Rite Aid's April pharmacy sales bloom

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid on Thursday posted a same-store sales increase of 3% for the four weeks ended April 25. April front-end same-store sales, which were negatively impacted by 0.9% due to a shift in the timing of Easter, decreased 0.5%. Pharmacy same-store sales, which included an approximate 145 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, increased 4.6%. 

 

Prescription count at comparable stores increased 1.8% over the prior-year period.

 

Total drug store sales for the four-week period increased 2.4% to $2 billion. Prescription sales accounted for 68.9% of drug store sales, and third party prescription sales represented 97.7% of pharmacy sales.

 

Rite Aid is also performing well year-to-date with a 3.6% lift in same-store sales for the eight weeks ended April 25. Front-end same-store sales increased 1% while pharmacy same-store sales increased 4.9%. Prescription count at comparable stores increased 2.2% over the prior-year period. Rite Aid salers were up 3.2% to $4 billion.