METRO Retail Stores Group Inc. (MRSGI) reported a 3.7 percent rise in third-quarter net sales to P9.91 billion, bringing nine-month revenues to P28.70 billion, up 4.1 percent year on year. Food retail grew 4.6 percent and general merchandise 2.8 percent, though same-store sales slipped 0.9 percent amid typhoon-related disruptions. Blended gross margin improved to 21.7 percent while Ebitda jumped 18.5 percent to P1.53 billion. Net income inched up 4.2 percent to P213.3 million as personnel costs and depreciation increased with store expansion. MRSGI opened new sites in Negros Oriental and Cebu and said it is positioned to capture holiday-season demand. / KOC