Rite Aid posts year-end sales lift of 1.3%

Rite Aid on Thursday announced February sales results of its retail pharmacy segment. For the five weeks ended Feb. 27, total drugstore sales for the five-week period increased 0.1% with sales of $2.6 billion. Prescription sales accounted for 69.4% of drug store sales, and third-party prescription sales represented 98% of pharmacy sales.

Same-store sales decreased 0.8% over the prior-year five-week period. February front-end same store sales decreased 0.5%.



Pharmacy same-store sales, which included an approximate 269 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, decreased 0.9%. Prescription count at comparable stores increased 1.4% over the prior-year period.



Total drug store sales for the 13 weeks ended Feb. 27, 2016 decreased 0.3% with sales of $6.8 billion. Prescription sales represented 68.1% of total drug store sales, and third party prescription sales represented 97.9% of pharmacy sales.



Same-store sales for the 13-week period ended Feb. 27, 2016 decreased 0.6% over the prior-year period. Front-end same-store sales decreased 0.4% while pharmacy same-store sales decreased 0.8%. Prescription count at comparable stores increased 0.1% over the prior-year period.



For its fiscal year 2016, Rite Aid reported total drug store sales of $26.9 billion, up 1.3%. Prescription sales represented 69.1% of total drug store sales, and third party prescription sales represented 97.8% of pharmacy sales.



Same-store sales for the 52-week period ended Feb. 27, 2016 increased 1.3% over the prior-year period. Front-end same-store sales increased 0.2% while pharmacy same-store sales increased 1.8%.



Prescription count at comparable stores for the year increased 0.5% over the prior-year period.



Going forward, Rite Aid will no longer report sales and comparable store sales results on a monthly basis. Rite Aid will continue to provide this information on a quarterly basis as part of its quarterly reporting.