Kroger raised its sales and earnings guidance after reporting better than expected revenues and profit numbers during the first quarter. Overall sales declined 0.6 percent during the same period last year when the grocer saw unprecedented demand with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Kroger reported earnings of $1.19 a share, 20 cents above the Wall Street consensus. CEO Rodney McMullen said the company “is even better positioned to connect with our customers than we were prior to the pandemic.”