WALGREENS

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Fred’s Pharmacy confirmed its agreement to purchase divested stores remains in effect following Monday’s news that Walgreens Boots Alliance and Rite Aid extended the deadline for their potential merger agreement.

DEERFIELD, Ill.  — Walgreens Boots Alliance and Rite Aid on Monday morning extended their previously announced definitive merger agreement under which Walgreens Boots Alliance will acquire all outstanding shares of Rite Aid.

DEERFIELD, Ill.  — Walgreens Boots Alliance on Thursday announced that its board of directors has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 37.5 cents per share, an increase of 4.2% over the year-ago period.

Walgreens Boots Alliance and its predecessor company, Walgreens, have paid a dividend in 337 straight quarters (more than 84 years) and have raised the dividend for 41 consecutive years.

The dividend is payable March 10, 2017 to stockholders of record as of Feb. 15, 2017.

 

DEERFIELD, Ill.  — Walgreens will be opening its first specialty pharmacy in Iowa next month, according to a report in The Des Moines Register.

The 2,000 square foot pharmacy will open under the Community, A Walgreens Pharmacy banner and will cater to patients with complex medical conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and transplants.

DEERFIELD, Ill.  — The Walgreens Flu Index for the week of Jan. 22 is picking up on significant rising incidence throughout the Lone Star State — the three markets with the greatest amount of flu incidence gains in the past week are all in Texas.

According to the Texas Influenza Surveillance Report, for the week ending Jan. 14, the percentage of doctor and hospital visits for influenza-like illnesses appoached 6%.  

For the week of Jan. 22, the top 10 markets as measured by flu activity were:

DEERFIELD, Ill.  — The day some analysts thought would never come has arrived. On Friday, Jan. 27, the deadline expires for the pending acquisition of Rite Aid by Walgreens Boots Alliance for $9 per share in cash (representing a $17.2 billion deal including the acquired net debt).

What now?

NEW YORK  — With the deadline for the deal set to expire Friday, Jan. 27, Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Stefano Pessina told shareholders attending the Walgreens Boots Alliance annual meeting Thursday morning that the board of directors for both Walgreens and Rite Aid were in "active" discussions toward getting the deal approved even as the Federal Trade Commission continues to deliberate over the proposed retail pharmacy merger.