Drug Store News articles from November 2001

Drug Store News archives from November 2001

Queen Anne's County. (Newsbites).(Happy Harry's opens 58th store)(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... NEWARK, Del. (Newsbites) -- Happy Harry's has opened its 58th store in Centreville, Md. The 12,000-square-foot unit is the fourth Maryland location for Happy Harry's, but its first in Queen Anne's County. The unit offers a drive-through...

Payless ShoeSource. (Newsbites).(inks deal with Walgreens)(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... DEERFIELD, Ill. (Newsbites) - Walgreens has inked a one-year deal with Payless ShoeSource, enabling the drug chain to offer Payless gift cards in $10 and $20 denominations. Payless stated this is the first time its gift cards have been...

NFL Alumni. (Newsbites).(NFL Alumni Helping Hands Award goes to Carl Jablonski)(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... MALVERN, Pa. (Newsbites) -- Carl Jablonski, president of Acme Supermarkets, is a recipient of the 2001 NFL Alumni Helping Hands Award Each year the Philadelphia Chapter of the NFL Alumni and the Philadelphia Eagles recognize four people for...

Longs Drug Stores. (Newsbites).(vice president Les Anderson dies)(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (Newsbites) -- Les Anderson, vice president of administration for Longs Drug Stores, died Friday due to complications related to leukemia. He had been with Longs for 29 years, 22 as a vice president. He had been battling...

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence. (Newsbites).(survey figures)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)(Polling Data)
November 28, 2001... NEW YORK. (Newsbites) -- The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index, which has dropped significantly over the past few months, dropped again to 82.2 in November, the Board reported yesterday. Last month, the index was 85.3. The survey...

Kmart's Conaway says cutting ads was 'a mistake'.(chief executive Chuck Conaway)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 28, 2001... TROY, Mich. -- Hurt in part by a siginificat reduction in advertising, Kmart reported yesterday a wider third quarter loss. For the 13-week period ended Oct. 31, the discount retailer posted a net loss of $224 million, or 45 cents per...

Phar-Mor launches new ads; gets court OK for bonus plan.(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Phar - Mor, which hopes to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings by the end March or early April, has launched a new advertising program focused on price/value. John Ficarro, senior vice president and chief...

Snyder's opening stores in Minneqpolis, Columbus.(Snyder's Drug Stores )(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... MINNETONKA, Minn. -- Reversing a long era of contraction in its recently acquired red Drug Emporium division, Snyder's Drug Stores announced the upcoming grand opening of a new Drug Emporium store and plans to open four new Snyder's stores in...

Ahold reports executive promotions at U.S. division.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 28, 2001... THE NETHERLANDS -- Dutch retailer Ahold announced yesterday that it has named Jon Wilken, president and chief executive officer of Bi-Lo, to the newly-created position of president of Ahold USA's convenience stores. Dean Cohagan, currently...

Supermarkets selling more Rx and OTCs, study says.(prescriptions and over-the-counter medications sold outside of drug stores)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 28, 2001... WASHINGTON -- The Food Marketing Institute's 10th annual Shopping for Health survey found that consumers are buying more prescription drugs, OTC medications and nutritionally fortified foods at supermarkets, indicating that food retailers are...

J&J settles LifeScan suit, completes Inverness deal.(Johnson and Johnson)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 28, 2001... SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Johnson & Johnson's LifeScan diabetes care division settled a class action lawsuit in federal court on Monday for $45 million, pending an approval hearing on Dec. 10. The settlement covers meters that were manufactured...

Shoppers Drug Mart begins trading publicly.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 28, 2001... TORONTO -- On its first day of trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Shoppers Drug Mart's shares last Wednesday closed at C$17.35, down 65 cents. Shares opened at C$17.48 as part of the drug chain's initial public offering. About 4.2...

CVS enters Texas market.(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... NEW YORK -- CVS has opened the first of its Texas stores. The new stores, located in Mansfield, Fort Worth and Lewisville, opened Nov. 18, putting CVS half way toward meeting its 2001 goals for breaking into the Texas market. According...

Heavily advertised drugs see boost in sales, study says.(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... WASHINGTON -- A recent study from a non-profit health care research group suggests a connection between heavily advertised prescription drugs and their sales levels. The National Institute For Health Care Management report, Prescription...

Wal-Mart Stores. (Financials).(records sales record on day after Thanksgiving)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 28, 2001... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart reported record single-day sales for Nov. 23 of more than $1.25 billion at Wal-Mart stores, supercenters and Neighborhood Markets. On Nov. 23, Wal-Mart held its annual five-hour day-after Thanksgiving event....

Andrx Corp. (Financials).(stock figures)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 28, 2001... NEW YORK -- Shares of generic drug manufacturer Andrx Corp. rose almost 12 percent last week and closed Friday at $71.04 on Nasdaq after the Food and Drug Administration approved its generic version of Prilosec Andrx, however may not launch...

Penney Co. (Financials).(J.C. Penney Co. forecasts sales)(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... CLEARWATER, Fla -- J.C. Penney Co., which owns Eckerd, stated Monday that for the final week of November the company anticipates a high single-digit comp store sales increase at Eckerd. This is at the low end of Penney's plan.

Merrill Lynch. (Financials).(rates Duane Reade)(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... NEW YORK -- Citing strong brand recognition, key real estate and an excellent product offering, Merrill Lynch has initiated coverage on Duane Reade with a long term buy rating. Merrill Lynch expects over the medium term top and bottom line...

CVS. (Financials).(shareholder information)(Brief Article)
November 28, 2001... NEW YORK -- Thirty-one of CVS' top 50 institutional equity holders increased or maintained their stock holdings by the end of the third quarter, according to Federal Filings--a sign that Wall Street is fairly confident in CVS' long-term...

Mary Allison. (NEWSBITES).(joins drugstore.com)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... BELLEVUE, Wash. - drugstore.com has named Mary Allison vice president of merchandising, reporting to Kal Raman, president and chief executive officer. Allison formerly was a manager for Garden Botanika.

ShopKo stores. (NEWSBITES).(president, chief operating officer resigns)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... GREEN BAY, Wis. -- ShopKo Stores reported that Gary Ramsey, president and chief operating officer of its ShopKo division, has resigned for personal reasons. ShopKo division functions reporting to Ramsey now will report to William Podany,...

Safeway. (NEWSBITES).(Albertson's names chief technology officer)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertson's has named Robert Dunst executive vice president and chief technology officer, reporting to Larry Johnston, chairman and chief executive officer. Dunst previously spent six years at Safeway.

Wal-mart stores. (NEWSBITES).(promotes John Fleming)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores has promoted John Fleming, Walmart.com's senior vice president of merchandising, to Walmart.com's chief operating officer. He succeeds Jeanne Jackson, who has announced she will leave after the 2001...

Online poll results.(by drugstorenews.com)(Brief Article)(Polling Data)
November 21, 2001... An industry poll at drugstorenews.com found that 37.9 percent of respondents are "very" confident in analysts' predictions that drug stores are somewhat recession-resistant; while 46.4 percent are "somewhat" confident in that prediction.

Fuller briefs Congress on Rx benefits for seniors.(Craig Fuller, National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... WASHINGTON -- Pushing for a plan that "offers real Medicare reform" to seniors, Craig Fuller, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores participated in a Congressional briefing Monday on Medicare...

Longs drug stores expects to rebound in fourth quarter.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 21, 2001... WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Longs Drug Stores expects to rebound from a disappointing third quarter with modest gains in earnings and same-store sales during the holiday season. The 430-store chain, based here, is projecting earnings of 56...

Issues summit to focus on partnerships, merchandising.
November 21, 2001... NEW YORK -- Chain retailers interested in making their suppliers more productive partners and suppliers interested in exploring best practices for going to market are invited to attend Drug Store News' Retailers/Suppliers Issues Summit. ...

Shopko narrows loss, beats wall street estimates.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 21, 2001... GREEN BAY, Wis. -- ShopKo Stores last week reported that it narrowed its third quarter loss and beat consensus earnings estimates. For the period ended Nov. 3, ShopKo's diluted loss per share was 18 cents, compared with a diluted loss per...

Bristol-myers cuts jobs, focuses on drug unit.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 21, 2001... NEW YORK -- Calling it another step toward a focus on pharmaceuticals drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb let 1,000 of its 45,000-member workforce go. Fresh from the sale of its beauty care subsidiary Clairol to Proctor & Gamble, BMS...

Phar-mor asks court to ok employment pacts, bonuses.(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- A U.S. Bankruptcy Court here was scheduled to hear this week Phar-Mor's request for employment pacts with five key executives and "stay put" bonuses for pharmacists, according to a report. A company representative...

Michael maves resigns as president of CHPA.(Consumer Healthcare Products Association)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... CHICAGO -- Consumer Healthcare Products Association president Dr. Michael Maves is stepping down Jan. 15 to join the American Medical Association as its executive vice president and chief executive officer. The move creates a leadership...

A&P to close 39 stores as turnaround continues.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 21, 2001... MONTVALE, N.J. -- Food and drug retailer A&P will shutter 39 supermarkets in an effort to improve operating results by disposing of underperforming assets. The majority of the stores will close before Feb. 23, the end of the fiscal year. ...

P&G finalizes Clairol deal.(Procter and Gamble)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... NEW YORK -- Procter & Gamble has finalized its $4.95 billion acquisition of Clairol from Bristol-Myers Squibb, and it now will begin blending Clairol's $1.6 billion beauty care business into its $7.3 beauty portfolio. P&G president and...

Rite aid reported. (FINANCIALS).(senior notes sale completed)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 21, 2001... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid reported on Monday that it has completed the sale of $200 million, $75 million more than previously announced, of its 4.75 percent convertible senior notes due December 2006. Rite Aid plans to use the proceeds to...

McKesson health solutions. (FINANCIALS).(buys assets of Healthcare Quality)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... MARLBOROUGH, Mass. -- McKesson Health Solutions has acquired the assets of the Healthcare Quality, a division of Health Risk Management. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. McKesson gains the QualityFirst suite of evidence-based medical...

Target yesterday. (FINANCIALS).(announces third-quarter earnings)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... MINNEAPOLIS -- Target yesterday posted third-quarter earnings of 25 cents per share before a pretax charge of $67 million, or 5 cents per share, related to the impact of restoring securitized accounts receivable. The results matched some...

Fleet national bank. (FINANCIALS).(Kmart renews unsecured credit facility)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... TROY, Mich. -- Kmart has signed an agreement for the renewal of its unsecured 364-day credit facility for the amount of $400 million. The administrative agent is JP-Morgan Chase Bank. The co-syndication agents are The Bank of New York, Credit...

United food & commercial workers. (FINANCIALS).(ratifies new labor contract with Rite Aid)(Brief Article)
November 21, 2001... QLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. -- United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1776 members employed by Rite Aid in northeast and central Pennsylvania have ratified a new three-year contract. The agreement was approved Nov. 13. On Oct. 3, employees of Rite...

Familymeds.(new Reliable Refill service)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... FARMINGTON, Conn.--Familymeds is rolling out an automatic prescription refill program, called Reliable Refill, which tracks when refills are due and sends an e-message to pharmacists. Patients can have their orders mailed to their homes. A...

Shoppers Drug Mart.(opens store inside Toronto Western Hospital)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... TORONTO - Shoppers Drug Mart opened its newest drug store this month inside the Toronto Western Hospital, its second hospital-based pharmacy. The hospital owns and operates the 4,800-square-foot location, typical of Shoppers' franchise...

Albertson's unveiled its drug store and supermarket.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertson's unveiled its drug store and supermarket combo format in Tucson, Ariz., and Reno, Nev. The chain converted all seven Tucson units to Albertson's/Osco outlets and five of its six Reno locations to Albertson's/Sav-on...

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores.(promotes John Covert and Elizabeth Nigro)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... ALEXANDRIA, Va.-- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has promoted John Covert to vice president of communications, reporting to Susan Guiterman, senior vice president of communications and external affairs. Elizabeth Nigro was...

McKesson Corp.(expands contract with Wal-Mart)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... AN FRANCISCO -- McKesson Corp. and Wal-Mart have expanded their supply agreement, under which McKesson's RxPak facility will handle Wal-Mart's repackaging of pharmaceutical products. McKesson will still serve as its supplier.

Eckerd's front-end sales climb, holidays look bright.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 14, 2001... CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Despite the current economic environment, J.C. Penney-owned Eckerd is expecting a merry holiday season, as third quarter results show continued improvement. "We are pleased with our progress and expect continued...

Bush administration's Rx discount card to be revised.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... WASHINGTON - A U.S. District Court last week granted a government motion to stay all proceedings in the lawsuit filed to halt President Bush's plan for a prescription discount card for seniors and effectively halted the government's initial...

Stop & Shop, Uniprix among honorees at PLMA show.
November 14, 2001... ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Private Label Manufacturers Association's annual show wrapped up here Tuesday, with the associations Salute to Excellence Awards. The show attracted nearly 1,000 exhibitors and more than 300 retail companies to Chicago....

Reimbursement for diabetes care.(from Partners In Control)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... NEW YORK - Partners In Control, a pharmacist group that provides diabetes care, will provide services to an unnamed 50-million member managed care organization. The group is recognized by the American Diabetes Association and has a UPIN...

Snyder's names Greer vp of new drug division.(John Green new executive vice president and chief operating officer of Snyder's Drug Stores discount division)(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... MINNETONKA, Minn. -- Snyder's Drug Stores has named John Greer executive vice president and chief operating officer of its newly formed discount drug division. Creation of the unit stems from Snyder's recent acquisition of Columbus,...

Novartis poised to launch senior Rx discount card.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... EAST HANOVER, N.J. -- Novartis has reported that by Jan. 1 it will launch a discount drug card for low-income seniors lacking prescription coverage. The CareCard is expected to save seniors 30 percent to 40 percent off Novartis drugs....

Navarro buys four Fedcos, looks to boost expansion.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... MIAMI -- Navarro Discount Pharmacies has snapped up four Fedco units, bringing Navarro's store count to 16 Florida locations. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to Gabe Navarro, vice president of operations, the retailer...

Shoppers Drug Mart prices IPO, to use proceeds to reduce debt.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... TORONTO -- Shoppers Drug Mart has priced the shares in its initial public offering at Canadian $18. The offering of 33 million shares is scheduled to close Nov. 21. Shoppers will trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "SC."...

Phar-Mor.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Phar-Mor, which filed for bankruptcy Sept. 24, reported yesterday a loss of $45.3 million, or $4.21 per diluted share, in the first quarter. In the year-ago period, the retailer had a loss of $8.5 million, or 77 cents per...

Kmart's Jeffrey Boyer.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... TROY, Mich. -- After six months of service, Kmart's Jeffrey Boyer has stepped down as chief financial officer. Replacing him is Kmart's former senior vice president and treasurer John McDonald Jr. Before joining Kmart last year, McDonald was...

Wal-Mart Stores.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores reported yesterday that third quarter sales at its Wal-Mart division climbed 15 percent to $33.6 billion. Earnings per share were 33 cents per share--in line with expectations.

Rite Aid.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- With an eye on further reducing debt, Rite Aid will offer $125 million of five-year convertible senior notes. The proceeds are earmarked for reducing debt under the revolving credit facility of the chain's senior secured...

Leiner Health Products.(Brief Article)
November 14, 2001... CARSON, Calif. -- Leiner Health Products has arranged with its primary investors, a preliminary agreement, which includes a $20 million infusion of funds. Next month, Leiner will solicit formal acceptance of its reorganization plan, which...

October sales performances.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 14, 2001... October sales performances Total Same-store monthly % increase Same-store pharmacy $ sales over sales sales Company in...

Snyder's Drug Stores.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... MINNETONKA, Minn. -- Snyder's Drug Stores' Western Drug subsidiary has purchased the prescription files of Gibson Pharmacy in Billings and Helena, Mont. The store in Helena will be converted to a Western store, according to Snyder's chief...

aveway Pharmacy.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... NEWARK, Del. -- Last week, Happy Harry's opened its 57th store here--a 13,020-square-foot location, marking the chain's third largest unit. The new store, which features a drive-through pharmacy, replaces a Saveway Pharmacy location.

Visagent Grocery Exchange.(Winn-Dixie)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Winn-Dixie has joined the Visagent Grocery Exchange, a three-year-old business-to-business electronic hub to streamline the end-to-end procurement process. The WorldWide Retail Exchange is using Visagent's technology to...

AM Cosmetics.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... NORTH ARLINGTON, N.J. -- AM Cosmetics president and chief executive officer Arne Zimmerman will retire at the end of the year, the company announced. AM's chief financial officer Stephen Heit will temporarily act as president until the...

National Diabetes Month.(Jewel Osco)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... NEW YORK -- In recognition of National Diabetes Month, Rite Aid is offering free diabetes and cholesterol screenings at 100 locations. Albertson's Jewel-Osco is hosting classes on healthy eating habits and is distributing free diabetes...

Eckerd maintains upbeat tone at analyst meeting.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Eckerd senior executives sounded an optimistic tone to members of the financial community gathered here yesterday to hear an update on dozens of initiatives to improve sales and profit performance at the company's...

Walgreens' Sgarlata to step down, Riedl to assume post.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- After about a year serving as Walgreens' vice president of retail marketing. Robert Sgarlata is stepping down Dec. 1 to return to his former career in consumer products marketing and sales consulting. Replacing Sgarlata is...

Retailers see upswing in October sales as holidays near.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- As the holiday season draws near, retailers are working to fulfill their promise of a comeback during tough economic times. Bouncing back from a slight dip in sales in September, Rite Aid reported yesterday that...

SureScript System hires first three top executives.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... ALEXANDRIA, Va -- SureScript Systems, a joint venture created by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association, has hired its first three top executives. Barry Klayton, formerly an...

Revlon eyes skin, hair care.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... NEW YORK -- In an effort to balance its product mix and compete against rival brands, Revlon will shift some of its focus from color cosmetics to its Almay Kinetin skin care and High Dimension hair color lines, said Jeff rev Nugent, president...

NACDS adds 64 members, chain membership nears 200.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has added 64 new chain members since Jan. 1, 2000, bringing its total chain membership to nearly 190 retail companies operating 34,000 stores with pharmacies. This...

CVS zeros in on seasonal, GM to boost front-end sales.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- To rally the business at the front-end of its stores, CVS will focus on re-energizing its seasonal and general merchandise businesses, which had been declining for two reasons, explained Tom Ryan, chairman, president and...

Drug chain industry set for long-term growth.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... NEW YORK -- Citing new blockbuster drugs, aging baby boomers, a trend toward third party pay and a growth in high-margin generic d rugs, food and drug retail analyst Jonathan Ziegler said the drug chain industry brims with long-term growth...

Horizon Pharmacies.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... DENISON, Texas -- Horizon Pharmacies plans to appeal an American Stock Exchange ruling that its stock be delisted. AMEX halted trading of the pharmacy's common stock July 23, when Horizon filed for bankruptcy protection, at 21 cents per share.

Moody's Investor Service.(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... NEW YORK -- Moody's Investor Service announced late last week that the bank credit agreement of Shoppers Drug Mart has been placed on review for a possible upgrade. Shoppers' imminent initial public offering, in which 30 million shares will...

New York Stock Exchange.(Rite Aid stocks)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 7, 2001... NEW YORK -- Following the release of October sales, shares of Rite Aid closed at $5.96, up 4 cents. Shares of CVS closed at $23.73, up 30 cents, on the New York Stock Exchange.

Amerisource-Bergen.(dividend)(Brief Article)
November 7, 2001... VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- The board of directors for newly merged Amerisource-Bergen has declared the company's first quarterly dividend, a cash dividend of $0.025 per share, payable Dec. 3 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 19.

Revlon.(earnings)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
November 7, 2001... NEW YORK -- Revlon narrowed its third quarter loss to $22.9 million, or 44 cents per share, compared with $26.1 million, or 50 cents per share, last year. Sales in North America were $232.7 million during the quarter, compared with $224...