Supermarket chain Publix reported higher third-quarter sales and earnings, as customer demand remained steady across its stores, despite the retailer continuing to feel the aftereffects of Hurricane Helene.

For the quarter ended September, sales rose 5.2 per cent year on year to $15.4 billion, while comparable store sales increased 3.4 per cent.

The company said growth would have been about 5.7 per cent without the impact of the hurricane, which disrupted operations last year.

Meanwhile, its net earnings climbed 7.8 per cent to $1.2 billion, up from $1.1 billion in the same period of last year.

“I’m proud of our associates’ efforts, especially as we enter the holiday season,” said Publix CEO Kevin Murphy.

“We remain focused on operational excellence and providing premier customer service.”