a year ago.
