Latest news with #Sobeys
CTV News
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
How to save money at the 2025 Calgary Stampede
Calgary's skyline is seen during the Calgary Stampede. (Facebook/Tourism Calgary - Photo by @motherpixels) If you're hoping to head the Calgary Stampede but want to do it in the most economical way possible, there are some deals and discounts that can help. Here's some ways to save money during your trip to the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth for 2025. Value Deals Buy a Stampede SuperPass If you buy a Stampede SuperPass for $50 (plus GST) you get unlimited entry for the 10 days of Stampede. The passes are available for purchase in at participating Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, FreshCo, and Chalo FreshCo. stores until June 29, and online until July 3. Buy Stampede Bucks Purchase $50 in Stampede Bucks for $39.99 at participating Costco locations, then redeem them for everything from rides to the rodeo and evening show tickets. While supplies last. Get Ride All Day cards Save more than 15 per cent with the purchase of Ride All Day cards at participating Sobeys, Safeway and IGA, FreshCo or FreshCo Chalo locations, while supplies last. The cards cost $44.99 (plus GST) and are valid for all N.A.M.E midway rides, games and the WestJet Skyride. Visit Calgary Co-op Until July 13, save $10 on general admission to the Stampede when you spend $5 on any participating Coca-Cola beverages at select Calgary Co-op locations. Visit 7-11 Visit participating 7-11 locations to purchase two Calgary Stampede general admission tickets for $32 when you purchase any two Coca-Cola products – that's 36 per cent off park admission for two. Buy a Stampede lotteries ticket Buy a Stampede Lotteries ticket before July 3 and receive 50 per cent off rodeo, evening show tickets or park admission. (Does not apply when purchasing Stampede Millions 50/50 tickets only.) GMC Denali Evening Show family package Take in the Grandstand with a GMC Denali Evening Show family package for $99 (plus GST). The package includes one adult and one youth ticket to the show and free entry into Stampede Park on the day of your ticket, plus free popcorn with the youth ticket. Visit on a Value Day Save money on your trip to the 2024 Stampede by heading to the grounds on one of the following value days: Sneak-a-Peek Early Access Thursday, July 3 Be the first to enjoy Midway rides, games and food with smaller crowds and shorter lines if you visit the Stampede between 3 and 5 p.m. Admission is just $5. Sneak-a-Peek Thursday, July 3 Check out the Stampede a day before the parade officially kicks things off. Admission is $13 from 5 p.m. to midnight. Parade to Park, presented by Suncor Friday, July 4 Catch the 2025 Stampede Parade and then head to the park to receive free admission from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Tim Hortons Family Day Sunday, July 6 Celebrate Family Day at the Calgary Stampede with free admission until 11 a.m., a free variety show from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. at GMC Stadium Courtyard and a free pancake breakfast (while quantities last) in the GMC Stadium from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. TC Energy Community Day Tuesday, July 8 Admission is free for everyone from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., while seniors (65+) and military veterans receive free admission all day long and free coffee and donuts in the BMO Plaza from 10 to 11 a.m., while quantities last. BMO Kids' Day Wednesday, July 9 Free entry for everyone from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. and free entry for kids 12 and under all day. Visitors receive a free breakfast in the GMC Stadium Courtyard from 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. (while quantities last) and a free variety show from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Adults Only Bud & Burger rodeo ticket For $40 (plus GST) get admission to Stampede Park, tarmac tickets to the rodeo and a voucher for beef on a bun and a Budweiser beer. NOTE: The offer is unique and exclusive to Stampede time so you cannot pre-purchase it. It goes live when Stampede starts. Buck the Line + Rodeo OR Evening Show Save 25 per cent when you bundle Buck-the-Line to Nashville North and Rodeo or Evening Show tickets. Nashville North VIP Platform Pass Starting at $125 (plus GST) this package includes Stampede admission on the day of booking, access to a designated VIP bar and access to designated VIP washrooms. Nashville North VIP Private Suite Package Experience This package includes priority entry, access to VIP washrooms, private suites, Rodeo tickets, Stampede admission and more. Roadhouse Rush Pass Get Stampede admission and skip the line at the Big Four Roadhouse.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
"Basket size continues to improve": Empire CEO sees disconnect between consumer sentiment and in-store spending
Consumer reports say Canadians are cautious on spending, but customer behaviour tells a different story, says grocery chain Empire's ( president and CEO Michael Medline. 'There is no doubt that our customers' behaviour continues to improve,' said Medline on a conference call with analysts on Thursday following the release of fourth-quarter results. Empire operates Safeway, Sobeys, FreshCo, Farm Boy and Longo's, among other grocery retail brands. 'In Q4, we continued to see sales growth in our fresh department, which indicates customers are trading up from non-fresh to fresh products,' he said. 'Basket size continues to improve,' he added. Customers are also shopping at fewer stores than last year, and there's a continued decline in sales made through promotions. When people shop at fewer banner stores, it means the promotional penetration goes down, says Pierre St-Laurent, executive vice-president and chief operating officer. The company is also 'unable to reconcile' what the media says about inflation compared to what Empire's stores are experiencing, Medline adds. 'Let me be crystal clear,' he said, adding: 'We are not seeing inflation in our business outside of historical norms, and Empire's price inflation has remained very stable.' Empire's strategy to manage tariffs and protect its customers from price increases has included turning to more local, Canadian suppliers, tapping into non-U.S. alternative supply sources and working with suppliers to ensure that 'reactionary or unjustified costs' are not passed down to customers, Medline says. Much of the 'Buy Canada' sentiment, especially the preference for Canadian retailers, appears to have some staying power. 'It doesn't take a lot of people changing behaviour to make a real difference in retail, especially in the grocery business, and there are people who have changed their behaviours [and] will not go back,' Medline said. Empire plans to open 26 new stores in fiscal 2026, in hopes of gaining greater market share in pockets where the retailer doesn't have significant exposure compared to its competitors. In a release, the company notes its expansion efforts include Farm Boy, FreshCo and Voilà. 'Empire's underrepresentation in the discount channel is a relative disadvantage versus peers,' said RBC Dominion Securities analyst Irene Nattel and associate analyst Martin Gravel in a research note published June 10. For example, Loblaw has converted many of its conventional stores into discount banners. 'In our view, consumer spending is likely to continue to favour discount banners, and potentially reignite promotional intensity at a time when inflation remains elevated.' Over time, converting more stores to FreshCo should help reduce Empire's structural disadvantage in the discount segment, the note says. Empire raised its quarterly dividend to 22 cents per share, up from 20 cents. The dividend hike follows net earnings of $173 million ($0.74 per share) compared to $149 million ($0.61 per share) last year. As at 11:45 a.m. ET on Thursday, Empire's stock was trading at $54.56, compared to yesterday's close of $51.90. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Sobeys and Safeway parent Empire Co. reports Q4 profit up, raises dividend
STELLARTON — Empire Co. Ltd. raised its quarterly dividend as it reported its fourth-quarter profit and sales rose compared with a year ago. The grocery retailer, which operates Sobeys, Safeway and other banners, says it will now pay a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, up from 20 cents. The increased payment to shareholders came as Empire says it earned a profit attributable to owners of the company of $173 million or 74 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended May 3. The result was up from a profit of $149 million or 61 cents per diluted share a year ago. Sales for the quarter totalled $7.64 billion, up from $7.41 billion in the same quarter last year. Same-store rose 3.0 per cent as same-store sales for fuel fell 7.8 per cent driven by lower prices due to the removal of the government carbon tax. Food same-store sales rose 3.8 per cent. On an adjusted basis, Empire says it earned 74 cents per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 63 cents per diluted share a year ago. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025.
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Sobeys parent Empire beats profit growth estimates, raises dividend
Grocery retailer Empire Co. Ltd. EMP-A-T beat analysts' estimates for profit growth in the fourth quarter, reporting that its store chains such as FreshCo and Sobeys took market share from competitors. The Stellarton, N.S.-based company reported on Thursday that sales grew in both the company's FreshCo discount stores, as well as its full-service grocery stores such as Sobeys, Safeway and IGA. Same-store sales – an important industry metric that tracks sales growth not tied to new store openings – were up 3 per cent in the quarter ended May 3, compared to the same period last year. Empire reported net earnings grew to $173-million or 74 cents per share in the fourth quarter, compared to $149-million or 61 cents per share the prior year. That exceeded analysts' expectations of $164.5-million or 71 cents per share, according to the consensus estimate from S&P Capital IQ The company also announced a 10-per-cent increase in its quarterly dividend paid to shareholders. Fourth-quarter sales grew to $7.6-billion, up 3 per cent compared to the prior year, driven by strong performance at grocery stores, partly offset by lower sales at the company's gas stations as fuel prices fell. The expansion of the Farm Boy and FreshCo store chains contributed to profit growth, as did initiatives aimed at reducing 'shrink,' an industry term for products that are lost before they can be sold – such as through theft or spoilage. This time last year, Empire made the decision to pull back on the pace of expansion of its Voilà e-commerce service, saying the market for online groceries in Canada was smaller than expected. After ending its exclusive partnership with technology provider Ocado Group PLC earlier than planned, Empire launched partnerships with third-party delivery companies Instacart and Uber Eats, which have contributed to growth. Online sales rose by 80.2 per cent in the quarter. The company continues to cut costs in its online service as it seeks to reach profitability. Construction of a fourth e-commerce distribution centre, underway in Vancouver, remains on hold, and will resume 'once e-commerce penetration rates in Canada increase,' according to a press release issued on Thursday.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sobeys and Safeway parent Empire Co. reports Q4 profit up, raises dividend
STELLARTON — Empire Co. Ltd. raised its quarterly dividend as it reported its fourth-quarter profit and sales rose compared with a year ago. The grocery retailer, which operates Sobeys, Safeway and other banners, says it will now pay a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share, up from 20 cents. The increased payment to shareholders came as Empire says it earned a profit attributable to owners of the company of $173 million or 74 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended May 3. The result was up from a profit of $149 million or 61 cents per diluted share a year ago. Sales for the quarter totalled $7.64 billion, up from $7.41 billion in the same quarter last year. Same-store rose 3.0 per cent as same-store sales for fuel fell 7.8 per cent driven by lower prices due to the removal of the government carbon tax. Food same-store sales rose 3.8 per cent. On an adjusted basis, Empire says it earned 74 cents per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 63 cents per diluted share a year ago. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX:EMP.A) The Canadian Press
