SALES OPERA TING RESULTS  OPERA TING INCOME BEFORE DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION AND ASSOCIATE'S EARNINGS (4) Operating  income before depreciation and amortization and associate's earnings adjustments  (OI) (4) DEPRECIA TION AND AMORTIZATION AND NET FINANCIAL COSTS SHARE  OF AN ASSOCIATE'S EARNINGS INCOME  TAXES NET  EARNINGS Sales for fiscal 2014 reached $ 11,590.4 million versus $ 11,399.9 million for fiscal 2013 , an increase of 1.7 %. Our  merchandising strategies and investments, as well as our reorganization of our Ontario store network enabled us to  increase sales  in a fiercely competitive market.  Operating  income before depreciation and amortization and associate's earnings $^{(4)}$ for fiscal 2014totalled $781.5 million  versus $ 765.3 million  for fiscal 2013 .  Non-recurring closure costs of $6.4 million were recorded in the first quarter of  2014 as a result of our decision to consolidate our Québec produce and dairy distribution operations in our new Laval  distribution  centre and to close our decades-old Québec City produce warehouse. Furthermore, in the fourth quarter of  2013, a restructuring charge of $ 40.0 million was recorded for the reorganization of our Ontario store network.  Excluding these non-recurring expenses, adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization and  associate's  earnings$^{(1)(4)}$ for fiscal2014 was $787.9 million or 6.8% of sales compared to $805.3 million or 7.1% of sales  for  fiscal  2013 . Gross  margin on sales for fiscal2014 was 19.1% versus 19.3% in fiscal2013. Tight cost control allowed us to keep the  level  of operating  expenses  as a percentage of sales at 12.3% in  2014  versus 12.2% in 2013. T otal  depreciation and amortization expense for fiscal 2014 amounted to $ 175.8 million  versus $ 179.6 million  in 2013 .  Net financial costs for fiscal 2014 totalled $ 49.1 million  compared to $ 49.4 million  in 2013 . The  average financing rate  was 4.8 % for fiscal2014 compared to 5.0% for fiscal 2013.  Our  share of earnings in Alimentation Couche-Tard for fiscal 2014 was $49.8 million  versus  $50.8 million in 2013. This  decline  results mainly from our reduced holding compared to last year following the sale of nearly half of our investment  in the  second quarter  of  2013. Fiscal  2014 income tax expense of $150.2 million represented an effective tax rate of 24.8% compared with fiscal 2013 tax  expense of $197.2 million for an effective tax rate of 22.0%. Excluding the $307.8 million gain on disposal of part of  our  investment in Alimentation Couche-Tard and related income tax of $41.4 million, the effective tax rate for fiscal 2013 was 26.5 %.  Net  earnings for fiscal2014were $456.2 million, down 35.2% from $703.9 million for fiscal 2013. Fully diluted net earnings  per  share were $5.07 compared with  $ 7.28 last year, a decrease of 30.4%. Fiscal Year 2014  2013 (Millions of dollars, unless otherwise indicated) OI  Sales (%) OI Sales (%) Operating income before depreciation  and amortization and associate's earnings  781.5 11,590.4 6.7 765.3 11,399.9  6.7 Closure costs and restructuring charges  6.4  40.0 Adjusted operating income before depreciation and  amortization and associate's earnings (4)  787.9 11,590.4 6.8 805.3 11,399.9  7.1 $^{(1)}$ See table on "Operating income before depreciation and amortization and associate's earnings adjustments"  $^{(2)}$ See table on "Net earnings from continuing operations adjustments" $^{(3)}$ See section on "Forward-looking information" $^{(4)}$ See section on "IFRS and non-IFRS measurements"  $^{(5)}$ See table on "Net earnings adjustments" -  18 -