NEW YORK — With the acquisition of Rite Aid Corp. by Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) now canceled and replaced by a smaller transaction, the chain drug landscape will retain a more familiar look. Nonetheless, all three parties to the original deal, which involved the purchase of 865 Rite Aid locations by Fred’s Inc., will
Twenty months ago, Walgreens Boots Alliance announced a $17.2 billion deal to acquire Rite Aid Corp. On Thursday, in the wake of a protracted antitrust review by the Federal Trade Commission, the two companies opted to call of the Walgreens-Rite Aid merger and struck a new agreement. Under the new deal, WBA is slated to
Walgreens Boots Alliance and Rite Aid last week said they’ve complied with the Federal Trade Commission’s second request for information on their merger deal. But it appears the FTC still wants to know more. The New York Post reported Tuesday that the FTC has issued civil investigative demands (CIDs) to Walgreens vendors and competitors to
Rite Aid saw its stock price sink to a 52-week low on Wednesday after a report that the Federal Trade Commission may challenge the drug chain’s acquisition by larger rival Walgreens Boots Alliance. Citing trade publication The Capital Forum, Bloomberg reported that the FTC was mulling a lawsuit to block the deal. Rite Aid’s share
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Fred’s Inc. reported declined sales and net losses for its 2016 fourth quarter and fiscal year as it awaits regulatory approval to buy up to 1,200 drug stores in connection with the Walgreens-Rite Aid merger. Fred’s said Thursday that sales for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 28, 2017, fell 4.5% to $529.7
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) is reportedly prepared to sell additional stores and other assets to Fred’s Inc. in an effort to win Federal Trade Commission approval for its merger with Rite Aid Corp. WBA, which had initially agreed to sell 865 Rite Aid stores to Fred’s, is planning to raise that
The latest scuttlebutt on the Walgreens-Rite Aid merger: Walgreens Boots Alliance looks to be divesting even more stores and other assets to Fred’s. Citing anonymous sources, Bloomberg reported Tuesday that WBA is “nearing an agreement” to raise the number of stores to sell to Fred’s as well as include distribution centers, software and staff. No
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) and Rite Aid Corp. have extended the end date for their merger by six months, and have indicated a willingness to sell up to 1,200 Rite Aid stores to win Federal Trade Commission approval for the deal. Originally WBA said it was willing to divest up to
The major question in mass retailing this year, as the industry concludes the second month of 2017, is when — and indeed whether — Walgreens Boots Alliance’s acquisition of Rite Aid will be fruitfully concluded. As anyone who really cares knows by now the deadline for finalizing the Walgreens-Rite Aid merger has been extended to
