July 26 (Reuters) - Canadian grocer and drugstore chain operator Loblaw Companies Ltd L.TO on Wednesday reported a quarterly profit that edged past analysts' estimates, helped by strong customer spending during the Easter holiday.
At Loblaw's food retail business, sales at stores open for a year rose 1.2 percent, the company said. Excluding the impact of Easter sales, sales were about flat.
Loblaw, which sells everything from grocery to wireless mobile products, said sales at drug retail stores open for a year rose 3.7 percent. Loblaw operates the Shoppers Drug Mart chain in Canada.
Customers typically shop in bulk during the Christmas and Easter holidays, which account for about a third of most retailers' annual sales.
Net profit attributable to shareholders more than doubled to C$361 million ($288.6 million) or C$1.11 per share in the second quarter ended June 17. on average had expected a profit of C$1.10 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Revenue rose to C$11.1 billion from C$10.7 billion. ($1 = 1.2510 Canadian dollars)