While Wild Oats shares are handled with care (think volatile, folks, like liquid nitrogen) news from Austin, Texas, land of Whole Foods Market make shareholders happier than a pig in that word my mother hates.
WFM reported a sales growth of 22% and an increase in profits of 26% during the fiscal first quarter ending Jan. 15,2006.
More importantly, comparable store sales increased by 13%, and average sales per square foot improved to more than $900 during the quarter.
As noted in Supermarket News, Whole Foods cited a 7% increase in number of shopping occasions and a 6% increase in total shopping basket per trip.
