06:31 AM EDT, 06/10/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Casey's General Stores (CASY) shares jumped early Tuesday as it issued an inside comparable sales growth outlook for fiscal 2026 higher than the previous year at the midpoint, while the convenience store operator's fourth-quarter earnings surprisingly increased on an annual basis.

The company anticipates inside same-store sales to increase by 2% to 5% for its ongoing fiscal year, it said late Monday. The guidance's midpoint is higher than the 2.6% rise logged for the fiscal year ended April 30. The stock climbed 9.5% in the most recent premarket activity.

"Inside same-store sales outperformed the industry, up 2.6%, or 7.1% on a two-year stack basis, led by strong performance in hot sandwiches and bakery as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages," Chief Executive Darren Rebelez said in a statement.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization are projected to grow 10% to 12% for the current fiscal year. In fiscal 2024, the metric advanced by 13%.

Casey's forecasts same-store fuel gallons sold to be down 1% to up 1% for fiscal 2026, while operating expenses are pegged to increase by around 8% to 10%. The company plans to open at least 80 stores in the fiscal year.

For the three-month period ended April, the company posted net income of $2.63 a share versus $2.34 the year before, defying the FactSet-polled consensus for a decrease to $1.94. Revenue inclined to $3.99 billion from $3.6 billion, ahead of the Street's view for $3.93 billion.

Inside same-store sales moved up 1.7% during the quarter, buoyed by robust performance in bakery and hot and cold food in the prepared food and dispensed beverage category, as well as non-alcoholic beverages in the grocery and general merchandise category, according to Casey's. Grocery and general merchandise same-store sales rose 1.8%.

Operating expenses rose to $663 million from $579 million in the prior-year quarter, with about 12% of the increase due to the company running 246 more stores versus last year.