Drug Store News articles from March 2002

Drug Store News archives from March 2002

Sony. (News Bites).(to design exclusive product line for Target)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... MINNEAPOLIS -- Sony is designing a product line exclusively for Target Stores and target.com that will debut this spring. The nine products, named Sony Liv, are all priced under $150. The line will include CD players, alarm clocks and radios.

Wyeth Consumer Healthcare. (News Bites).(joins Worldwide Retail Exchange)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, a manufacturer of consumer health products, has joined The WorldWide Retail Exchange. Wyeth Consumer Healthcare plans to use WWRE's item management solution and WWRE's collaborative Planner...

L'Oreal's Maybelline/Garnier division. (News Bites).(makes executive changes)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... NEW YORK -- L'Oreal has promoted John Wendt, former president of L'Oreal's Maybelline/Garnier division, to executive vice president of corporate and public affairs. Also, Joseph Campinell, former president of the L'Oreal Consumer Products...

Landmark Medical Center. (News Bites).(receives donation from CVS Charitable Trust)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS Charitable Trust has donated $500,000 to Landmark Medical Center to support its Cardiac Care Program, which provides cardiac care to patients. The donation also will support Landmarks soon-to-be-established Cancer Care...

Longs Drug Stores. (News Bites).(will implement Retek 10 retail solution)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Longs Drug Stores will implement the retail solution Retek 10, by Retek to improve supply chain processes and front-end merchandising performance. Longs will implement the system over time.

Walgreens sees strong 2Q, store openings on track.(second quarter financial results)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 27, 2002... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens on Monday reported a 10 percent increase in second quarter earnings and is ahead of schedule to hit its goal of 6,000 stores by 2010. Earnings for the period ended Feb. 28 were in line with analysts'...

Industry hails revisions to patient privacy regulations.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores supports changes)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is hailing a series of last-minute revisions to the federal governments patient privacy regulations, saying those changes will ease the burden on retail pharmacies scrambling to...

Kmart targets ethnic shoppers; judge OKs store closures.(targets African-American, Hispanic shoppers)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... TROY, Mich. -- As part of its corporate branding campaign launched last month, Kmart announced on Monday a two-part nationwide campaign that targets African-American and Hispanic shoppers, two groups that account for 32 percent of Kmart's...

McKesson, BJ's Wholesale ink distribution agreement.(pharmaceutical distribution)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- McKesson has signed a pharmaceutical distribution agreement with BJ's Wholesale Club, the country's third-largest wholesale membership club, making McKesson the primary wholesaler of pharmaceuticals for BJ's pharmacies over...

Fred's to build $25M distribution center in Ga.(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Fred's, which operates nearly 400 stores and more than 200 pharmacies, plans to construct a new distribution center in Dublin, Ga. The 600,000-square-foot facility will augment Fred's Memphis center. Because of its...

Katz shuffles exec team.(Katz Group makes executive changes)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... EDMONTON -- The Katz Group has shuffled the assignments of some key executives as part of its move to consolidate marketing, technology, finance and retail development. As of April 1, Norm Puhl, who became president of Pharma Plus after...

Distributor Kinray to buy inventory of Remo Drug.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 27, 2002... WHITESTONE, N.Y. -- Pharmaceutical distributor Kinray will buy the inventory of Remo Drug and has begun shipping to 250 or so independent customers formerly supplied by Remo. Remo, a $700 million distributor based in Brooklyn, N.Y., is...

Albertson's, Covering Kids to help uninsured children.(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... BOISE, Idaho -- Food and drug retailer Albertson's and Covering Kids have teamed up to connect uninsured children with low-cost and free health care coverage. Albertson's will inform families about the availability of affordable health...

RxHub creates, publishes e-prescribing standards.(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... ST. PAUL, Minn. -- RxHub, a health care services company that is building a framework to enable standardized communication throughout the prescription writing and delivery process, has created and published a set of industry-wide...

Generic drug maker Barr Labs. (Financials).(to acquire Enhance Pharmaceuticals)(Brief Article)
March 27, 2002... POMONA, N.Y. -- Generic drug maker Barr Labs has agreed to buy Enhance Pharmaceuticals for $44 million, which will expand its offering of health products for women. According to Barr, the Enhance purchase will shave earnings per share for...

Snapple Beverage Group. (Financials).(buying Nantucket Allserve from Ocean Spray Cranberries)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 27, 2002... LONDON -- Cadbury Schweppes, through its Snapple Beverage Group subsidiary, is buying Nantucket Allserve from Ocean Spray Cranberries and its minority shareholders for an undisclosed sum. Nantucket had sales of $59 million in 2001.

Shares of ViroPharma. (Financials).(falter nearly 59% over Picovir news)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 27, 2002... NEW YORK -- Shares of ViroPharma fell nearly 59 percent March 20 to close at $5.50 one day after a U.S. regulatory panel failed to approve Picovir, its experimental drug for the common cold. The panel was concerned that Picovir could reduce...

Bristol-Myers Squibb. (Financials).(share price falls more than 15% over Vanlev news)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 27, 2002... ATLANTA -- Shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb fell more than 15 percent March 20 to close at $41.08 after it was disclosed that Vanlev, a proposed new treatment for heart failure, appeared to be little more effective than existing, lower-priced...

Eckerd's parent company. (Financials).(J.C. Penney Co. predicts 10% sales increase)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 27, 2002... PLANO, Texas -- Eckerd's parent company, J.C. Penney Co., stated that for March it expects a sales increase of about 10 percent, and strong front-end sales.

GlaxoSmithKline. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... LAKELAND, Fla. -- Publix pharmacies in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama are now accepting prescription drug benefit cards offered to low-income seniors. Pharmaceutical manufacturers now offering prescription drug discount cards...

Hank Mullany. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Hank Mullany, president of Genuardi's since its merger with Safeway in May of 2001, is resigning. Maria Fidelibus, Genuardi's vice president of retail operations, will become vice president and general manager.

Wal-Mart pharmacies. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... BENTONVILLE, Ark -- WalMart and MA have completed negotiations on a national contract to save AAA members money when they buy prescriptions at Wal-Mart pharmacies. Those AAA members who do not have pharmacy coverage can receive a discount on...

Eckerd. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Eckerd stated yesterday that is will accept Eli Lilly's new prescription benefit card, LillyAnswers. Under the program, eligible seniors will pay a flat $12 fee for Eli Lilly products at Eckerd drug stores. The program...

CVS.com. (Newsbites).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS.com has launched a new online baby department with products and information for mothers and babies. The new category features products, online specials, promotions and baby gifts.

Albertson's 'trims fat' to focus on core markets.
March 20, 2002... NEW YORK -- Albertson's senior executive team met here yesterday at the Pierre Hotel to brief analysts on the progress it has made over the past year in reinventing the chain as a leaner and more efficient competitor. Albertson's annual...

Rx discount card among topics at APhA conference.
March 20, 2002... PHILADELPHIA -- Resisting the newest Medicare-endorsed prescription drug discount card plan and supporting payment for pharmacist care are among the efforts planned by the American Pharmaceutical Association this year, APhA president Thomas...

Kmart's pharmacists offered incentive bonuses to stay.
March 20, 2002... TROY, Mich. -- New Kmart chairman and chief executive officer Jim Adamson confirmed last week that the company's 3,300 pharmacists will be among the nearly 10,000 key employees offered incentive bonuses to stay with the chain as it works its...

Supervalu to close one Pa. distribution center, cut jobs.(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... MINNEAPOLIS -- Supervalu is planning to shutter one of two distribution centers in southwestern Pennsylvania by late summer a move that will impact 300 jobs, according to a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In an effort to cut costs...

NACDS, chain pharmacies to educate on colon cancer.(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- For the third year, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and more than 20,000 chain pharmacies are participating in a nationwide campaign to educate consumers about The risks of colon cancer. The "Be A Star"...

Merck pulls Arcoxia NDA to refile for expanded use.(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. -- Merck & Co. reported Friday that it withdrew its original new drug application for its arthritis drug Arcoxia, but plans to submit a new application seeking expanded use for the medication. Merck is submitting...

Longs Drug Stores outlines five-point strategy.(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... NEW YORK -- The management team at Longs Drug Stores has laid out a strategy to help it regain some lost sales momentum and better position it against the increasing wave of competition. Among the key initiatives is a renewed emphasis on...

ShopKo posts profit for 4Q, but expects loss.(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... GREEN BAY, Wis. -- For the fourth quarter ShopKo Stores, which operates discount and specialty outlets, posted a profit, but anticipates a loss in the first quarter ending April 4. For the quarter consolidated earnings totaled $34.9...

Colgate-Palmolive. (Financials).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... NEW YORK--In a company statement yesterday Colgate-Palmolive again confirmed analysts' estimates for the first quarter and full-year 2002. Analysts' consensus estimate for the first quarter is 44 cents per share and $2.18 per share for the...

Cardinal Health. (Financials).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... DUBLIN Ohio -- Cardinal Health is planning to buy Magellan laboratories, a full-service contract pharmaceutical development organization. Financial terms oft e were not disclosed. The transaction, structured as an acquisition of stock, is...

Alcon. (Financials).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... ZURICH, Switzerland -- Nestle will be offering a minority stake in Alcon, its wholly owned eye care business, on the New York Stock Exchange tomorrow, which could generate as much as $2.4 billion for Nestle. Alcon will be traded under he...

Wal-Mart Stores. (Financials).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... BENTONVILLE, Ark.--Wal-Mart Stores has agreed to purchase 6.1 percent of Japanese retail chain Seryu for $46 million. Sumitomo Corp. Seiyu's largest shareholder, will pay about $38 million for 5.1 percent of Seiyu's stock.

United Research Laboratories/Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. (Financials).(Brief Article)
March 20, 2002... PHILADELPHIA -- United Research Laboratories/Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. posted sales for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31 of $175 million, an increase of percent

Joe Monteleone to the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. (Newsbites).(Unilever vice president dies)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
March 13, 2002... NEW YORK -- Unilever vice president of customer and channel development Joe Monteleone died Feb. 28 at the age of 50. A 20-year Unilever veteran, Monteleone is survived by his wife Pauline, and sons, Jason and Michael. In lieu of flowers the...

Glaxo SmithKline. (Newsbites).(Richard Sykes to resign)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2002... LONDON -- GlaxoSmithKline chairman Richard Sykes is resigning in May. Succeeding him is Christopher Hogg, a non-executive director of GlaxoSmithKline Sykes became deputy chairman and chief executive officer of Glaxo in 1993, led its takeover...

Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Consumer Healthcare and American Home Products. (Newsbites).(Schering-Plough looks to sell Claritin over the counter)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2002... KENILWORTH N.J. - Schering-Plough filed an application with the FDA seeking to sell its prescription allergy medication Caritin as an OTC drug. The move came just weeks after Schering sued both Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Consumer Healthcare...

Eli Lilly's new prescription benefit card. (Newsbites).(Rite Aid to accept card)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2002... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid last we announced that it will accept Eli Lilly's new prescription benefit card, dubbed Lilly Answers, beginning April 1. The chain also accepts GlaxoSmithKline's Orange Card, the Pfizer Share Card and the Novartis...

NACDS introduces common Rx benefit program.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2002... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Chain pharmacy leaders are praising new efforts by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores to create a common drug benefit program for low-income seniors through an alliance with pharmaceutical manufacturers. ...

Kmart's Conaway resigns, Adamson assumes post.(Kmart appointments)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2002... TROY, Mich. -- Less than one full business day after Kmart announced the closing of 284 of its 2,114 stores, the other shoe dropped--chief executive officer Chuck Conaway announced he will leave the company after less than two years on the...

Retailers post solid February same-store sales gains.(chain drug stores)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 13, 2002... NEW YORK -- Several drug chain retailers posted solid same-store sales growth in February, driven by strong pharmacy sales. Rite Aid stated that same-store sales for the five-week period end March 2 rose 9.2 percent, while pharmacy...

Retailers, others gather for NACDS distribution event.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Distribution and Logistics Conference)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2002... SAN DIEGO -- Retailers, suppliers and manufacturers gathered here earlier this week for the Distribution and Logistics Conference, hosted by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. Originally slated to welcome the more than 330...

Natural Health West Expo attracts 30,000 attendees.
March 13, 2002... ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Natural health connoisseurs got a closer look at new offerings in supplements and natural beauty products h ere this weekend, as the Natural Health West Expo entertained 30,000 attendees. The event featured more than...

Bed Bath & Beyond acquires Harmon Stores.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2002... CEDAR GROVE, N.J. -- Specialty retailer Bed Bath & Beyond has purchased Harmon Stores, a 27-unit chain of health and beauty stores based here. Details of the all-cash transaction were not disclosed. The stores, which do not have...

Rx sales reach $207.9B in 2001.(prescription drug sales)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 13, 2002... NEW YORK -- Prescription drug sales topped $207.9 billion in 2001, according to a NDC Health study, up 17.9 percent from 2000. Retail drug sales were $129.6 billion of the 2001 total. Chain stores grabbed $80 billion of the retail sales...

Hurt by severance costs, merger related charges and lower sales. (Financials).(Kroger sales and shares)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 13, 2002... CINCINNATI -- Hurt by severance costs, merger-related charges and lower sales, Kroger yesterday stated that fourth quarter net income fell 4.5 percent to $350.4 million, or 43 cents a share. Sales fell 4,4 percent to $12.1 billion. For the...

Costco. (Financials).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 13, 2002... NEW YORK--In a report issued Friday, Merrill Lynch analyst Dan Barry said Costco's recent 7 percent same-store sales gain in the second quarter is indicative of the warehouse club's "strength through the economic downturn." He upgraded...

Sepracor. (Financials).(shares drop)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 13, 2002... BOSTON -- Shares of pharmaceutical company Sepracor dropped Thursday by more than 58 percent to $19.64 after the Food and Drug Administration issued a "not approvable" letter on Sepracor's allergy drug Soltara. Shares of Sepracor closed...

Stop & Shop and Giant-Landover. (Financials).(retail sales)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 13, 2002... THE NETHERLANDS -- Ahold stated that retail sales in the United States rose 10.8 percent to $23.2 billion in 2001. Sales were higher for all retail operations, especially at Stop & Shop and Giant-Landover. Same-store U.S. retail sales rose...

February sales performances.(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
March 13, 2002... February sales performances Total Same-store monthly % increase Same-store Pharmacy $ sales over sales sales Company in...

Shoppers Drug Mart. (Newsbites).(names executive vice president and chief financial officer)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... TORONTO -- Shoppers Drug Mart has appointed George Halatsis executive vice president and chief financial officer. Prior to joining Shoppers, Halatis served as executive vice president and chief financial officer at Inco. Before that, Halatis...

Medicap Pharmacies. (Newsbites).(selects preferred national vendor of compounding materials)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... DES MOINES, Iowa -- Medicap Pharmacies has named the Letco Cos. As its preferred national vendor of compounding materials of its pharmacies nationwide.

Pfizer Share Card. (Newsbites).(drug stores accept manufacturers discount card)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid now accepts the Pfizer Share Card, which rolled out March 1, and the Novartis Care discount card. Rite Aid has accepted the GlaxoSmithKline Orange Card since Jan. 1. Several other retailers, such as CVS, Wal-Mart...

Former Smith's Food & Drug. (Newsbites).(Ray Woolston joins LifeSmart Nutrition Technologies)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... SALT LAKE CITY -- Former Smith's Food & Drug executive Ray Woolston has joined LifeSmart Nutrition Technologies as chief financial officer. Prior to joining LifeSmart, Woolston spent about 14 years at Smith's Food & Drug, where he held...

AmerisourceBergen. (Newsbites).(promotes Michael DiCandilo)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- AmerisourceBergen has named Michael DiCandilo, former vice president and corporate controller, senior vice president and chief financial officer. He replaces Nel Dimick, who is leaving at the end of April. DiCandilo will...

Long's Roath steps down; Somerset named interim chief.(Steve Roath, Harold Somerset of Longs Drug Stores)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 6, 2002... WALNUT CREEK. Calif. -- In a surprising move, Longs Drug Stores president and chief executive officer Steve Roath resigned last week and was replaced on an interim basis with a member of Longs' board of directors. In a prepared statement...

Eli Lilly introduces discount Rx benefit for seniors.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Joined by U.S. Health and Human Services secretary Tommy Thompson, a bi-partisan group of lawmakers and national health care advocates, Fli Lilly yesterday introduced a discount drug card that enables Medicare recipients to...

CVS, Walgreens post strong February front-end sales.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 6, 2002... NEW YORK -- CVS and Walgreens this week reported healthy February sales, including same-store front-end sales increases of at lest 5 percent. Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS announced yesterday that sales for the four-week period ended Feb 23...

CMS' revised Rx drug card sparks industry concerns.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a new proposal for a prescription drug discount card for Medicare recipients last week, prompting a quick response from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. ...

Stop & Shop, Pathmark look to buy Big V stores.(as part of bankruptcy reorganization plan)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... QUINCY, Mass. -- Stop & Shop Supermarket, hoping to buy 26 Big V supermarkets for about 255 million, has filed a joint liquidating reorganization plan with the bankruptcy court overseeing Big V's reorganization proceedings. Big V also is...

Hathi Group acquires SF Soap from J.B. Williams.(San Francisco Soap, Simply Be Well)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... OAKBROOK, Ill. -- The Hathi Group, an investment company based here that's been adding to its beauty holdings, has acquired San Francisco Soap and Simply Be Well from The J.B. Williams Co. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. San...

Albertson's to exit southwest Missouri area.(sells stores to Roswil Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... BOISE, Idaho -- Less, than two months after exiting New England with the sale of 80 Osco Drug units to Brooks Pharmacy, Albertson's s announced yesterday that it is exiting southwest Missouri, a non-core market for the retailer. ...

Kmart seeks court's OK to keep brand partners.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... TROY, Mich. -- Kmart is seeking bankruptcy court approval to continue its business relationships with several key brand partners. including Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. The motions are scheduled to be heard March 29. Kmart also is...

Winn-Dixie to offer loyalty card in Florida, Georgia.(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Joining the ranks of many retailers that are looking to attract loyal consumers through loyalty card programs, Winn-Dixie on Thursday will launch its new Customer Reward Card in Florida and southeast Georgia. The...

Publix reported. (Financials).(sales, earnings)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 6, 2002... LAKELAND, Fla. - Publix reported sales for the ended Dec. 29 increased 4.9 percent to $15.3 billion. Same-store sales rose 3.2 percent. Net earnings at the chain, an employee-owned company, totaled $530.4 million, the same as in the prior...

Costco Wholesale Corp. (Financials).(sales for second quarter)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 6, 2002... ISSAQUAH, Wash. -- Costco Wholesale Corp. yesterday reported that sales for the second quarter ended Feb. 17 rose 13 percent to $9.21 billion. Net income rose 9 percent to $192.6 million, or 41 cents per diluted share. The earnings were in...

Andrx Corp. (Financials).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 6, 2002... FORT LAUDERDALE, ALE, Fla. -- Shares of generic drug manufacturer Andrx Corp. surged $6.95, or 21 percent, to $40.40 on Friday after a federal judge threw out a lawsuit that alleged its planned versions of two GlaxoSmithKline's drugs,...

Merrill Lynch. (Financials).(forecasts strong recovery for CVS)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2002... NEW YORK - CVS' "strong comps in February provide evidence that its strategy is working," said Merrill Lynch first vice president Mark Husson in a March 5 comment on CVS' February sales results. 'While gross margins will likely continue to be...