Sept 13 (Reuters) - Empire Company Ltd EMPa.TO :
* EMPIRE COMPANY REPORTS FISCAL 2019 FIRST QUARTER RESULTS
* Q1 ADJUSTED EARNINGS PER SHARE C$0.37
* Q1 EARNINGS PER SHARE C$0.35
* Q1 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW C$0.42 -- THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S
* QTRLY SAME-STORE SALES EXCLUDING FUEL INCREASED 1.3% (1.8% EXCLUDING PHARMACY)
* MOVING FORWARD, EXPECT THAT WILL BEGIN TO RECOVER COST PRESSURES THAT HAVE BEEN INCURRED
* PROJECT SUNRISE TRANSFORMATION ON TRACK
* QTRLY SALES $ 6,460.3 MILLION VERSUS $ 6,273.2 MILLION
* EMPIRE COMPANY - PROJECT SUNRISE TRANSFORMATION EXPECTED TO RESULT IN AT LEAST $500 MILLION IN ANNUALIZED BENEFITS BY FISCAL 2020
* EXPECTS TO INCUR INCREASED LABOUR COSTS AS A RESULT OF MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES IN ONTARIO AND ALBERTA AND OTHER EFFECTS
* EMPIRE COMPANY - ESTIMATES UNMITIGATED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES, OTHER IMPACTS WITH WAGE PARITY, COULD BE UP TO $90 MILLION IN FISCAL 2019
* CONTINUES TO DEVELOP FURTHER PLANS TO MITIGATE INCREASED LABOUR COSTS IMPACTS FOR FISCAL 2019 ONWARD
* EMPIRE COMPANY - ESTIMATES EFFECT, PRIOR TO ANY MITIGATION, OF HEALTHCARE REFORM CHANGES MAY BE TO REDUCE ANNUAL INCOME BEFORE TAXES BY UP TO $40 MILLION