Welcome to our dedicated page for Walgreen Boots news (Ticker: WBA), a resource for investors and traders seeking the latest updates and insights on Walgreen Boots stock.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) serves as a global leader in pharmacy-led healthcare and retail innovation. This news hub provides investors and industry professionals with essential updates on strategic initiatives, financial performance, and operational developments shaping this Fortune 500 company.
Access official press releases and curated analysis covering pharmacy services expansion, healthcare partnerships, and retail optimization strategies. Our repository includes updates on prescription care programs, wholesale distribution milestones, and regulatory developments impacting WBA's international operations.
Key categories include quarterly earnings disclosures, leadership changes, store network updates, and technological advancements in pharmaceutical distribution. Bookmark this page for streamlined tracking of WBA's progress in merging community pharmacy care with modern health solutions across 25+ countries.
Walgreens has launched PharmStart, a groundbreaking fully-funded online education program in partnership with Guild to help eligible team members meet pharmacy school prerequisites. The initiative aims to strengthen the pharmacist talent pipeline by removing financial barriers to pursuing a PharmD degree.
The program's initial cohort includes over 300 team members across six states: Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon, Illinois, Wisconsin and Kentucky. PharmStart was developed in response to a survey highlighting tuition costs and time constraints as major obstacles for pharmacy technicians.
Complementing this initiative, Walgreens offers additional support through its Pharmacy Educational Assistance Program (PEAP) providing up to $40,000 in tuition assistance, and the Student Loan 401(k) Match Program which helps team members earn full matches while paying off student loans.
Walgreens (WBA) announces its participation in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 26, 2025, promoting safe disposal of unused medications. The company maintains over 1,500 disposal kiosks across 46 states and Washington, D.C., offering this service year-round at no cost during regular pharmacy hours.
Since launching its safe medication disposal program in 2016, Walgreens has properly disposed of more than 6.5 million pounds of unused prescription medications. For locations without kiosks, Walgreens pharmacies provide free DisposeRx or alternative disposal options at the pharmacy counter. All collected medications are safely incinerated at DEA-registered facilities.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) reported Q2 fiscal 2025 results with sales increasing 4.1% year-over-year to $38.6 billion. The company posted a loss per share of $3.30, compared to $6.85 loss in the year-ago quarter, while adjusted EPS was $0.63 versus $1.20 previously.
The quarter included $4.2 billion in non-cash impairment charges related to goodwill and assets at U.S. Retail Pharmacy and VillageMD, partially offset by $1.0 billion in after-tax gains from asset monetization. Operating loss was $5.6 billion, with U.S. Retail Pharmacy seeing comparable sales up 8.2% and pharmacy sales increasing 8.9%.
Free cash flow was negative $418 million, with operating cash flow impacted by $969 million in legal payments. Following the announcement of WBA's pending acquisition by Sycamore Partners, expected to close in Q4 2025, the company has withdrawn its fiscal 2025 guidance.
Walgreens reports significant increase in flu activity across the United States, with current levels 204% higher compared to the same period last year. Data from the week ending February 8, 2025, identifies the top five states with highest flu activity as Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas.
According to Anita Patel, VP of pharmacy services development, the concerning factors are hospitalizations and outpatient visits, with cases yet to peak. The current flu season is reported as the most intense in 15 years, with flu-symptom-driven doctors' visits exceeding peak levels since 2009-2010.
Walgreens offers comprehensive flu services including:
- Vaccination appointments with flexible scheduling
- Combination testing for influenza A/B and COVID-19 with 30-minute results
- At-home tests and OTC medicines with 1-hour delivery
- Virtual healthcare services and Same Day Prescription Delivery
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has announced a definitive agreement to be acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners in a transaction valued at up to $23.7 billion. Shareholders will receive $11.45 per share in cash at closing, plus a non-transferable right to receive up to $3.00 in cash per share from future monetization of WBA's VillageMD businesses.
The Cash Consideration represents a 29% premium, and the Total Consideration up to 63% premium, to WBA's closing share price of $8.85 on December 9, 2024. The deal includes a 35-day go-shop period and is expected to close in Q4 2025. WBA's Executive Chairman Stefano Pessina, owning approximately 17% of shares, will reinvest all cash consideration and make an additional investment in the acquiring company.
Post-acquisition, WBA will become private and maintain its Chicago headquarters, continuing to operate under the Walgreens and Boots brands. The transaction aims to better position WBA to execute its turnaround strategy with Sycamore's retail expertise.
Grubhub has announced a partnership with Walgreens to offer nationwide delivery from Walgreens and Duane Reade locations through its marketplace. The collaboration enables customers to access approximately 15,000 items for on-demand delivery, including beauty, health and wellness, snacks, personal care, household items, and toys.
According to Grubhub's data, customers who shop from convenience merchants on their platform order nearly three times more per month than those who don't. The partnership focuses on key markets like Chicago and New York City, with both Walgreens and Duane Reade locations being integrated into Grubhub+, the company's loyalty program, offering members benefits such as zero delivery fees, lower service fees, and exclusive offers on eligible orders.
NationsBenefits, a healthcare fintech platform, announced a retail integration with Walgreens that allows members of their 100+ health plan partners to use Benefits Mastercard® Prepaid Cards at Walgreens locations nationwide for eligible over-the-counter health products. The integration utilizes NationsBenefits' proprietary Basket Analyzer Service (BAS) technology for real-time, item-level adjudication at point of sale.
The collaboration aims to improve healthcare accessibility, particularly in underserved communities, by combining Walgreens' retail presence with NationsBenefits' technology infrastructure. The system ensures compliant purchases while maintaining health plan guidelines, leveraging Mastercard's network for enhanced payment acceptance across thousands of locations.
Walgreens reports significant increase in flu activity across the US, with current levels 204% higher compared to the same period last year. The Walgreens Flu Index has tracked four consecutive weeks of increasing flu cases, with Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas showing the highest activity levels.
According to Anita Pael, VP of pharmacy services development, the concerning factors are the high numbers of hospitalizations and outpatient visits, with cases not yet peaked. The CDC indicates this is the most intense flu season in 15 years, with flu-symptom-driven doctors' visits exceeding any winter flu season peak since 2009-2010.
Walgreens offers comprehensive flu services including vaccinations, testing, and treatment options. The company provides combination tests for influenza A/B and COVID-19 with results in 30 minutes, along with at-home tests and same-day prescription delivery services.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has announced the early settlement of certain prepaid variable share forward transactions related to Cencora shares, resulting in approximately $300 million in proceeds. The transaction involves the delivery of 6.1 million Cencora shares and a concurrent sale of 1.3 million additional shares.
Following the settlement, WBA retains approximately 12.6 million Cencora shares pledged under remaining forward contracts, scheduled to mature during March, June, and September 2025. The company's ownership in Cencora has decreased from 10% to approximately 6%. The proceeds will primarily be used for debt paydown, specifically addressing fiscal year 2026 debt maturities, and general corporate purposes.
The transaction includes a net aggregate cash payment of approximately $20 million to financial institutions. Despite the reduced ownership, WBA maintains its strategic partnership with Cencora, with Ornella Barra continuing to serve on Cencora's Board of Directors.
Walgreens celebrates the one-year anniversary of its Deans Advisory Council, a partnership with 17 pharmacy school deans focused on enhancing the pharmacy profession and addressing industry challenges. The collaboration has yielded several significant achievements, including:
- Launch of the Student Loan 401(k) Match Program
- Enhancement of the Pharmacy Educational Assistance Program offering up to $40,000 in tuition assistance
- Expansion of residency programs at multiple universities
- Establishment of pharmacy practice fellowships
- Implementation of a Patient Code of Conduct
- Revamping of pharmacy practice experiences to emphasize direct patient care
The Council is actively working on reimbursement reform and curriculum development, incorporating modern pharmacy technologies and patient care approaches. The initiative represents a long-term commitment to driving systemic change that benefits pharmacists and patients alike.
