Content about Wall Street Journal

March 21, 2013

NACDS responds to WSJ article citing cynicism, inaccuracies

A recent Wall Street Journal article, “10 Things Drugstores Won’t Tell You,” has caught the attention of National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO Steve Anderson, who responded to the article by saying that it put sensational headlines and statements ahead of the facts, thus depicting pharmacies inaccurately.

ARLINGTON, Va. — A recent Wall Street Journal article, “10 Things Drugstores Won’t Tell You,” has caught the attention of National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO Steve Anderson, who responded to the article by saying that it put sensational headlines and statements ahead of the fa

February 22, 2013

Innovative pharmacy services promote improved patient care, life quality, NACDS head writes

The head of a trade organization for retail pharmacies critiqued the conclusions of an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal that cast doubt on some of the potential benefits of accountable care organizations.

ARLINGTON, Va. — The head of a trade organization for retail pharmacies critiqued the conclusions of an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal that cast doubt on some of the potential benefits of accountable care organizations.

February 22, 2013

Personalization, omnichannel and wellness: Establishing a strong consumer proposition at Safeway

Safeway on Thursday reported a 1.3% annual sales lift to $44.2 billion for its fiscal 2012. The year-end sales lift was driven by increased fuel sales and a same-store sales increase of 0.5% (excluding fuel), the grocer reported.

However, from listening to this last conference call, coming out of a year that has been framed more by Safeway's challenges than Safeway's opportunity on Wall Street, you get the sense that 2012 was 2012 and that this 2013 party has only just begun.

February 14, 2013

Harris Teeter approached by two private equity firms and is exploring options

Harris Teeter on Wednesday confirmed an earlier Wall Street Journal report that the grocer was in the process of exploring strategic options.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Harris Teeter on Wednesday confirmed an earlier Wall Street Journal report that the grocer was in the process of exploring strategic options.

February 13, 2013

Harris Teeter may be next grocer to explore 'strategic options'

Carolina retailer Harris Teeter may be exploring a sale, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday evening.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Carolina retailer Harris Teeter may be exploring a sale, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday evening.

According to the report, Harris Teeter is being advised by JP Morgan. WSJ tabulated Harris Teeter's market value at $1.8 billion for its 200 supermarkets.

January 7, 2013

Cerberus close to acquiring parts of Supervalu

The breakup of Supervalu to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management could be announced as soon as Thursday when Supervalu shares third-quarter results with analysts, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal published Friday.

NEW YORK — The breakup of Supervalu to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management could be announced as soon as Thursday when Supervalu shares third-quarter results with analysts, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal published Friday.

January 4, 2013

Healthcare pioneer Steve Burd will still have an indelible impact on healthcare reform

After 20 years at the helm, Safeway CEO Steve Burd last week announced his retirement to spend more time with family and pursue interests in health care.

After 20 years at the helm, Safeway CEO Steve Burd last week announced his retirement to spend more time with family and pursue interests in health care. He will be leaving behind a Safeway that's gaining market share with each passing quarter within a highly competitive sector.

But he shouldn't go far. As a champion of health reform and consumer directed care, Burd will likely continue to be a pioneer in the healthcare space as companies begin to implement Obamacare in 2014.

November 26, 2012

NBTY acquires Balance Bar from private equity firm

Brynwood Partners VI on Monday announced that it has sold its Balance Bar Company, which manufactures nutrition and energy bars, to NBTY.

GREENWICH, Conn. — Brynwood Partners VI on Monday announced that it has sold its Balance Bar Company, which manufactures nutrition and energy bars, to NBTY.

October 25, 2012

WSJ report: Investment firms, industry suitors circling Supervalu

The jewel in the Supervalu crown — Save-A-Lot — may be up for bid by investment firm KKR, according to a Wall Street Journal blog published Thursday.

NEW YORK — The jewel in the Supervalu crown — Save-A-Lot — may be up for bid by investment firm KKR, according to a Wall Street Journal blog post published Thursday.

Also in the hunt is Cerberus Capital Management, which is weighing a bid for all of Supervalu, WSJ reported, citing persons familiar with the matter. However, Cerberus may also look at bidding for only pieces of the grocer.

Reportedly in the bid for the wholesale end of Supervalu's business is C&S Wholesale Grocers.

August 17, 2012

Pfizer names Amy Schulman consumer division chief

Pfizer's general counsel Amy Schulman has assumed the reigns to Pfizer's consumer healthcare business, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week.

NEW YORK — Pfizer's general counsel Amy Schulman has assumed the reigns to Pfizer's consumer healthcare business, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week.

Schulman replaces Cavan Redmond, who was named the CEO of WebMD Health.

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare president Paul Sturman, who directly oversees the day-to-day operations of the consumer division, will now report to Schulman.

July 16, 2012

Macy’s creates skin care man cave

Looking to further tap into the growing men's grooming segment, Macy’s in downtown Philadelphia has opened a “men’s grooming zone” on its beauty selling floor.

PHILADELPHIA — The men’s grooming market is poised for further growth as more than 9-out-of-10 men are using some sort of grooming product today, according to a recent report by the NPD Group. Looking to further tap into the growing segment, Macy’s in downtown Philadelphia has opened a “men’s grooming zone” on its beauty selling floor.

July 6, 2012

WSJ report: Interest in narrower pharmacy networks on the rise

The trend toward “narrow” pharmacy networks is expected to continue, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

NEW YORK — The trend toward “narrow” pharmacy networks is expected to continue, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Walgreens’ split from PBM giant Express Scripts — many of whose millions of plan members now are getting their prescriptions filled elsewhere after the two companies failed to come to terms over reimbursement rates — has opened the door for interest in networks that limit the number of drug stores available to pharmacy-benefit customers, the WSJ reported.

April 9, 2012

Wall Street Journal endorses ESI-Medco merger; retail pharmacy responds

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association on Monday wrote the Wall Street Journal regarding the paper's endorsement last week of the Express Scripts-Medco merger approval.

NEW YORK — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association on Monday wrote the Wall Street Journal regarding the paper's endorsement last week of the Express Scripts-Medco merger approval.

November 23, 2011

Report: Beauty brands, retailers bank on gift sets this holiday season

This holiday season, drug stores and big-box retailers increasingly are working with beauty and personal care brands to develop gift sets in an effort to persuade shoppers to spend holiday dollars in their stores and try a broader assortment of products, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

NEW YORK — This holiday season, drug stores and big-box retailers increasingly are working with beauty and personal care brands to develop gift sets in an effort to persuade shoppers to spend holiday dollars in their stores and try a broader assortment of products, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Gift sets typically cost less than all of the products inside individually, usually a 10% to 40% discount, WSJ reported.

November 15, 2011

GPhA urges congressional super committee not to ban patent settlements

The generic drug lobby is stepping up its efforts to persuade the congressional super committee to avoid adopting rules that would ban some patent settlements between branded and generic drug makers.

WASHINGTON — The generic drug lobby is stepping up its efforts to persuade the congressional super committee to avoid adopting rules that would ban some patent settlements between branded and generic drug makers.

October 31, 2011

Report: Catalyst Rx case study justifies Walgreens PBM network inclusion

Catalyst Rx, the pharmacy benefits management subsidiary of Catalyst Health Solutions, on Friday took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal touting the value of a Walgreens pharmacy to a large healthcare payer. Catalyst also released a case study touting that value, according to a DrugChannels.net report.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Catalyst Rx, the pharmacy benefits management subsidiary of Catalyst Health Solutions, on Friday took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal touting the value of a Walgreens pharmacy to a large healthcare payer. Catalyst also released a case study touting that value, according to a DrugChannels.net report.

July 11, 2011

Report: Amazon poses threat to brick-and-mortar retailers

A story on the Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch, published Monday, identified Amazon.com as the latest value-oriented retailer to pose challenges to more traditional brick-and-mortar retailers.

NEW YORK — A story on the Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch, published Monday, identified Amazon.com as the latest value-oriented retailer to pose challenges to more traditional brick-and-mortar retailers.

June 20, 2011

V8 targets seniors with healthy energy shot

Energy shots have delivered a jolt to pharmacy sales to the tune of an incremental $50 million in the past year. That business was borne out of targeting the typical all-nighters: college kids cramming for exams, truck drivers and third-shift workers. But seniors? 

May 20, 2011

Report: More retailers using social media to attract e-commerce customers

More retailers are using such social media venues as Facebook as an entry point into their e-commerce sites, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited JCPenney and GNC as examples.

NEW YORK — More retailers are using such social media venues as Facebook as an entry point into their e-commerce sites, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited JCPenney and GNC as examples.

Facebook, the report said, creates a new shopping dynamic, enabling consumers to “share” what they’ve bought with friends in real time.

For now, the revenue stream is a trickle, WSJ reported. But expectations are that this potentially could provide a strong flow of revenue in the near future.

May 19, 2011

CDC warns public on zombies. No, really.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted an attention-grabbing page Wednesday titled: “Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse.”

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted an attention-grabbing page Wednesday titled: “Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse.”

“There are all kinds of emergencies out there that we can prepare for,” the CDC stated on the Web page. “Take a zombie apocalypse for example. … You may laugh now, but when it happens you’ll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe you’ll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for a real emergency.”

April 25, 2011

Do women control household purchases?

A column published Friday in the Wall Street Journal questioned whether or not women actually control the purse strings in the household.

NEW YORK — A column published Friday in the Wall Street Journal questioned whether or not women actually control the purse strings in the household.

According to the column, women are attributed to making as many as 80% of all household spending decisions.

December 28, 2010

Report: More than a quarter of U.S. kids take at least one chronic med

Health professionals worry that little is known about the long-term effects of many drugs — which have been tested extensively on adult-patient populations — on children.

NEW YORK — More than 25% of children and teens take at least one medication on a daily basis, and nearly 7% are on two or more drugs, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing 2009 data from Medco Health Solutions. Drawing additional data from IMS Health, the article noted that prescriptions for hypertension in people under the age of 20 years could reach 5.5 million for 2010 by the time year-end results are tabulated, which would mark a rise of 17% since 2007.

December 21, 2010

Report: Shaw's may be pulled from sale block

Supervalu is having difficulty divesting its New-England-based Shaw’s chain for more than $1 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, and the Minnesota grocery conglomerate may be ready to take down its "for sale" sign.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu is having difficulty divesting its New-England-based Shaw’s chain for more than $1 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, and the Minnesota grocery conglomerate may be ready to take down its "for sale" sign.

According to the report, Shaw’s has been on the block for several months with no takers. Many bids from private-equity firms actually came in below the asking price.

December 13, 2010

A&P files for Ch. 11 bankruptcy

Battling hefty debt and intense competition, grocer A&P filed for bankruptcy on Sunday and has secured $800 million in debtor-in-possession financing to keep the 395-store chain open and operational during the proceedings.

MONTVALE, N.J. — Battling hefty debt and intense competition, grocer A&P filed for bankruptcy on Sunday and has secured $800 million in debtor-in-possession financing to keep the 395-store chain open and operational during the proceedings.

October 26, 2010

WSJ: OPI may be looking to sell

There's talk that nail polish company OPI Products is looking to sell itself for at...

NEW YORK There's talk that nail polish company OPI Products is looking to sell itself for at least $900 million, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

OPI reportedly is in discussions with several parties, including Coty and private-equity firm Bain Capital, according to WSJ, which cited "people familiar with the matter."

Harris Shepard Public Relations, which represents OPI, stated: "The rumors about the sale of OPI have persisted for years. Other than that, [we] have no comment. Thank you."