CAMP HILL, Pa. — The pharmacy was the driver behind a lift in same-store sales for Rite Aid Corp. in November.
Rite Aid said Thursday that for the five weeks ended Nov. 26, comparable-store sales advanced 1.9% versus a year earlier. That was down from a 2.9% gain in October — which marked the drug chain’s largest monthly same-store sales increase for the calendar year — but continued the retailer’s comp-store resurgence in 2011.
In the front end, November same-store sales dipped 0.6%. Pharmacy same-store sales, meanwhile, rose 3.1% despite a 182-basis-point negative impact from generic drug introductions, according to Rite Aid. Prescription count at comparable stores edged up 0.8% over the prior-year period.
Overall drug store sales in November were up 1.4% to just over $2.40 billion from $2.37 billion a year earlier.
For the 13-week quarter ended Nov. 26, same-store sales climbed 2% year over year, reflecting a 2.9% gain in the pharmacy and flat results in the front end, Rite Aid reported. Prescription count at comparable stores in the quarter inched up 0.5% over the year-ago period. Total drug store sales for the third quarter increased 1.8% to nearly $6.29 billion.
Comp-store sales for the 39-week year-to-date period gained 1.6%, including increases of 0.8% in the front end and 1.9% in the pharmacy. Prescriptions filled at comparable stores were up 0.4%. Overall drug store sales for the 39 weeks rose 1.2% to about $18.9 billion.
As of Nov. 26, Rite Aid operated 4,679 stores, compared with 4,731 stores in the like period a year ago.
