Publix profits, sales rise in Q4

Lakeland, Fla. -- Publix Super Markets turned in another great quarter, a 7.4% increase in profits and a 6.9% increase in sales in the fourth quarter.



The reported a profit of $453.3 million in the fourth quarter, compared to $422 million in the year ago period. Net sales totaled $7.9 billion; same store sales increased 6.4%.



“I’m extremely pleased our performance and improvements in the stock market resulted in a significant increase in our stock price,” said Ed Crenshaw, CEO, Publix, which has 1,097 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and North Carolina.



“Our associates — the owners of Publix — continue to deliver exceptional customer service, the key to our success.”



Publix’s sales for the full year ended Dec. 27, 2014, were $30.6 billion, a 5.7% increase from last year’s $28.9 billion. Same-store sales for 2014 increased 5.4%.



Net earnings for 2014 were $1.74 billion, compared to $1.65 billion for 2013, an increase of 4.9%.



The company reported in an SEC filing that capital expenditures for 2014 totaled $1.4 million in 2014, which saw the opening of 32 new supermarkets (including 14 replacement supermarkets) and 138 remodels.



For 2015, the company plans to spend slightly less, or $1.3 million, primarily consisting of new supermarkets, remodeling existing supermarkets, new or enhanced information technology hardware and applications and the acquisition of shopping centers with the company as the anchor tenant.