Fred Meyer Inc. took a large one-time charge to pay off debt following its acquisition of Smith’s Food & Drug Centers to post a $73 million loss for its third quarter.

But the Portland-based grocery and retail chain saw sales jump nearly 75 percent to $1.46 billion for the third quarter from $835 million for the same period last year.

Fred Meyer earned $6.3 million in the third quarter in 1996, or 11 cents a share, compared with a loss of 88 cents a share on the $73 million quarterly loss this year. In September, Fred Meyer shareholders approved the Smith’s deal.