Rite Aid December Same Store Sales Rise 2.9% - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Retail drugstore chain operator Rite Aid Corp. (RAD) reported Friday that same store sales for the month of December 2013 increased 2.9 percent over the prior-year period. December front-end same store sales increased 1.0 percent. Pharmacy same store sales, which included an approximate 102 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, increased 4.1 percent. Prescription count at comparable stores decreased 2.0 percent over the prior-year period, driven by a decrease in flu-related prescriptions and flu shots.

Total drugstore sales for the four-week period increased 2.7 percent to $2.109 billion compared to $2.054 billion for the same period last year. Prescription sales accounted for 63.6 percent of drugstore sales, and third party prescription sales represented 97.2 percent of pharmacy sales.

For the 43-week period ended December 28, 2013, Same store sales increased 0.5 percent over the prior-year period. Front-end same store sales increased 0.1 percent over the prior-year period while pharmacy same store sales increased 0.7 percent. Prescription count at comparable stores was flat compared to the prior-year period.

Total drugstore sales for the year-to-date period increased 0.2 percent with sales of $20.953 billion compared to $20.913 billion for the same period last year. Prescription sales represented 67.5 percent of total drugstore sales, and third party prescription sales represented 97.1 percent of pharmacy sales.