<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lakeland, FL-</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By ANUK Staff<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">3.1.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Publix has announced fourth quarter and annual results for 2012, noting increased sales and earnings for the year.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">For the fourth quarter 2012, sales decreased 3.6% from $7.2 billion in 2011’s fourth quarter – which was a week longer - to $7 billion. Without the additional week, sales for the fourth quarter 2012 would have increased by 3.4 %. Comparable store sales for the quarter rose by 1.2 %.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Net earnings for the fourth quarter of 2012 decreased by 1.7 % from $399.5 million in 2011 to $392.8 million. Earnings per share for the fourth quarter decreased to $0.50 for 2012, down from $0.51 per share in 2011. Net earnings and earnings per share decreased due to the extra week in the fourth quarter of 2011. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Publix’s sales for the fiscal year 2012 increased by 1.9% from $27 billion in 2011 to $27.5 billion. Excluding the additional week in 2011, sales for 2012 would have increased by 3.8 percent. Comparable-store sales for 2012 increased 2.2 percent. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>2012 net earnings were up 4% from last year’s $1.5 billion to reach $1.6 billion. Earnings per share increased to $1.98 for 2012, up from $1.90 per share in 2011.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">“I’m pleased with the improvement in our operating results for 2012, a 52-week year, as compared with 2011, a 53-week year,” said Publix CEO Ed Crenshaw. “As a result of our associates’ efforts, our stock price reached a new all-time high after considering stock splits.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.publixstockholder.com/servlet/ProxyServlet?path=/stockholder/Home.do " target="_new">Publix</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
