SUNBURY, Pa. - Weis Markets here said the later Easter holiday this year boosted the company's second-quarter sales relative to a year ago.
Comparable-store sales at the company, which operates 158 supermarkets in five states and the 31-unit SuperPetz chain, rose 3.8% in the 13-week second quarter, which ended July 1. For the year to date, Weis posted comp-store gains of 1.4%.
Weis said that while expenses in the first half rose in "direct correlation with the increased sales volume," petroleum and petroleum-based products increased at a fast rate. Fuel costs were up 25.6% compared the first half of 2005, and utility costs were up 8.7%. Plastic packaging supplies were up about 25%, the company said.
Net income in the second quarter rose 5.9%, to $15.49 million, compared with year-ago results, while revenues rose 4.9%, to $561.9 million.
Through the first half, net income was down 3.1%, to $30.4 million, on a sales increase of 2.2%, to $1.11 billion.
