Walgreen Co. February Sales Increase 13.9 Percent

Walgreen Co. February Sales Increase 13.9 Percent

DEERFIELD, Ill., March 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

Walgreen Co.

(NYSE:WAGNASDAQ:WAG) had February sales of $3,439,423,000, an increase of 13.9

percent from $3,019,299,000 for the same month in 2004. Last year's results

benefited from an extra selling day, Feb. 29.

Sales in comparable stores (those open at least a year) rose 9.3 percent. When

comparing 28 days this February to 28 days in February 2004, sales in

comparable stores increased 12.2 percent.

Pharmacy sales increased 15.5 percent, while comparable pharmacy sales rose

11.9 percent. Excluding the additional day last year, comparable pharmacy sales

rose 14.3 percent.

Total prescriptions filled at comparable stores increased 11.0 percent.

Excluding the additional day last year, total prescriptions filled at

comparable stores increased 13.3 percent. Pharmacy sales accounted for 63.4

percent of total sales for the month.

Calendar year-to-date sales were $6,912,038,000, an increase of 14.2 percent

from $6,050,413,000 in 2004.

Fiscal year-to-date sales for the six months were $20,864,200,000, up 12.8

percent from $18,503,027,000 in 2004. Comparable store sales for the fiscal

year to date increased 8.5 percent.

Comparable store front-end sales increased 5.0 percent during February.

Excluding last year's additional day, comparable store front-end sales

increased 8.6 percent.

Walgreens opened 29 stores during February, including four relocations, and

closed one location. Store openings included Walgreens first store in Montana,

which opened Feb. 11 in Kalispell. At Feb. 28, the company operated 4,738

drugstores in 45 states and Puerto Rico, versus 4,336 a year ago.

Walgreen company information is available on the Internet at

http://www.walgreens.com/ .

DATASOURCE: Walgreen Co.

CONTACT: Media, Carol Hively, +1-847-914-2923, or Investors, Rick Hans,

CFA, +1-847-914-2385, both of Walgreen Co.

Web site: http://www.walgreens.com/