<p><strong>Cincinnati, OH</strong><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> The Kroger Co. has released its most recent financials. The company has reported identical supermarket sales growth, without fuel, of 3.6% as well as net earnings of $0.51 per diluted share for the second quarter of fiscal 2012. Earnings per diluted share increased by 10.9% compared to last year.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Kroger has also reported that total sales, including fuel, have increased 3.9% to $21.7 billion in the period when compared with $20.9 billion for the similar fiscal period last year. Total sales, excluding fuel, increased 3.8% over the same period last year in the second quarter, which ended August 11, 2012, according to a press release.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> “We are pleased with Kroger’s strong performance in the second quarter,” said David B. Dillon, Kroger’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Kroger shareholders once again benefited from our Customer 1st strategy. Increased customer loyalty and solid cost controls allowed us to grow sales, profitability, and shareholder value.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Net earnings for the second quarter totaled $279.1 million, or $0.51 per diluted share. Net earnings in the same period last year were $280.8 million, or $0.46 per diluted share. Prior year net earnings benefited from a 27.6 percent tax rate, compared to a tax rate of 34.5 percent in the second quarter this year, the release states.<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.thekrogerco.com" target="_new"> The Kroger Co. </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
