The 691-store, 71-year-old grocery chain, with 124,000 employees, showed net earnings of $530.4 million, the same number posted in fiscal 2000. Earnings per share rose to $2.62 for 2001, up from $2.52 in 2000. Stores open at least a year boosted sales by 3.2%.

The company is the largest employee-owned supermarket chain in the United States.

Based on the most recent appraisal, the Publix stock price will remain at $41 per share, the company says in a prepared statement. Publix stock is not publicly traded and is sold only to current Publix associates and its directors. The company's annual financial statements will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Publix opened 388,387 sf at nine locations in 2001. Average store size is 44,000 sf. The company has 534 stores in Florida; 127 in Georgia; 23 in South Carolina; and four in Alabama. Publix has distributions centers of at least 100,000 sf each in the Florida cities of Boynton Beach, Miami, Deerfield Beach, Orlando, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Lakeland; and in Lawrenceville, GA.

Lakeland is 50 miles south of Downtown Orlando.