Top Retailers

ISSAQUAH, Wash., and WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — Costco and BJ’s reported some impressive same-store sales for June, but peel the onion back a bit and the numbers are not quite as stellar as they seem.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens’ stock was trading up 30 cents to $43.03 on the New York Stock Exchange mid-morning on Wednesday thanks to favorable same-store sales growth of 4.8% for the month of June versus an analyst consensus estimate of 2.8%.

NEW YORK — When it comes to skin care, women no longer have to make a choice between treating acne blemishes with a product that has no anti-aging benefits or treating the signs of aging with a product that may clog pores and lead to breakouts. Enter Effaclar Serum Pore-Refining/Anti-Wrinkle Serum from La Roche-Posay.

DALLAS and HOUSTON — Kroger announced that its Southwest division currently is accepting applications for its annual Neighbor-to-Neighbor program.

NEW YORK — The new Duane Reade flagship Wall Street store, visited by Drug Store News in an exclusive tour on Tuesday, represents the first American retailer to employ a next-generation digital signage solution from Lawrence called the Tensator Virtual Assistant, which uses the very latest in holographic imaging and audio-visual technology to create the illusion of a real person.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark's board of directors has approved a quarterly dividend of 12.5 cents per share.

The dividend is payable Aug. 2 to holders of record on July 22, the company noted.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems have entered into a relationship with Core Performance to offer Core Performance corporate wellness services to Take Care Health Systems employer clients and bolster its service portfolio.

Take Care Health Systems is the nation's largest manager of employer health, pharmacy and fitness centers, with nearly 400 locations throughout the United States. As part of the agreement, Walgreens has made a minority investment in Core Performance.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Cosmetic Promotions will sponsor Rite Aid’s Glam Camp Back-to-School program for the fourth year in a row, the beauty marketing and promotional company said.