Walgreen reports earlier Easter lifted March sales

Deerfield, Ill. An early Easter season boosted Walgreen Co.'s sales in March, bringing more customers into its stores and increasing sales of seasonal items. Walgreens said its March sales increased to $5.82 billion from $5.47 billion in the year-ago period. Same-store sales were up 2.3%.

The company opened 52 new stores in March, including eight relocations. It acquired four stores and closed three, leaving the chain with a total of 7,225 drug stores at the end of the month.

By the end of April, Walgreens expects to complete its acquisition of the New York-based Duane Reade chain, which will give it 257 more stores in the metro New York area.