Walgreens September sales totaled $6.5 billion, representing an increase of 9.4%

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens had September sales of $6.5 billion, an increase of 9.4% as compared with the same month in fiscal 2014, the company reported Friday.

 

Total front-end sales increased 2.2% in September compared with the same month in fiscal 2014, while comparable store front-end sales increased 1.7%. Customer traffic in comparable stores decreased 2.7% while basket size increased 4.4%.

 

Prescriptions filled at comparable stores increased by 6.6% in September and increased 3.9% on a calendar day-shift adjusted basis. September 2014 had one additional Tuesday and one fewer Sunday compared with September 2013. These calendar shifts positively impacted prescriptions filled at comparable stores by 270 basis points.

 

September pharmacy sales increased by 14.2%. Comparable store pharmacy sales increased 11.3% and increased by a calendar day-shift adjusted 8.6%. Calendar day-shift adjusted comparable store pharmacy sales were negatively impacted by 190 basis points due to generic drug introductions in the last 12 months. Pharmacy sales accounted for 67.8% of total sales for the month.

 

Flu shots administered at pharmacies and clinics season to date were more than 2.1 million versus approximately 1.9 million last year.

 

Sales in comparable stores increased by 7.9% in September. Calendar day shifts positively impacted total comparable sales by 180 basis points. Generic drug introductions in the last 12 months negatively impacted total comparable sales by 130 basis points.

 

Calendar 2014 year-to-date sales for the first nine months were $57.4 billion, an increase of 6.1%. Walgreens opened nine stores during September, including four relocations, and closed four.