AMSTERDAM — Ahold here yesterday said it had sales and market-share gains at all three of its U.S. banners in the third quarter, and retail operating margins improved to help the company beat analysts’ profit expectations. Profits overall for the quarter were down compared with a year ago, reflecting higher taxes and lower income from joint ventures, but operating income was up about 10%, to about $328 million (U.S.), and retail operating income totaled $357 million, or 4.9% of sales, compared with 4.8% of sales in the year-ago period.
In the U.S., the company said operating income at its Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover division totaled $167 million, or 4.3% of sales, up $17 million over the year-ago results. Year-to-date, operating income was $494 million, or 3.8% of sales, down $45 million from the same period last year. As previously reported, sales in the division were up 4.4% in the quarter.
At Giant-Carlisle, operating income rose by $8 million in the third quarter, to $50 million, or 4.6% of sales, while sales grew 11.8%, to $1.1 billion. Year-to-date, operating income was $173 million, or 4.8% of sales, a gain of $8 million.
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