shares of albertsons companies inc aci rose 06 in premarket trading tuesday after the grocerystore chain reported fiscal firstquarter earnings that beat expectations as retail price inflation across most categories and growth in pharmacy and digital sales helped boost samestore sales net income for the quarter to june 17 fell to 4172 million or 72 cents a share from 4842 million or 84 cents a share in the yearago period excluding nonrecurring items adjusted earnings per share of 93 cents topped the factset consensus of 85 cents sales grew 32 to 2405 billion above the factset consensus of 2395 billion as samestore sales increased 49 and digital sales jumped 22 “we are also mindful of the evolving economic backdrop including slowing food inflation declining government assistance and higher interest rates and their potential effects on consumer spending and our business” said chief executive vivek sankaran “we also expect to see ongoing labor investment broad inflationary cost increases and significant declines in covid19 vaccination and test kit revenue these headwinds however are expected to be partially offset by the benefits of our productivity initiatives” shares of the company which agreed in october 2022 to be acquired by kroger co kr  has gained 57 year to date through tuesday kroger’s stock has climbed 93 and the sp 500 spx has rallied 186