Walgreen Boots - WBA STOCK NEWS

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) reported second-quarter fiscal 2021 results, achieving $32.8 billion in sales, a 4.6% year-over-year increase. Net earnings rose 8.4% to $1.0 billion, while EPS increased 10.9% to $1.19. However, adjusted operating income dropped 22.5% to $1.2 billion, primarily due to COVID-19 impacts. The company raised its full-year EPS guidance to mid-to-high single-digit growth in constant currency. Significant growth was noted in the International segment, with $5.4 billion in sales, driven by a joint venture in Germany.

Walgreens has partnered with InComm Payments to introduce a new bank account offering through MetaBank, which will provide customers with a Mastercard debit card and myWalgreens Cash rewards. This initiative is part of Walgreens’ broader strategy to enhance its financial services and customer loyalty programs. The banking solution is expected to roll out to nearly 9,000 stores and online by the second half of 2021. Additionally, Walgreens plans to relaunch its gift card program in collaboration with InComm Payments, further expanding their offerings.

Walgreens will participate in the inaugural Localization Summit, a virtual event aimed at connecting local businesses with its Merchandising team. Scheduled for May 13, this event allows vendors to showcase their products for potential stocking in Walgreens stores. Walgreens is focused on creating a localized shopping experience by sourcing products from community neighborhoods. This initiative follows a successful virtual Supplier Summit that engaged nearly 250 suppliers, reinforcing Walgreens' commitment to local and community roots.

Walgreens has administered approximately 5 million COVID-19 vaccinations across facilities and clinics, completing over 60,000 clinics at long-term care facilities. With the recent delivery of 1 million vaccine doses from pharmaceutical companies, Walgreens is expanding its reach to 43 states as part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. The company is also prioritizing vaccinations for teachers and childcare workers.

Walgreens plans to add 1,500 testing locations, raising the total to 5,000, while conducting nearly 5 million COVID-19 tests since last April.

Walgreens has expanded its digital health platform, Walgreens Find Care®, with 11 new and four expanded collaborations with service providers to improve access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic. This platform now connects users to over 45 national and local healthcare service providers, offering more than 65 services across 120 conditions. The usage of Walgreens Find Care® has surged to nearly 20 million visits, representing a 13-fold increase in web traffic over the past year. This initiative aligns with CDC guidance to offer telehealth as a means to reduce COVID-19 exposure.

Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) is set to announce its fiscal Q2 2021 earnings on March 31, 2021, at 7 a.m. ET. A conference call with management will follow at 8:30 a.m. ET, available via the WBA investor relations website. This reflects WBA's ongoing commitment to transparency with shareholders. The company has a diverse presence in over 25 countries, employing over 450,000 people and maintaining more than 21,000 stores globally.

WBA aims to enhance community health through its pharmacy and retail operations.

Parallel has appointed Jeremy Kunicki, a former executive at Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ: WBA), as its new Chief Financial Officer effective immediately. This transition coincides with Parallel's plans to go public through a business combination with Ceres Acquisition Corp. Kunicki, with two decades of experience at Walgreens, will oversee finance and operations as Parallel aims to expand as a national cannabis company. His background in finance, coupled with a focus on consumer health, is expected to strengthen Parallel’s growth trajectory.

Walgreens has partnered with Labcorp to sell the Pixel by Labcorp COVID-19 PCR Test Home Collection Kits over-the-counter at 6,000 stores nationwide. Starting spring 2021, this will be Walgreens' first in-store testing option, enhancing access in underserved areas. Walgreens aims to increase its on-site testing capacity to over 5,000 locations by April 1. The kits allow customers to self-administer tests and send samples to Labcorp for processing. Test results will be available online, with follow-up by healthcare professionals for positive results.

On February 24, 2021, Clinical Reference Laboratory (CRL) partnered with Walgreens to launch the FDA-authorized Rapid Response COVID-19 Saliva Test via Walgreens Find Care. This non-invasive test allows users to self-collect samples at home, boasting 100% sensitivity and specificity. Priced at $119, results are typically available within 24-48 hours. Walgreens aims to enhance access to COVID-19 testing, integrating it into their digital health platform. CRL has distributed over 500,000 tests, affirming its commitment to convenient and reliable testing solutions.