Rite Aid posts increase in sales for November, Q3

CAMP HILL, Pa. Both November and third-quarter comparable sales were slightly up compared with the year-ago period, Rite Aid reported Thursday.

Rite Aid registered a 0.9 percent same-store sales increase for the five weeks ended Dec. 1, excluding its recently-acquired Brooks and Eckerd operations. Pharmacy same-store sales increased 1.2 percent, which included an approximate 461 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, and front-end same store sales increased 0.3 percent.

Total drug store sales for the five-week period, including the former Brooks and Eckerd stores, increased 50.7 percent to $2.5 billion. Prescription revenue accounted for 67.7 percent of drugstore sales, and third party prescription revenue represented approximately 96.1 percent of pharmacy sales.

Same-store sales for the 13-week quarter ended Dec. 1, 2007 increased 0.7 percent over the prior year quarter. Pharmacy same-store sales increased 1.2 percent which included an approximate 431 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions. Front-end same-store sales decreased 0.4 percent.

Total drug store sales for the quarter increased 51.1 percent to $6.5 billion. Prescription revenue accounted for 68.3 percent of total drugstore sales, and third party prescription revenue was 96.0 percent of pharmacy sales.