Whole Foods Markets, which is experiencing “outstanding operational performance” is continuing to grow with 94 leases in its pipeline, including 50 more leases signed over the last 12 months. The company said it expects to open 12 new stores in the fourth quarter, four of which are already opened, for a total of 32 this year. Whole Foods expects “a high number of openings” in next year’s first quarter. During 2014, it said it anticipates between 33 and 38 new store openings.
For the 12-week third quarter that ended July 7, net income rose 2.1 percent to $142 million. Sales increased by 12.1 percent to $3.1 billion and comparable-store sales rose 7.5 percent. For the year-to-date, the company said it has produced $818 million in cash flow from operations and invested $377 million in capital expenditures, including $226 million for new stores, resulting in free cash flow of $441 million.
