Financial News

In what its president and CEO called a “significant milestone,” Watson Pharmaceuticals announced last month that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and European Commission had approved its acquisition of Swiss generic drug maker Actavis. Watson announced the $5.6 billion acquisition of Actavis in April, a deal that is expected to make Watson the third-largest generic drug maker in the world, after Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Mylan.

Seasonal candy generates 40% to 45% of total category sales, according to data from the National Confectioners Association. Christmas candy sales are expected to track last year’s sales, but with Easter falling early this year, NCA recommends that retailers set Easter candy as Valentine’s Day products are taken down. 


Products with play value remain popular with consumers, but manufacturers say those with a “try me” feature have the strongest sell-through.



Target and CVS are some of the first retailers to group adult multivitamins and supplements available in gummy format into one 4-ft. set. The idea is to make shopping vitamins and supplements easier. For the 12 weeks ended Sept. 9, SymphonyIRI Group tabulated $202 million in sales of multivitamins, up slightly by 0.8%, across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart).

 DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday posted October sales of $6 billion, a drop of 2.1% as compared to October 2011. However, in only six weeks on the market, the chain's Balance Rewards loyalty program signed more than 28 million customers through Oct. 31. 

The results include the brunt of the impact from Hurricane Sandy — at the peak of the storm, approximately 750 of 1,400 stores in the impacted area were closed, Walgreens reported. Nearly all of those locations have since reopened.

Fall 2012 makeup was confident and sultry as lipstick made a comeback, at the expense of lip gloss, and eyes shouted sex appeal with dramatic eyeliner and bold brows. That’s the look that graced fashion runways, and judging by the numbers, consumers followed suit in the mass market.


Retailers are facing challenges in a rapidly changing photo-processing category. One huge shift has been in category leadership. One dominant brand is no longer directing — and pouring advertising dollars into — the category, so retailers need to take a more active role in marketing 
photo processing. 


Another challenge is what to market. Consumers are still ordering prints, but they are increasingly viewing, manipulating and saving their photos online.


Sales of color cosmetics lost some of its shimmer during the recession as beauty mavens reduced purchase cycles, traded down to value brands and cut back on experimenting with new products. However, consumers are returning to the category, which is likely to spell strong sales for spring and beyond.


Drug stores saw a modest increase in air freshener sales last year, according to Mintel research — a lift likely due to sales of private-
label products. 


Sales were down elsewhere in the market in a category that has suffered from a shrinking economy and competition from scented candles and scented 
cleaning products.


Sprays and aerosols are most popular with consumers and have the most consistent use, followed by candles for burning, candles for decoration 
and plug-ins.