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CAMP HILL, Pa. — Comparable pharmacy results helped offset a same-store sales dip in the front end at Rite Aid Corp. for October.
Rite Aid said Thursday that for the four weeks ended Oct. 24, comparable-store sales inched up 1% year over year, reflecting a 0.5% decrease in the front end and a 1.7% gain in the pharmacy. That result compared with a 1.6% same-store sales increase in September.
The company noted that comparable pharmacy sales for October included a negative impact of 249 basis points from introductions of new generic drugs. Prescriptions filled at comparable stores edged up 0.2% over the prior-year period.
Overall drug store sales in October were $2.086 billion, up 1.4% from $2.058 billion a year earlier. Prescription sales accounted for 70.7% of drug store sales, Rite Aid said.
For the 34-week year-to-date period ended Oct. 24, same-store sales rose 2.2 versus the year-ago period, reflecting gains of 0.3% in the front end and 3% in the pharmacy. Prescription count at comparable stores was up 0.6% for the year to date.
Total drug store sales in the 34 weeks climbed 2.2% to $17.350 billion from $16.982 billion a year ago. Prescription sales represented 69.5% of drug store sales.
As of Oct. 24, Rite Aid operated 4,561 drug stores, compared with 4,571 stores a year earlier.
