Harris Teeter Supermarkets Q3 Profit Rises

(RTTNews) - Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Inc. (HTSI) Thursday said third-quarter earnings were $31.1 million or $0.63 per share, compared with $15.8 million or $0.32 per share in the same period last year.

On average, three analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to earn $0.68 per share. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Operating profit in the third quarter of fiscal 2013 increased by 69.1% to $55.0 million from $32.6 million in the prior year quarter.

Sales for the latest third quarter rose 2.9 percent to $1.19 billion, from $1.15 billion in the comparable quarter last year, while two analysts expected revenues of $1.23 billion.

Comparable store sales increased by 1.29 percent for the quarter.