Shoppers Drug Mart increases same-store 2Q sales by 4.6 percent

TORONTO Shoppers Drug Mart posted sales of $2.1 billion for the second quarter ended June 14, the company announced Wednesday.

On a same-store basis, excluding tobacco products, sales increased 4.6 percent during the quarter, representing a 6.4 percent lift in prescription same-store sales and 3 percent growth in front-end comparable sales (excluding tobacco). Tobacco is currently being phased out of its remaining stores in Western Canada, the company reported.

Overall, prescription sales increased 11.6 percent over the quarter, accounting for 47.9 percent of sales, while front-end store sales improved 7.4 percent.

During Shoppers’ second quarter, 22 drug stores were opened or acquired, nine of which were relocations, and two smaller drug stores were closed. At quarter-end, there were 1,171 stores in the system, comprised of 1,106 drug stores and 65 Shoppers Home Health Care stores. Drug store selling space was approximately 10.1 million square feet at the end of the second quarter, an increase of 13.9 percent compared to a year ago.