Walgreens’ earnings growth, Rite Aid acquisition ‘on track’ after Q1
Walgreens Boots Alliance on Thursday reported net sales of $29 billion, representing an increase of 48.5%, for the first quarter 2016 that ended Nov. 30, 2015. The significant growth was attributed to the inclusion of Alliance Boots consolidated results, the company reported.
Wall Street had expected $29.2 billion in overall revenue, according to analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.
“The year has started with a comparatively strong first quarter, as we expected," stated Stefano Pessina, executive vice chairman and CEO. "Our ongoing work to control costs across Walgreens Boots Alliance and improve adjusted operating income margins is growing earnings overall. Although it is early in the year, we are on track to deliver against our expectations," he said. “The work to renew and update our businesses, in order to meet the opportunities and challenges of our ever-changing markets, is a core strength that we must embrace as routine across our enterprise. Our ability to deploy tools and strategies that address these dynamics, generating continued growth across Walgreens Boots Alliance, and the commitment I see from our team give me confidence that we will deliver what we have signaled for 2016 and beyond.”
The company also noted that its proposed acquisition of Rite Aid is progressing as planned. The transaction, which was announced Oct. 27, is subject to the approval of Rite Aid’s stockholders, the expiration or termination of applicable waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and other customary closing conditions.
Rite Aid has scheduled a special meeting of its stockholders for Feb. 4 to, among other things, consider and vote on a proposal to approve the merger plan related to the acquisition.
The Retail Pharmacy USA division, whose principal retail pharmacy brands are Walgreens and Duane Reade, had first quarter total sales of $20.4 billion, an increase of 4.2% over the year-ago quarter. Sales in comparable stores increased 5.8% compared with the same quarter a year ago.
Pharmacy sales, which accounted for 68.4% of division total sales in the quarter, increased 6.7% compared with the same period last year, while comparable pharmacy sales increased 9.3%. The company attributed the increase in pharmacy sales in part to growth in Medicare Part D and an increase in focus on pharmacy customer care.
The division filled 231 million prescriptions (including immunizations) adjusted to 30-day equivalents in the quarter, an increase of 4.1% over last year’s first quarter, while the reported incidence of flu across the U.S. declined 10.7% compared with the year-ago quarter, according to IMS Health. Prescriptions filled in comparable stores increased 4.7% compared with the same quarter last year.
The division’s retail prescription market share on a 30-day adjusted basis in the first quarter increased approximately 20 basis points over the year-ago quarter to 19.2%, as reported by IMS Health. Walgreens’ new U.S. fulfillment agreements with Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, announced on Dec. 15, are expected to enhance the division’s pharmacy market share growth as the agreements are rolled out in calendar 2016.
Comparable retail sales decreased 0.6% in the first quarter primarily due to a reduction in unprofitable promotions and the transitioning of seasonal items away from holiday decorations and toward higher quality, giftable items.
The Retail Pharmacy International division, whose principal retail brands are Boots in the U.K., Thailand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland and The Netherlands, Benavides in Mexico and Ahumada in Chile, had first quarter total sales of $3.5 billion. On a pro forma constant currency basis, comparable store sales in the first quarter increased 2.2% compared with the same period a year ago, with particularly strong growth in Mexico and the Republic of Ireland.
The Pharmaceutical Wholesale division, which mainly operates under the Alliance Healthcare brand, had first quarter total sales of $5.8 billion. On a pro forma constant currency basis and excluding acquisitions and dispositions, comparable sales increased 3.1% compared with the same period a year ago. Sales growth in the quarter was particularly strong in Norway, while solid growth continued in Germany and Turkey, two of the division’s largest markets.
Combined net synergies in the fiscal 2016 first quarter were $288 million. Walgreens Boots Alliance continues to expect to reach at least $1 billion in combined net synergies in fiscal 2016 relating to the strategic combination with Alliance Boots. This excludes the synergy benefits related to the company’s strategic, long-term relationship with AmerisourceBergen, the benefits of refinancing the legacy Alliance Boots indebtedness at a lower cost and the proposed Rite Aid acquisition.
Walgreens Boots Alliance is raising by 5 cents per share its low end of guidance for fiscal year 2016 anticipated adjusted net earnings per diluted share attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance to $4.30 to $4.55.
This guidance continues to assume no material accretion from the proposed acquisition of Rite Aid.