The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that Pierre St-Laurent, Empire's new chief executive officer, said Thursday that he wants to maximize the value of past investments. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that Mr. St-Laurent said wants to focus "on being relevant for customers." He said the biggest opportunities for cost reduction lie in being more agile in enhancing customer experience and driving growth, all while maintaining discipline. Mr. St-Laurent said, "Discipline is the keyword." On Thursday Empire reported a drop in profits during its latest earnings. It earned $159-million in its second quarter, down from $173-million in the same quarter last year. Its profit amounted to 69 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Nov. 1, compared with a profit of 73 cents per diluted share a year earlier. Mr. St-Laurent said Empire's margins were partly impacted by labour action at the Sobeys distribution centre in Alberta. RBC analyst Irene Nattel said Empire's operating results were in line with forecasts. She said Empire is executing its strategy to maximize revenues in full-service stores while expanding its discount presence, despite a consumer shift to discount banners.