Content about Conference Call

Bentonville, Ark. — Walmart Stores on Thursday reported profit and sales lower than Wall Street expectations as the retail giant struggled against the payroll tax increase, delayed tax returns and an unseasonably cold spring impacting its U.S. sales. The retailer also scaled back its earnings expectations for the current three-month period.

Walmart’s net income rose 1.1% to $3.8 billion. Revenue edged up 1%, to $113.4 billion.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Cereal maker Kellogg Co. is hoping to appeal to adult customers with new breakfast food lines, the company said in announcing its first quarter 2013 earnings.

In a conference call with financial analysts, CEO John Bryant said the company plans to launch Raisin Bran with omega-3, multi-grain Special K and new additions to the Kashi brand later this year, citing lagging sales in the adult-products segment compared with products aimed at children.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway shares dropped dramatically Thursday morning as the company reported $10 billion in sales for its first quarter 2013 ended March 23, which is essentially flat as compared with the first quarter of 2012. An identical-store sales increase of 1.5% (excluding fuel) was offset primarily by the disposition of Genuardi's stores in 2012 and lower fuel sales in 2013. 

NEW YORK — If Kmart has proven anything, it's the transcendental power of potty humor. But at any rate, the mass merchandise retailer has garnered significant attention with its "Ship My Pants" ad, which has received close to 7.4 million views on YouTube and coverage in news outlets nationwide.

The ad is for a service the chain offers whereby customers who can't find what they're looking for in the store can order it online and have it shipped to them.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Even as Walgreens expands its operation globally through strategic partnerships with both Alliance Boots and now AmerisourceBergen, the pharmacy operator continues to create some retail pop in the U.S. market. For example, Walgreens has set the stage for the opening of three more flagship stores.

During its fourth quarter conference call on Wednesday, CVS Caremark officially unveiled its foray into the international drug store space with the acquisition of Brazilian retailer Onofre, the eighth-largest drug chain in Brazil.

Now that the other shoe has dropped, what's next?

While chains are prevalent, Brazil remains a highly fragmented market that is clearly ripe with opportunities thanks, in part, to an aging population, a decline in unemployment and a rise in incomes.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark executives expressed optimism Wednesday morning as the company posted record fourth-quarter results, raised its 2013 guidance and continues to work to leverage its distinctive business model to help people on their path to better health amid a rapidly changing healthcare environment.

MINNEAPOLIS — In a move that will reunite all Albertsons stores under one operator, Supervalu on Thursday morning announced a definitive agreement under which it will sell 877 stores across the Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market banners and related Osco and Sav-on in-store pharmacies to AB Acquisition, an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, in a transaction valued at $3.3 billion.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid's fundamentals are improving, and Wall Street has taken notice. 

Rite Aid stock was up slightly by three cents late Thursday afternoon from its previous close of $1.41 per share. But shares were trading at $1.02 per share on Dec. 19, the day before Rite Aid announced third quarter results. 

Ultimately, there’s no “retail pharmacy” without the “pharmacy,” and that’s true of any store that dispenses prescription drugs — whether it’s a small independent drug store, a nationwide chain, a supermarket or a mass merchandiser. But in many respects, Rite Aid is trying to make the “pharmacy” component of that phrase just a little bit bigger.


During Fred's third-quarter earnings call, the company told analysts it was testing a new, smaller format drug-dollar store concept and that its partnership with Diplomat was creating new clinical capabilities for the chain, which still sees pharmacy as a major growth opportunity. 

ALLEGAN. Mich. — Business for OTC store brands is expected to boom in the coming year, Perrigo chairman and CEO Joseph Papa told analysts discussing the private-label manufacturer's first-quarter results during a conference call Wednesday, even as the growth rate across the entire OTC category slows. "What we are seeing though, is the continued acceleration of store brand as being the reason why we're seeing the growth in our OTC category. For us to have a 9.4% growth in our OTC category, we think is a strong indication," Papa said.