RITE AID

NEW YORK — Challenging "vague" reports suggesting the Walgreens deal to acquire Rite Aid may be in jeopardy, Deutsche Bank on Friday issued a research note outlining the number of options Walgreens still has at its disposal leading up to the Jan. 27 deadline.

NEW YORK  — Is today the day? The much anticipated approval for the Walgreens/Rite Aid merger, through which Walgreens has proposed to pay $9.4 billion for the acquisition of Rite Aid's 4,547 stores in an effort to bolster its national footprint, did not happen by Friday morning as many had speculated.

Now there is a new countdown clock — the deal is set to expire Jan. 27 if not approved before that time.

NEW YORK  — Almost half (48%) of the more-than 200 DSN readers who weighed in on when the Walgreens Boots Alliance/Rite Aid deal would be approved are laying odds that it will happen before the inauguration of President-Elect Donald Trump.

That's in three days.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — The Rite Aid Foundation on Thursday welcomed 219 new nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the health and wellness of children into its KidCents program. Selected by Rite Aid associates and representative of the communities served by Rite Aid, each new charity will receive a $5,000 KidCents grant in recognition of their efforts and participation in the KidCents program, totaling more than $1 million.

SAN FRANCISCO  — Two things will happen when, as many reports are suggesting, the merger between Walgreens Boots Alliance and Rite Aid is approved within the next week. Walgreens will bring to bear an augmented value to its health partners through a significantly greater market penetration. And that same national market heft will benefit the Chicagoland retailer as it breathes a little pizzazz back into its beauty offerings.

DEERFIELD, Ill. – Still no announcement that Walgreens Boots Alliance has closed the deal on its proposed acquisition of Rite Aid, but that announcement will come soon, the company stated Thursday morning after posting first quarter sales of $20.7 billion, up 1.4%.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Now that the divestiture of 865 Rite Aid stores to Fred’s Pharmacy for $950 million has been announced, Walgreens Boots Alliance’s acquisition of Rite Aid is moving forward, with an expected closing date of early 2017.