Supermarket chain Publix has posted a decrease in earnings for the second quarter despite an increase in sales.

The chain’s net earnings for the three months ended June 29 dropped 11.4 per cent to $972 million, while sales were up 3.1 per cent year on year to $14.5 billion.

Sales were negatively impacted by 1.1 per cent due to the effect of the Easter holiday being in the first quarter this year, the company said.

For the first half, net earnings remained unchanged at $2.3 billion, while sales increased 4.1 per cent to $29.6 billion. Comparable store sales for the six months rose 2 per cent.

Founded in 1930 and headquartered in Florida, Publix is the largest employee-owned company in the US with more than 255,000 associates. The chain operates 1376 stores across Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky.