Empire reported $181.1 million in net earnings for the second quarter ending Nov. 4, down slightly from $189.9 million in the same time last year. It reported a gain in adjusted net earnings, which excludes $15.2-million in insurance recoveries related to a November 2022 cyberattack. (The Logic)

Talking point: CEO Michael Medline said in a statement that higher interest rates and ongoing economic uncertainty have impacted how customers shop—a trend closely watched by many Canadian retailers. Sales at the grocer, which also owns Safeway and FreshCo, rose in the quarter from about $7.6 billion to nearly $7.8 billion year over year due to a strong-performing discount division, but same-store sales, a key retail metric, dropped. Medline said the company is focused on attracting more customers and protecting margins, and that it started a restructuring in the first quarter. Grocery profits have been under scrutiny amid rising food prices. The federal government is working to increase competition in the sector, including trying to woo international players.