Financial News

LONGUEUIL, Quebec — The Jean Coutu Group reported sales of C$653.8 million in second quarter 2014, compared with C$658.7 million in second quarter 2013.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Harris Teeter Supermarkets on Thursday announced that Harris Teeter’s shareholders overwhelmingly voted to approve the previously announced merger agreement among Harris Teeter, Hornet Acquisition and Kroger. Approximately 98.6% of the votes cast during the day's special meeting were voted in favor of the merger agreement, representing approximately 82.5% of Harris Teeter’s outstanding common stock as of Aug. 22, 2013, the record date for the special meeting. 

CAMP HILL, Pa. – A private equity firm that is a major Rite Aid shareholder has exchanged its preferred stocks for common stock, according to a regulatory filing.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday posted September sales of $5.9 billion, an increase of 8% as compared with the same month in fiscal 2013.

Total front-end sales increased 4.1%, while comparable store front-end sales increased 2.9%. Customer traffic in comparable stores decreased 0.8% while basket size increased 3.7%.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Shop.org expects holiday online sales in November and December to grow between 13% and 15% from last holiday season, to as much as $82 billion.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Retail Federation expects sales in the months of November and December to increase 3.9% to $602.1 billion, up slightly from last year’s actual 3.5% holiday season sales growth. The forecast is higher than the 10-year average holiday sales growth of 3.3%.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid's same-store sales increased last month despite being offset by slightly lower front-end same-store sales and new generic drug introductions, the retail pharmacy chain said Thursday.

During the four-week period that ended Saturday, same-store sales increased 1.9% compared with September 2012. The increase included a 0.5% decrease in front-end comps and a 3.1% increase in pharmacy comps, offset by 1% due to new generics. Same-store prescription count increased by 0.9%.

DUBLIN — Actavis has appointed the board of directors for the division it recently created as part of its acquisition of Ireland-based Warner Chilcott, the drug maker said.

Actavis, which announced the $8.5 billion purchase of Warner Chilcott, cleared the final regulatory hurdle to the acquisition Monday when the Irish High Court approved it. As part of the acquisition, it is changing Warner Chilcott's name to Actavis plc.