Chain Drug Review articles from March 2005

Chain Drug Review archives from March 2005

Rite Aid sets loyalty plan for seniors.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid Corp. has launched "Living More," a free loyalty program providing benefits and savings to patients age 60 and older. Discounts for Living More members include 10% off all cash prescriptions, 10% off Rite Aid...

A new leader in generics emerges.(Novartis AG, Hexal AG and Eon Labs Inc.)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Novartis AG is acquiring Hexal AG and a majority of Eon Labs Inc. in a $8.37 billion transaction that Novatis officials say will create the world leader in generics. The significantly broadened product portfolio will be...

Duties of top execs realigned at Longs.
March 14, 2005... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Seeking to maintain the momentum of a strong fourth quarter and fiscal year, Longs Drug Stores has redefined the roles of four top managers. The changes for Bruce Schwallie, Richard Dreiling, Todd Vasos and Steve...

Close votes by FDA panel back COX-2 inhibitors.(United States. Food and Drug Administration)
March 14, 2005... WASHINGTON -- A recommendation by a Food and Drug Administration panel could allow for a market return of Vioxx, the painkiller that Merck & Co. withdrew in September because of concerns that the product could damage the heart. The committee...

CACDS goes 'fast forward' into future.(Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores)
March 14, 2005... MARKHAM, Ontario -- Although the photographs and displays decorating the reception area were appropriately nostalgic symbols of the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores' (CACDS') 10th anniversary, the theme for its annual conference, where...

Albertsons cuts earnings outlook for 4th qtr.
March 14, 2005... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons Inc. has lowered its earnings forecast for the fourth quarter that ended January 29, blaming a mild flu season and labor strife, among other factors. The operator of Osco Drug and Sav-on Drugs also reported that...

Walgreens, MBI team up to track FSAs.(flexible savings account )(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... WALTHAM, Mass. -- MBI has entered into a pact with Walgreen Co. in which the former, an employee benefits software company, will introduce its debit card payment-processing system, which will electronically substantiate the over-the-counter...

Katz makes Cohen, Jeffery exec VPs.(Katz Group Canada Ltd.: appointment of Russell Cohen and Warren Jeffery)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... TORONTO -- Katz Group Canada Ltd. has appointed two executive vice presidents. Russell Cohen was named executive vice president of pharmacy, while Warren Jeffery was named to succeed him as executive vice president of operations. ...

Former Eckerd managers sue Penney.(Eckerd Corp.)(J.C. Penney Company Inc.)
March 14, 2005... MIAMI -- A federal judge has ruled that about 1,000 former Eckerd Corp. store managers can join a lawsuit claiming that the drug chain, when owned by J.C. Penney Co., improperly avoided paying them overtime wages. Penney characterizes the...

MSI appoints Meyer VP, franchise development.(Medicine Shoppe International Inc.: appointment of Mike Meyer )(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... ST. LOUIS -- Mike Meyer has been named vice president of franchise development at Medicine Shoppe International Inc. (MSI). He will oversee all franchise development in the United States for systems under the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacies and...

Coutu makes investments in Canada.(Jean Coutu Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... LONGUEUIL, Quebec -- The Jean Coutu Group has expanded its information technology center in Longueuil, Quebec. In addition, the chain drug retailer is constructing a distribution complex in Hawkesbury, Ontario. The technology unit,...

Revlon appoints Crystal senior VP.(Supplier News)(appointment of Elizabeth Crystal )(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Revlon Inc. has announced that Elizabeth Crystal has joined the company as senior vice president of customer marketing. She reports to Paul Murphy, executive vice president of North America customer sales, marketing and...

IRI awards recognize CPG, retail innovation.(Supplier News)
March 14, 2005... MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Food Lion LLC, Kraft Foods, McNeil Nutritionals LLC and PepsiCo Inc. have taken top honors at the second annual CPG & Retail Excellence Awards gala. The honors were presented at Information Resources Inc.'s (IRI's)...

Agon chosen to take reins at L'Oreal.(Supplier News)(appointment of Jean-Paul Agon )(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... PARIS -- Jean-Paul Agon has been named to succeed Lindsay Owen-Jones as chief executive officer of L'Oreal. Agon, 48, who has been president of L'Oreal U.S. since 2001, will take over the company reins in April 2006. Owen-Jones, 58, will...

Healthpoint adopts Coria Labs name.(Supplier News)(Coria Laboratories Inc)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... FORT WORTH -- The Healthpoint Dermatology division of DFB Pharmaceuticals has changed its name to Coria Laboratories Inc. Stephen Clark, who took over as Healthpoint's president last year, believes that the name more clearly expresses the...

Perez is VP of marketing at Markwins.(Supplier News)(appointment of Tina Perez )(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. -- Markwins Beauty Products International (MBPI) has appointed director of marketing Tina Perez to the post of vice president of marketing at its Markwins Beauty Products Inc. division. In her new position Perez...

AmerisourceBergen net falls 35%.(Business)
March 14, 2005... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- Earnings from continuing operations took a nosedive during fiscal 2005's first quarter at AmerisourceBergen Corp., but results still exceeded both the company's expectations and Wall Street's. During the three months...

Drugstore.com can't break into the black.(Business)(company sales)
March 14, 2005... BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Despite surging sales, black ink continues to prove elusive for drugstore.com, as the Internet retailer saw losses widen from prior-year levels during the quarter and year ended January 2. In the 14-week fourth quarter...

SEC views prompt CVS to revise earnings downward.(Business)(CVS Corp.)(Securities and Exchange Commission)
March 14, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS Corp. is revising its fourth quarter earnings downward by $40.5 million to reflect the cumulative impact of a change in accounting practices relating to leased properties. The adjustment reduces the drug chain's...

New vistas, new ideas, new products to sell.(My Turn)(cosmetics marketing)
March 14, 2005... Charlie Bowlus brought a group of retailers and suppliers to Cannes, on the French Riviera, late last month. The occasion was ECRM's second global beauty care marketing meeting. It did indeed live up to that title. Representatives from...

Drug chains should target natural constituents.(My Turn)
March 14, 2005... The "age wave" foreseen by gerontologist Ken Dychtwald has already had a significant effect on the marketplace, particularly in the health care sector, yet its full impact won't be evident for years. As the forces inherent in the graying of...

SinuCleanse looks to expand category.(Cough/Cold News)(nasal wash system)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Med-Systems Inc. is embarking on an aggressive marketing campaign to get its SinuCleanse nasal wash system into more drug chains. Available at specialty stores and holistic health centers since 1997, the nasal wash system made its mass...

Adams adds Humibid to lineup.(Cough/Cold News)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Adams Respiratory Therapeutics has acquired the Humibid name from Cornerstone BioPharma. In exchange, Cornerstone gets Adams AlleRx family of prescription medicines. Currently Humibid, which was once a prescription product, is...

Matrixx launches new brand.(Cough/Cold News)(Matrixx Initiatives Inc.)
March 14, 2005... Matrixx Initiatives Inc. has added a new brand to its lineup of O-T-C cold remedies. Nasal Comfort is designed to improve the critical functions of the nasal cavity and help a person's respiratory process. It is a preservative-free, sterile,...

Studies point to Coldcare's effectiveness.(Cough/Cold News)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... A pair of recent studies on Nature's Way Products Inc.'s Umka Coldcare suggest that the formula's active ingredient helps reduce the duration and severity of both the common cold and nonchronic bronchitis. Double-blind studies on 93 cold...

Novartis debuts cold strips.(Cough/Cold News)(Novartis AG)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Health Consumer Health Inc. has introduced Triaminic Thin Strips and Neo Citran Thin Strips in Canada. Launched less than a month after they debuted in the United States, the strips are designed to make it easier for people to take the...

Slow to start, flu season kicks in.(Cough/Cold)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Although the cough/cold season got off to a late start this year in most regions nationwide, sales have begun to accelerate, according to a number of chain drug retailers. "A year ago we had a particularly early flu season, and...

Sudafed PE alternative to pseudoephedrine.(Cough/Cold)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. -- The growing concern about pseudoephedrine-based cold remedies being turned into illegal methamphetamines has led Pfizer Consumer Healthcare to bring its pseudoephedrine-free decongestant Sudafed PE to the United States...

Children are special kind of consumer.(Cough/Cold)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Children are particularly susceptible to coughs and colds, and both retailers and suppliers are strengthening their efforts to sell to this key demographic. It is estimated that there are 1 billion colds in the United States...

SinuCleanse[R]: the first word in sinus relief[R].(Q&A)(Advertisement)
March 14, 2005... Q: What is SinuCleanse? A: SinuCleanse is an over-the-counter sinus remedy that brings instant drug-free relief from painful sinus symptoms. More than 70 million Americans suffer from such symptoms caused by sinus infections, allergies and...

As meth abuse spreads, states, feds look to control problem.(Cough/Cold)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- In an effort to combat what law enforcement officials see as the growing scourge of methamphetamine abuse sweeping across America, at least 20 states and the federal government are considering enacting laws restricting the sale of...

Allergies hit hardest in-Tennessee.(Cough/Cold)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- For people suffering from allergic asthma, spring is often one of the worst periods of the year. Trees begin to bloom, flowers start to blossom and the pollen count in many areas of the country goes off the charts. Some...

Natural remedies another vehicle.(Cough/Cold)(herbal medicine)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- As more consumers turn to natural remedies for a variety of conditions, products formulated solely with herbs and vitamins are gaining in popularity with cold sufferers. Vitamin C and such herbs as echinacea, garlic, ginger and...

It's the dose that counts when using cough syrup.(Cough/Coldbal medicine)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- With all of the attention being given to cold remedies made with pseudoephedrine and the growing use of the ingredient in manufacturing methamphetamines, another potentially dangerous drug being sold in drug chains --cough...

Questions about COX-2 inhibitors create a void to fill.(Internal Analgesics)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Some disquieting news about the effects of certain prescription pain medications may present a golden opportunity for over-the-counter pain products to garner a stronger share of the pain-relief market. Merck & Co.'s Vioxx and...

For children, MDs give nod to acetaminophen.(Internal Analgesics)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Sales of children's analgesics are expected to undergo double-digit growth in the next few years, driven by the long-standing popularity of acetaminophen and recent positive publicity for ibuprofen. Children's acetaminophen,...

National brands, PL get strong push at retail.(Internal Analgesics)(Private label)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Pain relief is big business for the drug class of trade, and chain drug retailers are stepping up their efforts regarding store brands to maximize their profits in the lucrative category. Over-the-counter internal analgesics...

'An experiential activity for teens'.(The Way it is at Retail)
March 14, 2005... What no one disputes is the potential bounty teenage consumers represent to retailers. Teen buying power amounted to about $169 billion last year, according to Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU). Perhaps more important, teens represent the...

Wanted: Quality & value.(The Way it is at Retail)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... It is often taken as an article of faith that teenagers prefer specialty stores over chain stores as their favored venue for shopping. However, a just-completed survey on beauty-purchasing habits that Teen Vogue conducted among members of its...

Grooming a new way to be hip.(The Way it is at Retail)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Grooming is now viewed as "a cool thing" by teens, according to market researcher NPD Group, and that is true among teenage boys as well as girls. Packaged Facts Inc., a division of MarketResearch.com, recently published a study projecting...

Understated marketing.(Destination: chain drug stores)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Teens are interested in finding places other than home and school or work where they can hang out and socialize with friends. Dubbed "third places" in current marketing speak, these locations project a welcoming atmosphere to teens along with...

Building a lifelong bond.(Destination: chain drug stores)
March 14, 2005... Chain drug retailers seem intent on restaking a claim in the forefront of beauty care retailing, based on the latest developments in store design and layout by such leading chains as Rite Aid Corp., CVS Corp. and Longs Drug Stores. For those...

Teens aren't really tweens.(Destination: chain drug stores)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... "Teens are more savvy and sophisticated than many marketers give them credit for," says Irma Zandl, founder of trend research firm the Zandl Group. "Many so-called teen lines actually appeal more to tweens." In beauty care and fashion...

It's all about individuality.(Cosmetics)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Perhaps no brand has been more closely identified with teen cosmetics over the years than Bonne Bell. As times--and teens--have changed, so has Bonne Bell, says Brenda Lilly, senior marketing manager at the company. "A big change has been...

'Fresh, fun & different'.(Cosmetics)
March 14, 2005... The teenage years are all about finding one's identity and learning how to express it, sociologists say. For teenage girls one of the most important outlets in that endeavor is experimenting with cosmetics. "If it's new they are going to...

Things change.(Cosmetics)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... One teen cosmetics line that has been turning heads of late is Caboodles. Its Yum Yum lip gloss was voted "Grooviest Glitter Gloss" in Seventeen magazine, and Teen People awarded Caboodles its "best packaging" title. "Our brand promise is...

Experimentation is the norm.(Nail Care)
March 14, 2005... Teenage girls take a very experimental approach when it comes to cosmetics, and with its generally low price points and huge assortment of products, styles and shades the nail care segment figures prominently in teen beauty care. "Teens...

Products fit lifestyle.(Nail Care)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... With school, part-time jobs, family and, of course, their social lives, teenagers have a hectic lifestyle--a fact acknowledged by Teen People magazine in a feature reviewing quick-drying nail lacquers in its February issue. Winning top...

Pampering gets sophisticated.(Nail Care)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... The teen nail care segment may be driven by color, but teens are interested in other aspects as well. Their tastes often reflect broader trends seen in the overall beauty care market, such as the growing popularity of spa-type products. ...

'More teenagers mean more sales'.(Skin Care)
March 14, 2005... Teens are avid consumers of all kinds of skin care products, ranging from facial cleansers and moisturizers to hand and body lotion, and even high-end spa-type products. Their involvement with a broader range of skin care products reflects...

Targeted promos make the connection.(Skin Care)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... In surveys teens express a dislike for marketing tactics that appear to target them overtly, but certain types of promotions can be very effective in reaching this group. "They do like incentives, especially things like gift-with-purchase and...

'A loyal following'.(Skin Care products)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Teenagers are looking for value and efficacy when they spend their own money on skin care products, and that is just what Waltman Pharmaceuticals is offering them with its new Zapzyt Ache Pack. "We have built a loyal following among...

The right retail equation is still elusive.(Advertisement)
March 14, 2005... Anyone wondering how teens feel about bath and body products (or "specialty bath and body," as category powerhouse Coty Inc. suggests that mass market retailers now identify the segment) need look no further than the nearest mall. ...

Niche lines a smart move.(bath and shower products)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
March 14, 2005... The bath and shower products market is a $20 billion global business, with North America accounting for more than a quarter of total sales, according to Euromonitor International, but finding ways to grow it has become a challenge. ...

Teens need to relax too.(Bath & Body)(Personal care products)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... Personal cleansing is a mature category, with a household penetration level of more than 90%, according to data from ACNielsen HomeScan. However, penetration rates are much lower for certain products within the category, which may present...

Chains pitch in during American heart month.(Personal Care Appliances)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Two leading suppliers of personal care appliances to the chain drug trade class have recognized American Heart Month this winter by disseminating tips for maintaining cardiovascular health. Samsung Healthcare announced a...

Americans need to have better info.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... BANNOCKBURN, Ill. -- Americans are uninformed about the relationship between weight and health, according to a recent survey conducted by personal care appliance supplier Omron Healthcare. Asked if they were more concerned with body fat or...

New power in the category emerges.(American Household Inc.)(Jarden Corp.)
March 14, 2005... RYE, N.Y. -- Jarden Corp. this winter completed an $846 million acquisition of Sunbeam Products Inc. parent American Household Inc., establishing a new power in the personal care appliance market. The deal gave Jarden the No. 1 or 2 share...

Personal care appliances go great in circulars.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- The importance of personal care appliances to chain drug retailers can be discerned from the products' prominence in recent circulars. Rite Aid Corp.'s "President's Sale" flyer featured an Omron Healthcare blood pressure...

It's taken a long while, but homeopathy has finally arrived.(Homeopathy)
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- For most of the last 200 years health care professionals have been debating whether homeopathy offers a valid medical alternative or something akin to voodoo. Despite the passionate arguments made for and against homeopathic...

Cough/cold medications hold premier place.
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Few segments of the homeopathy market are better suited to chain drug stores than cold products. While other homeopathic items--remedies for flu symptoms, ear pain and teething pain in children, for instance--have done well in...

Research results may change the way doctors perceive category.
March 14, 2005... NEW YORK -- Recently completed research that establishes the validity of homeopathy is being hailed as a breakthrough by proponents of the 250-year-old science. The study, published in the obscure but respected journal Inflammation...

CVS makes pharmacy care 'easy' for customers.(CVS: the community pharmacy)
March 14, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- If pharmacy is synonymous with chain drug retailing, then CVS Corp. is synonymous with pharmacy. The company has more stores dispensing more prescriptions than any other retailer. Its estimated annualized prescription...

Eckerd store conversions are a tour de force.(CVS: The community pharmacy)
March 14, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- The deal that put CVS over the top in the pharmacy business was its acquisition last year of 1,260 Eckerd stores. The $2.15 billion deal, which also included the Eckerd Health Services (EHS) mail-order and pharmacy...

CVS stakes claim in the Sun Belt.(CVS: The community pharmacy)
March 14, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Of all the elements of CVS' blockbuster acquisition last year, three of the most important were: location, location, location. Nearly 90% of the stores picked up by the retailer are in the Sun Belt states of Florida,...

Eckerd breakup makes Brooks major Rx player.
March 14, 2005... WARWICK, R.I. -- While CVS is the country's leading dispenser of prescriptions, it faces intense competition in many markets. And the same deal that catapulted CVS to the top of the pharmacy industry dramatically heightened the...

The battle for the top spot is really a two-horse race.
March 14, 2005... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Among CVS' rivals for the nation's pharmacy business, one stands out. Walgreen Co. is going head-to-head with CVS across a broad and varied range of American markets. So pitched is the battle, in fact, that other...

New technology brings efficiency.(CVS: the community pharmacy)
March 14, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Technology is a key component to the pharmacy operations at CVS. For example, the retailer is eagerly awaiting completion of a distribution center in Vero Beach, Fla., that will use state-of-the-art technology to handle...

Ryan offers new ideas on import.(Tom Ryan )(drug importation)
March 14, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS chairman, president and chief executive officer Tom Ryan stood apart from the crowd last May when he expressed the view that the chain drug industry, other health care providers and the government should reexamine their...

Service reach touches all customers' needs.( )(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS' Pharmacy Service Initiative began only as a vision; today the strategy, which the retailer refers to as PSI, stands as a blueprint for success and as a demonstration of the company's commitment, not only to its pharmacy...

CVS a relentless advocate for retail pharmacy.( )
March 14, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Whether it is before boards of pharmacy, at industry events or in front of state and federal legislatures, CVS is dedicated to advancing its needs and concerns--as well as those of retail pharmacy in general. One area...

PharmaCare gives CVS added dimension.
March 14, 2005... LINCOLN, R.I. -- Increased use of generic drugs, improved medication compliance and preferred brands are typical offerings of today's community pharmacies, including the stores operated by CVS. But unlike most other pharmacy chains, CVS also...

Specialty pharmacy has prominent place.
March 14, 2005... LINCOLN, R.I. -- CVS' PharmaCare subsidiary covers a lot of ground. Among its operations are such functions as network pharmacy claims processing, mail-order prescription services, specialty pharmaceuticals, benefits design consultation and...

New clients continue to fill the roster.(Buyers Health Care Action Group)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... LINCOLN, R.I. -- CVS' PharmaCare subsidiary continues on a growth course. Earlier this year Buyers Health Care Action Group (BHCAG) became one of the pharmacy benefits management company's clients. BHCAG is a coalition of over 30 employers,...

Seniors realize maximum benefits.
March 14, 2005... LINCOLN, R.I. -- Millions of senior citizens are waiting anxiously for the Medicare prescription drug program slated to begin January 1, 2006. As that date approaches they continue to use various Medicare drug discount cards, which have...

EHS receives top ranking in customer service poll.(Eckerd Health Services)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... LINCOLN, R.I. -- PharmaCare's ability to deliver superior service and performance is recognized throughout the industry. The CVS subsidiary's Eckerd Health Services (EHS) unit--gained through last year's acquisition of Eckerd Corp....

New banner unites PBM's Rx offerings.(pharmacy benefits management)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... LINCOLN, R.I. -- The Eckerd Corp. stores that were purchased in 2004 by CVS were not the only businesses now sporting a new banner. Last summer PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy became the new name of the specialty pharmacy unit of PharmaCare....

An authoritative health care resource.(Canadian Optimal Medication Prescribing and Utilization Service)
March 14, 2005... MARKHAM, Ontario -- Speaking at the recent Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores annual conference here, Barbara Wells, newly appointed first director of the Canadian Optimal Medication Prescribing and Utilization Service (COMPUS),...

Drug chains 'darlings of market'.
March 14, 2005... MARKHAM, Ontario -- Perry Caicco, executive director of Institutional Equity Research at CIBC World Markets, provided attendees at the recent Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores annual conference with an investor's perspective on drug...

After brief absence, Osco banner to return to New England.(Brief Article)
March 14, 2005... EAST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Osco Drug banner, which disappeared from New England three years ago, is reappearing. The 92 pharmacies in units of Shaw's Supermarkets Inc., which is now owned by Albertsons Inc., are being rebannered in an...

Boots has a 'premium edge' in PL.(Private Label Update of Boots Company PLC)
March 28, 2005... NOTTINGHAM, England -- Chain drug retailers looking to raise the level of their private label offering would do well to look east--way east. Across the Atlantic Ocean, Boots Co. PLC, the No. 1 drug chain in the United Kingdom, has taken...

CVS revises profit outlook upward.(Brief Article)
March 28, 2005... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- After reporting earlier this month that its February sales were better than expected CVS Corp. has raised its earnings-per-share guidance. The company says that it will now pay a dividend of between 66 cents and 69...

Duane Reade hones its loyalty program.(Brief Article)
March 28, 2005... NEW YORK -- Duane Reade Inc. has restaged its Dollar Rewards frequent-shopper program to be more compelling for consumers and boost the drug chain's top and bottom lines. In addition to providing special item discounts that Duane Reade has...

DrugMax improves ability to process specialty Rxs.
March 28, 2005... FARMINGTON, Conn. -- DrugMax Inc. has reported major gains in its specialty drug distribution strategy, driven by its integration of Familymeds Inc. The company has made significant inroads toward its goal of building an integrated...