Stater Bros. Announces First-Quarter Results

Colton, Calif., Stater Bros. Holdings, Inc, the privately held supermarket chain in Southern California, reported net income of $3.4 million for the quarter ended Dec. 26, down from $34.6 million in the same quarter last year. Sales decreased 18.3% to $839.1 million in the quarter. Comparable-store sales decreased 22.2%.

Jack H. Brown, chairman, president and CEO of the chain, explained: “The decline in sales in the current year is due to the high sales level in the prior year during the Southern California grocery labor dispute.” However, Brown said he was pleased at the high level of new customers.