Content about Business

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway's board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents per share. The cash dividend will be payable on Jan. 13, 2011, to stockholders of record at the close of business on Dec. 23.

In related news, the retail chain's board also increased the authorized level of the company’s stock repurchase program by $1 billion to $7 billion. Through the end of third quarter 2010, Safeway repurchased approximately $5.2 billion of its stock and had approximately $800 million remaining under its stock repurchase program, Safeway said.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — As Walmart’s U.S. stores division looks to execute a broad slate of initiatives in the coming year to recharge domestic growth, it does so under the leadership of a new chief executive and a restructured merchandising organization.


BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart stores have regained a familiar feeling this holiday season, and if senior executives are right, the increased promotional intensity will halt six consecutive quarters of declining same-store sales and put the company on the right track for 2011.


ALEXANDRIA, Va., and WASHINGTON — The war of words between independent pharmacies and the pharmacy benefit management industry again is heating up. And again, the two groups are at odds over the question of how transparent — or opaque — the PBM industry’s business dealings with its clients are, and whether those business practices demand reform.

NEW YORK — Switching to private-label brands could help consumers save one-third of their typical spend on products, a new study conducted by the Private Label Manufacturers of America found.

The results of the 2010 mid-term elections were dramatic, putting the Republican party firmly in control of the House of Representatives. And the GOP’s “Pledge to America” promises big spending and tax cuts, as well as a repeal of the health-reform law, in direct opposition to the goals of the Obama administration and most Democrats. To gauge the election results and what they mean for pharmacy retailing, Drug Store News interviewed Steve Anderson, president and CEO of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

BROOKLYN, Ohio — Getting the most from the card category depends not only on the right merchandise, but also on the right merchandising. Outposting and signage can have a big impact on the department.



BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart’s Neighborhood Market concept finally is getting its due more than 12 years after the first unit opened in late 1998. Next year, the company expected to open between 30 and 40 small stores, the majority of which will be Neighborhood Market units, in addition to a handful of pilot stores measuring less than 30,000 sq. ft. that the company views as a potential growth vehicle for either urban or rural markets.


Walmart stores have regained a familiar feeling this holiday season, and if senior executives are right, the increased promotional intensity will halt six consecutive quarters of declining same-store sales and put the company on the right track for 2011. The most obvious change is the return of branded feature displays and four-sided fixtures to the main aisles of Walmart’s 3,600 U.S. supercenters and discount stores.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Independent and chain pharmacy groups are making a new push to stake a firm claim to the new healthcare system emerging with the health-reform law enacted earlier this year.

Weighing in on a major aspect of the new law, the independent pharmacy lobby is urging federal health officials to untangle government red tape that could prevent pharmacies from fully participating in newly created health-provider organizations.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General reported that its third-quarter net income was $128 million, or a diluted earnings per share of 37 cents.

Excluding a net loss of $8 million ($5 million after income taxes) relating to the early repayment of certain long-term obligations, net income for the 2010 third quarter was $133 million, or a diluted EPS of 39 cents, a 76% increase over net income of $76 million, or 24 cents per diluted share, in the third quarter of fiscal 2009.

LANDOVER, Md. — Two-and-a-half years after joining the company, Robin Michel is leaving as president of the Giant-Landover division of Ahold USA to pursue other opportunities, the company confirmed Monday.

Michel will depart at the end of the month, according to Ahold USA spokesperson Sara Neumann. She will be replaced on a temporary basis as operations chief by Don Sussman, EVP supply chain at Ahold, while the company conducts a search for a successor.