CAMP HILL. Pa. — Rite Aid same-store sales increased by 3.1% in February, including a 1.9% increase in front-end comps and a 3.7% increase in pharmacy comps, the company said Thursday.

Total sales for the 4,667-store chain were $2.55 billion, a 2.3% increase over February 2011's $2.5 billion.

For the 14-week period that ended Saturday, comps were up 3%, including a 1.6% increase in front-end comps and a 3.8% increase in pharmacy comps. For the 53-week period ending Saturday, comps increased by 2%, including a 1.1% increase in front-end comps and a 2.4% increase in pharmacy comps.

The latest sales figures come on the heels of an announcement made last month that Rite Aid had issued $481 million in 9.25% senior notes to refinance its debt, the first time it had been able to tap the unsecured debt market in five years.