WALGREENS

Walgreens Boots Alliance is setting the pace on sustainability issues from health care and combatting climate change to promoting diversity and fostering inclusion as evidenced in its new 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report published Friday.

Walgreens kicks off its new fiscal with a mixed set of results. Overall sales are strong, aided by the integration of 375 Rite Aid stores and a robust performance from the U.S. retail pharmacy division. This growth was sufficient to make up for the slightly disappointing numbers from the international group, where same-store sales fell by 0.7%. Meanwhile, impairments in investments and an equity loss from earnings in AmerisourceBergen helped pushed down net income by 23%.

As good as Walgreens performed behind the back bench this past quarter, the company’s continued focus on enhancing its beauty offerings is expected to lead improvements across the front-end as Walgreens plans to amalgamate the many store format pilots it has been testing into one of many yet-to-be-identified stores.

There may have been plenty of cough and cold products in the Christmas stockings of residents in the Lone Star State, as Texas markets continue to top the Walgreens Flu Index list for flu activity, the Deerfield, Ill.-based chain announced Wednesday morning. As many as nine of the top 10 markets exhibiting flu activity were in Texas, though flu incidence may be gaining traction across the nation as gains in flu activity were recorded from San Diego to Lafeyette, La.

Rite Aid Wednesday evening outlined the number of tools the company has on hand in the delivery of low-cost, high-cost health and wellness services as it enters a new era featuring a tighter network of stores and a broad selection of diverse health services.

The latest has been reported upon in Walgreens Flu Index. The weekly report which was developed to provide state and market-specific information regarding flu activity has all signs pointing to Texas once again.

For the second week in a row, The Flu Index is reporting that the Lone Star state is holding the top spot for flu activity for the week ending Dec. 16.

Walgreens is catering to last-minute shoppers in more than one way. The Deerfield, Ill.-based company has announced that it will be open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Aside from extended store hours, customers are encouraged to order gifts and products online by December 20, to guarantee delivery in time for the holiday.

Red Nose Day, the national fundraising campaign to end child poverty, will return to NBC with a night of special primetime programming on Thursday, May 24, 2018, Walgreens announced Wednesday.