CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. reported an uptick in comparable-store sales for June after posting a decline the previous month.
The drug chain said Wednesday that for the four weeks ended June 29, same-store sales rose 0.7% year over year. The result marked a gain from a 1.5% decrease in May and continued an improvement in the retailer’s comp-store sales in recent months.
For June, same-store sales in the front end inched up 0.4%. Comparable pharmacy sales increased 0.9%, reflecting a negative impact of 305 basis points from introductions of lower-priced generic drugs, Rite Aid said. Prescriptions filled at comparable stores dipped 0.2% for the month.
Total drug store sales in June gained 0.2% to about $1.93 billion from $1.92 billion a year earlier, according to Rite Aid. Prescription sales represented 67.4% of drug store sales.
For the 17-week year-to-date period ended June 29, same-store sales were down 1.7%, including a 0.4% increase in the front end and a 2.7% decline in the pharmacy. Prescription count at comparable stores during the period was virtually flat, dipping 0.1% versus the prior-year period.
Overall drug store sales for the year to date fell 2.1% to $8.19 billion from nearly $8.37 billion a year earlier. Prescription sales represented 67.5% of total drug store sales.
As of June 29, Rite Aid operated 4,612 drug stores, compared with 4,648 stores a year ago.
