Rite Aid Profit Falls After EnvisionRx Deal
September 17 2015 - 8:30AM
Dow Jones News
Rite Aid Corp. said profit in its latest quarter plummeted as
the drugstore chain integrated recently acquired Envision
Pharmaceutical Services and recorded a loss on retired debt.
Meanwhile, the Camp Hill, Pa.-based company further cut its
earnings outlook for the year, reflecting sales trends and
additional expenses stemming from the recent acquisition.
Shares in the company, up about 15% this year through
Wednesday's close, dropped 5.6% premarket.
Rite Aid is the nation's third-largest drugstore chain behind
Walgreen Co. and CVS Caremark Corp.
The chain, like its rivals, has adjusted its offerings in an
effort to broaden its business model as the pharmacy and drugstore
industry expands into the health and wellness sector. In June, Rite
Aid completed its tie-up with pharmacy benefit manager EnvisionRx,
which it bought from investment firm TPG for about $2 billion.
Rite Aid Chief Executive John Standley said EnvisionRx made
positive contributions during the quarter and helped sales at
drugstores stores open at least a year rise 2.1%. Same-store
pharmacy sales rose 2.8%, andfront-end sales edged 0.3% higher. The
pharmacy segment has been under pressure from generic drugs, which
shaved about two percentage points off second-quarter pharmacy
sales, the company said.
Overall, Rite Aid reported a profit of $21.5 million, or 2 cents
a share, down from $129.2 million, or 13 cents a share, a year
earlier. The result included a $33.2 million loss on retired debt
in addition to costs associated with the EnvisionRx merger.
Adjusted Ebitda, or earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization, was $346.8 million, down from $364.2
million a year earlier.
Revenue grew 18% to $7.66 billion.
Analysts projected 4 cents in earnings per share and $7.57
billion in sales, according to Thomson Reuters.
For the year, the drugstore chain now anticipates earnings of 12
cents to 19 cents a share, down from earlier guidance of 14 cents
to 22 cents a share, on $30.8 billion to $31.1 billion in
revenue.
Write to Lisa Beilfuss at lisa.beilfuss@wsj.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 17, 2015 08:15 ET (12:15 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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