Loblaw, which sells everything from beauty products to mobile connections, said it would invest more to expand the pick-up and delivery operation while aiming to reduce costs amid the coronavirus crisis.

The company's online sales more than doubled in the third quarter.

Net earnings attributable to its shareholders rose to C$345 million ($264 million), or 96 Canadian cents per share, in the quarter ended Oct. 3, from C$334 million, or 90 Canadian cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding one-time items, Loblaw earned C$1.30 per share, beating the average analyst estimate of C$1.26 per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Loblaw, a subsidiary of the biggest Canadian retail group George Weston, posted revenue of C$15.67 billion, a 6.9% rise from a year earlier and above analysts' estimate of C$15.61 billion.

(Reporting by Mehr Bedi in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)