Supermarket group Morrisons has reported a 21% rise in annual profits on the back of an expansion programme which has included opening 45 new stores.
The Bradford-based group said underlying pre-tax profits rose to £767 million in the year to 31 January, with turnover up 6% to £15.4bn.
Britain's fourth-biggest supermarket chain now has 425 stores and has said its average weekly customer numbers are 7% up on last year.
It's like-for-like sales grew by 6%, although this represented a slowing of the 8.2% growth posted in 2008/9.
It has recently appointed Dalton Philips, a former Wal-Mart executive, to be its new chief executive from 29 March. He succeeds Marc Bolland, who is due to become the chief executive at Marks and Spencer on 1 May.
No comments have been made.