WALGREENS

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens Boots Alliance on Thursday generated fiscal 2017 third quarter net earnings of $1.2 billion, up 5.3%, for the period ended May 31. Sales in the third quarter were $30.1 billion, an increase of 2.1% from the year-ago quarter, and an increase of 5% on a constant currency basis.

The news that Walgreens is to scrap its $9.4 billion merger with Rite Aid is unsurprising. The glacial pace of the Federal Trade Commission investigation and increasing signals that the federal government would disallow the merger have forced a rethink.

In some ways, the process so far has been a colossal waste of resources and effort. Walgreens has to pay out a $325 million termination fee to Rite Aid, and all parties — including Fred's, which was due to acquire some Rite Aid stores — have invested time and money with very little to show for it.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens Boots Alliance Thursday morning announced a new Rite Aid deal, effectively scuttling its proposal to acquire the Camp Hill, Pa.-based chain and surrendering the $325 million termination fee with respect to the old merger agreement. The divestiture agreement with Fred's Pharmacy is terminated.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and LabCorp on Wednesday announced a collaboration through which LabCorp will develop and operate patient service centers within select Walgreens stores. The centers, which will be co-branded “LabCorp at Walgreens,” will offer LabCorp patient services in a secure, comfortable environment for specimen collection, located near the pharmacy area inside the store.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens’ mobile apps biggest fans aren’t exactly the demographic people typically associate with technology adoption. The chain on Tuesday shared data showing that more than 20% of its user base are ages 55 years and older — a demographic that only makes up 9% of overall smartphone ownership.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Michigan residents can now get naloxone without a prescription at more than 225 Walgreens locations in the state. With the Tuesday announcement, Walgreens has now made the opioid overdose reversal drug, which can be administered as an injection or a nasal spray, available in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Trade Commission’s is set to hold a closed-door meeting on Thursday. The meeting comes in the lead-up to the Jul. 7 deadline by which the regulatory agency has to approve or file suit to block the Walgreens-Rite Aid merger.