Rite Aid posts December results

CAMP HILL, Pa. Rite Aid on Thursday reported a same-store sales decrease of 0.5 percent for the four weeks ended Dec. 29, with sales totaling $2.2 billion (representing a 47.5 percent increase including the Brooks/Eckerd stores).

Same-store sales results won’t include the acquired Brooks Eckerd stores until June 2008, one year after the deal closed, Rite Aid reported, although actual dollar sales do include results from the acquired operations.

Pharmacy same-store sales were flat, which included an approximate 443 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, Rite Aid reported. Front-end same store sales decreased 1.2 percent.

Prescription revenue accounted for 61.8 percent of drugstore sales, and third party prescription revenue represented approximately 96.1 percent of pharmacy sales.