Duane Reade 3Q sales up 5.4%

NEW YORK Duane Reade Holdings reported that total net sales for the third quarter increased 5.4% to $431 million from $408.8 million in the third quarter of 2007. Net retail store sales, which exclude pharmacy resale activity, increased 5.5% to $414.1 million from $392.4 million in the third quarter of 2007.

Total same-store sales increased by 5%, with a front-end same-store sales increase of 6% and a pharmacy same-store sales increase of 3.7%.

The third quarter operating loss was $7.9 million, compared to an operating loss of $6.2 million in the prior year period.