Sales Performance - Net sales and other revenue increased 1.2% to 18,774.5millioninQ3fiscal2024,drivenbya2.018,774.5 million, a 1.2% increase compared to 18,557.3millioninthesameperiodin2023[31]−Identicalsalesincludestoresoperatingduringthesameperiodinboththecurrentandpriorfiscalyear,comparingsalesonadailybasis,withdirect−to−consumerdigitalsalesincludedandfuelsalesexcluded[28]ProfitabilityandMargins−Grossmarginratedecreasedto27.95,246.4 million, representing 27.9% of net sales, slightly down from 28.0% in the same period in 2023[31] - Adjusted EBITDA was 1,065.1million,or5.71,106.5 million, or 6.0% of net sales, in Q3 fiscal 2023[13] - Adjusted EBITDA for the 12 weeks ended November 30, 2024, was 1,065.1million,comparedto1,106.5 million for the same period in 2023[37] - Rolling four quarters Adjusted EBITDA as of November 30, 2024, was 4,065.4million,comparedto4,452.1 million as of December 2, 2023[47] Net Income and Earnings - Net income for the 12 weeks ended November 30, 2024, was 400.6million,an11361.4 million in the same period in 2023[31] - Net income for the 12 weeks ended November 30, 2024, was 400.6million,comparedto361.4 million for the same period in 2023[37] - Adjusted net income per Class A common share for the 12 weeks ended November 30, 2024, was 0.71,comparedto0.79 for the same period in 2023[39] Capital Expenditures and Investments - Capital expenditures totaled 1,446.7millioninthefirst40weeksoffiscal2024,including84remodelsand9newstoreopenings[14]−Paymentsforproperty,equipment,andintangibles,includingleasebuyouts,forthe40weeksendedNovember30,2024,were1,446.7 million, a 5.8% decrease compared to 1,535.0millioninthesameperiodin2023[35]DividendsandShareRepurchases−Thecompanyincreaseditsquarterlycommonstockdividendby250.15 per share[7] - The company authorized a share repurchase program of up to 2.0billion[16]LegalandMergerActivities−ThecompanyterminatedtheMergerAgreementwithKrogerandfiledalawsuitseekingdamages,includinga600 million termination fee[17][18] - Merger-related costs for the 12 weeks ended November 30, 2024, were 61.1million,comparedto35.9 million for the same period in 2023[37] Financial Position and Debt - Total assets as of November 30, 2024, were 26,665.3million,a1.726,221.1 million as of February 24, 2024[33] - Inventories, net as of November 30, 2024, were 5,137.2million,a3.94,945.2 million as of February 24, 2024[33] - Long-term debt and finance lease obligations as of November 30, 2024, were 7,777.1million,slightlydownfrom7,783.4 million as of February 24, 2024[33] - Total debt net of cash and cash equivalents as of November 30, 2024, was 7,636.1million,comparedto8,312.1 million as of December 2, 2023[47] Operational Costs and Expenses - Business transformation costs for the 12 weeks ended November 30, 2024, were 15.0million,comparedto12.3 million for the same period in 2023[37] - Equity-based compensation expense for the 12 weeks ended November 30, 2024, was 21.7million,comparedto23.3 million for the same period in 2023[37] - LIFO expense for the 12 weeks ended November 30, 2024, was 3.5million,comparedto27.6 million for the same period in 2023[37] - Depreciation and amortization for the 12 weeks ended November 30, 2024, was 423.0million,comparedto414.7 million for the same period in 2023[37] Cash Flow - Net cash provided by operating activities for the 40 weeks ended November 30, 2024, was 1,922.1million,an111,730.8 million in the same period in 2023[35] Fiscal 2024 Outlook - Fiscal 2024 outlook includes identical sales growth of 1.8% to 2.0% and adjusted EBITDA in the range of 3.95billionto3.99 billion[21] - The company expects an effective tax rate of 15% to 16% for fiscal 2024, reflecting $81.0 million of discrete state income tax benefits recognized in Q3 fiscal 2024[20] Store Operations - Number of stores at the end of the quarter was 2,273, a slight increase from 2,271 in the previous quarter[31]