Rite Aid Posts December and Year-to-Date Sales

Rite Aid Corp. (NYSE: RAD) is keeping its investors up to date with its most recent monthly sales report. The company reported its sales results for the month of December, as well as its year-to-date results.

For the four weeks ended on December 26, 2015, same-store sales decreased 0.1% over the same period from the previous year. December front-end same-store sales increased 0.8%. Pharmacy same-store sales, which included an approximate 207 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, decreased 0.6%. Prescription count at comparable stores decreased 0.4% over the prior-year period.

In terms of the total drugstore sales, the company posted sales of $2.212 billion, compared to $2.212 billion for the same four-week period last year. Prescription sales accounted for 64.6% of drugstore sales, and third-party prescription sales represented 98.0% of pharmacy sales.

Looking at the 43-week period ended on December 26, 2015, same-store sales increased 1.7% over the prior-year period. Front-end same-store sales increased 0.4%, while pharmacy same-store sales increased 2.3%. Prescription count at comparable stores increased 0.5% over the prior-year period.
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Total drugstore sales for the 43-week period, increased 1.6%, with sales of $22.118 billion, compared to $21.765 billion for the same period last year. Prescription sales represented 69.0% of total drugstore sales, and third-party prescription sales represented 97.8% of pharmacy sales.

The company operated 4,558 stores, compared to 4,570 stores in the same period from last year.

As 2015 is coming to a close, Rite Aid has outperformed the market, with the stock up 4.3% year to date.

Shares of Rite Aid were trading at $7.83 Thursday morning, with a consensus analyst price target of $9.05 and a 52-week trading range of $5.88 to $9.47.