CVS

NEW YORK — Financial services firm Credit Suisse tabulated total basket increases of 2.7% year over year and 1% month over month for retail.

“Our monthly pricing survey in Dallas and Chicago showed that all retailers raised prices on a year-over-year and month-over-month basis with the exception of Jewel [a Supervalu banner operating in Chicago],” Credit Suisse research analyst Ed Kelly wrote in a note published Monday.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — In his July 20 letter to benefit consultants, Walgreens president of pharmacy, health and wellness Kermit Crawford made a direct appeal to plan sponsors to either “select a PBM that includes Walgreens” or consider “direct arrangements with plans currently using Express Scripts, to the extent permitted by their contracts.” The letter also included an attached “template agreement that can be used to implement such direct arrangements where permitted,” for consideration.

Health care is like precision engineering; tweaking one element ever so slightly can mean the difference between a healthy life and an early death or, in the case of drug spending, between nearly $50,000 and just north of $1,000.


SADDLE BROOK, N.J. — Dana Classic Fragrances has announced that it is re-releasing two of its popular fragrances: Love's Fresh Lemon and Love's Soft Jasmin.

The fragrances had very strong consumer loyalty throughout the '70s and '80s and, according to the company, their re-release has been requested and blogged about by fragrance users for several years.

Both fragrances will be available in 1.5-oz./ 45-mL body mists and will be featured at CVS stores in August.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Size matters, especially if it’s the size of the monthly fuel bill. Just because gas prices haven’t eclipsed $5 as many analysts had feared, doesn’t mean those lower-than-expected prices at the pump aren’t impacting buying and trip decisions, as evidenced by this latest survey. 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy's ExtraCare Rewards program, which has more than 67 million active cardholders and this year celebrates its 10-year anniversary, announced on Friday the launch of a new interactive digital campaign that encourages cardholders to take advantage of their earned rewards, as well as a new look for the ExtraBucks rewards receipt.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Preventive health care may be signficiantly less costly than previously thought because of the expanded use of cost-effective generic medications for the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases, according to researchers from Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital and CVS Caremark.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark's board of directors has approved a quarterly dividend of 12.5 cents per share.

The dividend is payable Aug. 2 to holders of record on July 22, the company noted.