Walgreen Boots Stock Price, News & Analysis

Bilt Rewards, known for transforming rent payments into rewards, has expanded its neighborhood rewards program through a collaboration with Walgreens (WBA). The partnership introduces an innovative 'Automatic Healthcare Savings' program, allowing customers to easily apply FSA or HSA benefits to purchases at Walgreens.

Key features include:

• Automatic FSA/HSA savings on eligible items
• Enhanced rewards: 1x Bilt points on all Walgreens purchases, 2x on Walgreens-branded items, and 100 points on prescription refills
• Upcoming complimentary photo prints at Walgreens pharmacies

This collaboration aims to simplify healthcare expenses, address the $4 billion in lost FSA dollars annually, and enhance the customer experience at Walgreens. The program is available immediately, with photo prints launching soon.

Walgreens WBA and BARDA have formed a strategic partnership to enhance decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) in the US. This $100 million, five-year collaboration aims to address barriers in DCT access and conduct trials through the D-COHRe program. Walgreens will leverage its clinical trial ecosystem, which has reached over 5 million potential participants since 2022, consistently meeting recruitment goals and surpassing national averages for diverse participant recruitment.

The partnership seeks to strengthen US decentralized clinical research capabilities, support FDA-regulated product development, and evaluate medical countermeasures for public health emergencies. Walgreens' approach combines its physical footprint with a decentralized platform to engage patients conveniently, positioning it as an ideal partner for enhancing DCTs during public health crises.

Walgreens (WBA) has announced two key leadership appointments to enhance its retail and customer experience team. Tracey Koller joins as Senior Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer, while Sharmila Sudhakar takes on the role of Group Vice President and Head of Walgreens Digital Commerce. These appointments are part of Walgreens' strategy to turnaround its business, focusing on improving the front-of-store and omnichannel experience while driving in-store efficiencies.

Koller, with over 30 years of experience in omni-channel merchandising and operations, will lead the merchandising strategy across all categories. Sudhakar, a tenured omni-retail executive, will be responsible for driving digitally initiated revenue growth and strengthening digital engagement through omni-channel solutions. Both leaders are set to begin their new roles in late August, bringing their extensive expertise to support Walgreens' growth and success in delivering an efficient, highly relevant customer experience.

Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) has announced the pricing of a $750 million underwritten public offering of senior unsecured notes, due in 2029 with an interest rate of 8.125%. The sale is expected to close on August 12, 2024, subject to customary conditions. WBA plans to use the net proceeds, along with cash on hand, to repay or retire its outstanding 3.800% notes due in 2024, with any remaining funds allocated for general corporate purposes. The joint book-running managers for the offering are J.P. Morgan Securities , Wells Fargo Securities, , and BofA Securities, Inc.

This Must Be the Place (TMBTP), an overdose prevention non-profit, and Walgreens have partnered to expand access to naloxone at music and art festivals. Walgreens has facilitated the donation of 12,000 units of Walgreens Brand Naloxone HCI Nasal Spray, valued at over $400,000, to TMBTP for distribution at festivals. This initiative aims to educate attendees about the opioid crisis and overdose response.

TMBTP will have booths at festivals to distribute free naloxone kits and provide education. Walgreens offers naloxone at a lower price than comparable national brands in its stores, serving as a critical access point for its 10 million daily customers. This partnership aligns with Walgreens' commitment to addressing the opioid overdose crisis and improving community health.

Walgreens and Instacart have announced a nationwide collaboration to accept SNAP/EBT payments online at over 7,500 Walgreens stores, including 100+ Duane Reade locations in New York. This initiative allows customers to purchase thousands of SNAP-eligible products for same-day delivery via Instacart, broadening food access for over 40 million SNAP/EBT beneficiaries.

The partnership aims to enhance Walgreens' front-of-store experience and create omnichannel solutions while improving in-store efficiencies. Customers can now order SNAP-eligible items from Walgreens through Instacart's website or mobile app, selecting their SNAP EBT card as a payment method and allocating their benefits to eligible items at checkout.

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has announced the sale of its remaining unencumbered shares of Cencora, Inc. (COR) for approximately $1.1 billion. The transaction includes an $818 million sale pursuant to Rule 144 and a $250 million concurrent share repurchase by Cencora. This move reduces WBA's ownership of Cencora from about 12% to 10%. The proceeds will be primarily used for debt paydown and general corporate purposes, aligning with WBA's strategy to develop a more capital-efficient health services model based on its retail pharmacy network. Importantly, the sale does not affect the long-term strategic partnership between WBA and Cencora, which has been in place since 2013. Ornella Barra, WBA's Chief Operating Officer, International, will continue to serve on Cencora's Board of Directors.

Walgreens (WBA) has announced the availability of flu shots nationwide for individuals aged 3 and up. The company offers flexible vaccination appointments, including nights, weekends, and walk-ins, with options to schedule additional vaccines in the same visit. Walgreens will also provide the updated COVID-19 vaccine once available.

The pharmacy chain offers various testing options for flu and COVID-19, including a rapid test for both viruses with results in 30 minutes. Walgreens pharmacists in many states can evaluate and prescribe antiviral medications for flu or COVID-19. The company also provides 1-hour delivery for medicine cabinet essentials and Same Day Rx Delivery for eligible prescriptions.

According to a 2023 IQVIA study, approximately 70% of adult flu vaccinations were administered in retail pharmacies during flu season. Since 2010, Walgreens pharmacy team members have administered more than 105 million vaccinations in U.S. communities.

Walgreens has received a $25 million award from BARDA to conduct a Phase IV observational clinical study on COVID-19 vaccine data. The study aims to assess Correlates of Protection (CoP) and enhance U.S. public health preparedness. Walgreens will leverage its community pharmacy network to improve access and diversity in clinical trials.

Key points:

• Study will enroll up to 4,000 participants across 20 retail pharmacy locations
• Walgreens has administered over 90 million COVID-19 vaccinations to date
• The project is part of HHS's $5 billion Project NextGen initiative
• Walgreens will use its decentralized clinical trial platform for participant recruitment