Walgreens Reports $415 Million Loss On Higher Tab For Cost Management Effort

Walgreens Boots Alliance reported a $415 million quarterly loss thanks to higher expenses related to a major global “cost management program” and charges related to its United Kingdom operation.

The nation’s largest drugstore chain, which is amid a major expansion of healthcare services in the U.S. that includes rolling our new doctor-staffed clinics, is suffering declining sales in the U.S. and in the United Kingdom partly due to “lower demand for COVID-19 services.”

Demand for COVID related diagnostics and vaccines is still there but not nearly at the levels earlier in the pandemic. Sales fell more than 5% to $32.4 million from $34.3 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Walgreens reported a $415 million loss in the company’s fiscal fourth quarter ended Aug. 31 compared to a $627 profit in the year-ago quarter. On operating basis, the loss was even greater.

“Fourth quarter operating loss from continuing operations was $822 million compared to operating income of $910 million in the year-ago quarter,” the company said. “Operating loss in the quarter reflects a $783 million non-cash impairment charge related to intangible assets in Boots UK, and higher costs related to the Transformational Cost Management Program.”

Looking ahead, Walgreens sees brighter days and raised its sales guidance for fiscal 2023. The company projects adjusted earnings per share of $4.45 to $4.65.

“Healthy core business growth of 8 to 10 percent in constant currency is expected to be more than offset by adverse currency movements of approximately 2 percent and by a headwind of 15 to 17 percent from lower COVID-19 vaccination volumes,” the company said Thursday in its earnings report. “Additionally, the Company is raising the U.S. Healthcare fiscal year 2025 sales target to $11 billion to $12 billion, from $9 billion to $10 billion previously.”