Content about Company Earnings Guidance

CHADDS FORD, Pa. — Profits for Endo Pharmaceutical Holdings rose to $54.6 million during second quarter 2011, up 6% from $51.5 million in second quarter 2010, the drug maker said.

Sales for the quarter were $607.5 million, compared with $396.5 million in second quarter 2010. Sales of branded drugs were $398.3 million, an 8% increase over last year, which the company attributed to better sales of the pain drug Opana ER and the joint pain drug Voltaren Gel.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark posted second-quarter results that were at the high end of its guidance and narrowed its 2011 outlook on continued confidence. But it was the pharmacy benefit management business — and the potential merger of PBM rivals Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions — that was top of mind for many industry observers, and was a topic that CVS Caremark president and CEO Larry Merlo hit head-on at the start of Thursday morning’s conference call.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Sales may have been flat overall, but a closer look revealed there was a lot to be positive about in Rite Aid’s fiscal first quarter 2012 earnings, as the company managed significant expense improvement and stronger same-store sales growth. Bottom line: Rite Aid narrowed its losses considerably, and that ain’t all expense control.

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — Beauty retailer Ulta had a "terrific start to the year," as it posted strong double-digit gains in both net sales and same-store sales during the first quarter.

For the quarter ended April 30, net sales rose 20.6% to $386 million. Same-store sales rose 11.1%, compared with an increase of 10.8% in the year-ago period.

Net income increased 70.5% to $23.3 million, or 37 cents per diluted share.

NEW YORK — Target plans to spend more than it had forecast this year on its entry into the Canadian market as it nails down more of the best retail locations sooner than expected.

The retailer said it will be able to “clarify” within weeks the number and locations of the first 100 to 150 stores it will open in Canada.

“We expect to close on higher value lease transactions sooner than expected,” Target CFO Doug Scovanner told analysts on a conference call Wednesday.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings will host its annual meeting on May 4, and attendees likely will want to know how the company plans to improve sales and return to profitability under the leadership of its new CEO, Lou D’Ambrosio.

Ahead of the meeting, the company reported a same-store sales decline of 3.6% for its fiscal first quarter, which included a 1.6% decrease at its Kmart stores and a 5.2% decrease at its Sears Domestic stores.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Net income for Safeway dropped due to a tax charge and the retailer's decision to repatriate $1.1 billion from its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, although the company noted revenue rose nearly 5%.

Net income for the first quarter ended March 26 dropped to $25.1 million, or 7 cents per diluted share, compared with $96 million, or 25 cents per diluted share, in first quarter 2010. Excluding the tax charge, Safeway said first-quarter net income was $105.3 million, or 29 cents per diluted share.

MEMPHIS — Net income for Fred's jumped 49% during the fourth quarter to $8.6 million, or 22 cents per diluted share, compared with the year-ago period.

Despite the challenging retail climate and concerns that rising gas prices will take a toll on retailers' financial well-being, Fred's noted it will continue to forge ahead with its plans.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Family Dollar reported Monday a comparable-store sales increase of 5.1% for the second quarter ended Feb. 26. Net sales for the quarter increased 8.3% to $2.26 billion, from $2.09 billion last year. According to the retailer, warmer weather earlier in the year, as well as strong performance in its consumables and seasonal categories, helped drive sales.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — February sales at Rite Aid increased 1% over the prior-year period, while the chain's front-end and pharmacy same-store sales increased 1.1% and 0.9%, respectively.

Total drug store sales for the five-week period increased 0.1% to about $2.44 billion, Rite Aid reported.

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Drugstore.com posted a 23% increase in adjusted net sales during its fourth quarter ended Jan. 2.

Total sales for the quarter were $123.6 million. Drugstore.com also said that it served 533,000 new customers, excluding its strategic partnerships.

The company also report a narrowed loss of $663,000, or 1 cent per share, an improvement from the prior-year period, when Drugstore.com recorded a net loss of $1.6 million and a net loss per share of 2 cents per share.

MEMPHIS — Fred's on Wednesday reported a fiscal 2010 sales increase of 3% to $1.8 billion for the year ended Jan. 29. Comparable sales were up 2.2%, versus an increase of 0.4% in the prior year.

January comp increases of 2.1%, however, fell well short of the 3.9% analyst consensus tallied by Thomson Reuters, a factor that may have had more influence in driving the company’s stock down 37 cents to $13.31 on Wednesday’s trading. Winter weather played a role in those not-as-good-as-expected results, the retailer reported.