Rite Aid reports slight drop in sales for end of 2008

CAMP HILL, Pa. Rite Aid on Monday reported a same-store sales decrease of 0.2% for the four weeks ending Dec. 27, representing a 2.4% decline over comparable front-end sales and a 1.2% lift in prescription same-store sales.

Same-store sales across the core Rite Aid store network were up 0.5%, with a 2.7% decline across front-end same-store results and an increase of 2.9% in pharmacy same-store results. The Brooks/Eckerd store base fell 1.6% in same-store sales over the period, with a 1.5% drop in front-end comparable sales and a decline of 1.6% across pharmacy comparable results.

Total drug store sales for the four-week period decreased 2.1% to $2.2 billion. Prescription revenue accounted for 62.5% of drugstore sales, and third party prescription revenue represented 96.4% of pharmacy sales.