Rite Aid's same-store sales edge up 0.5%

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid’s same-store sales for April increased by 0.5%, compared with April 2010, the pharmacy retailer said Wednesday.

This included a 0.4% decrease in sales at the front end and a 1% increase in pharmacy sales, offset by 133 basis points due to new introductions of generic drugs. Prescription count at comparable stores increased by 0.7%.

Total store sales decreased by 0.4% to $1.95 billion, compared with $1.96 billion in April 2010. Prescription revenue accounted for 68.3% of sales, while third-party prescription revenue accounted for 96.5% of pharmacy sales.

Year-to-date same-store sales for the eight weeks ended April 23 increased by 0.2%, including a 1.1% decrease in front-end sales and a 0.9% increase in pharmacy sales, while prescriptions filled at comparable stores increased by 0.6%. Rite Aid’s fiscal year 2010 ended Feb. 26.

Also during that period, total store sales decreased by 0.7% to nearly $3.91 billion, compared with $3.93 billion during the same period last year. Prescription revenue accounted for 68.8% of total store sales, while third-party prescription revenue accounted for 96.5% of pharmacy sales.