Supermarkets

American Stores Company

American Stores <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: ASC)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: ASC)") end if %> is the nation's third largest grocery store chain (after Kroger and Safeway) and among the largest drugstore operators. The company has food operations under the name Lucky, Super Saver, Jewel, and Acme. Its drugstores are marketed under the Osco and Sav-on names (about 150 are Jewel-Osco combinations). American has done an excellent job with its target marketing, adapting its front-page advertisements according to the relevant zip code. The company has a rather low return on equity when considering its debt to equity of 150%.

Latest Financials

Second quarter earnings were $0.33 per share compared to $0.28 per share in the second quarter of 1996, an increase of 17.9%. Operating profit increased 15.7% to $398.6 million compared to $344.5 million for the same period in 1996.

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