Walgreens Boots Alliance will close a significant portion of its roughly 8,600 U.S. stores as the pharmacy chain seeks to turn around its struggling business, which has been hit by inflation-weary customers paring their spending.
www.cbsnews.com/news/walgreens-stores-closing-locations/
“The current pharmacy model is not sustainable,” CEO Tim Wentworth told investors on a Thursday earnings call.
With 75% of the company’s U.S. stores accounting for 100% of its adjusted operating income, the company plans to examine the remaining 25% of its stores for closures, which would occur over the next three years, said the executive, who took the company’s helm in 2023. Shuttering 25% of its 8,600 U.S. locations would result in about 2,150 store closures.
“Changes are imminent,” but some of the specifics are still fluid, Wentworth said of the impending shutdowns. “There’s not one exact number” of closures.
Wentworth added that the company will definitely shutter a number of its underperforming stores, but that other locations could be shifted to profitability.
The collapse of #walgreens has been unlike anything I've ever seen in big retail.
It's down 24% today and has now lost 80% of its value in under 5 years.
This is America's largest pharmacy chain .. with over 8,500 stores & more than 300,000 employees.
Simply insane. pic.twitter.com/alOmhLWKkO
— Brian Sullivan (@SullyCNBC) June 27, 2024