Rite Aid Corp. saw comparable-store sales climb for the second straight month in July, continuing an improvement in same-store sales in recent months.

Comp-store sales were up in both the front end and in the pharmacy for July, the drug chain said.

Prescription count also rose slightly after being virtually flat the previous month.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. saw comparable-store sales climb for the second straight month in July.

The drug chain said Thursday that for the four weeks ended July 27, comp-store sales edged up 1.3% year over year. That continued the retailer’s improving same-store sales results in recent months, including a 0.7% gain in June.

In the front end, same-store sales were up 0.7% in July. Comparable pharmacy sales for the month grew 1.6%, reflecting a negative impact of 307 basis points from introductions of new generic drugs, which carry lower prices but have higher profit margins.

Prescription count at comparable stores inched up 0.4% over the prior-year period, Rite Aid reported.

Overall drug store sales in July were up 0.9% to $1.898 billion from $1.881 billion a year earlier. Prescription sales represented 67.7% of drug store sales.

For the 21 weeks ended July 27, same-store sales dipped 1.2%, including a 0.4% gain in the front end and a 1.9% decrease in the pharmacy, according to Rite Aid. Prescriptions filled at comparable stores were flat compared with the year-ago period.

Total drug store sales for the 21 weeks fell 1.5% $10.089 billion from $10.247 billion in the prior-year period. Prescription sales accounted for 67.5% of drug store sales in the period.

As of July 27, Rite Aid operated 4,611 drug stores, compared with 4,646 stores a year earlier.