Albertson’s Inc.: The Boise, Ida.-based grocery and...

Albertson’s Inc.: The Boise, Ida.-based grocery and drug store company said first-quarter earnings rose 25% to $44.4 million from a year ago on sales of $1.8 billion, a 16.6% increase. The company said the increase was due primarily to added efficiencies in its distribution operations generated by strong sales and gains from a new distribution center in Portland, Ore.