Ankeny-based Casey’s General Stores Inc. reported strong sales increases in October compared with a year earlier. In a Nov. 15 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the convenience store chain reported that same-store sales of prepared food and fountain drinks increased 10.5 percent compared with October 2009, and sales of grocery and other merchandise increased 13.4 percent.

The company had recorded single-digit year-over-year increases for September in those categories.

Same-store gasoline gallons sold increased 4 percent in October 2010 compared with October 2009. The profit margin on gasoline was “in line with the company’s fiscal 2011 goal of 13.5 cents per gallon,” the filing said, and the average retail price was $2.68 per gallon.