Welcome to our dedicated page for Walgreen Boots news (Ticker: WBA), a resource for investors and traders seeking the latest updates and insights on Walgreen Boots stock.
This page provides a focused view of news and announcements historically associated with Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (formerly Nasdaq: WBA) and its related businesses, including Walgreens and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. Company communications highlight Walgreens as a U.S. retail pharmacy brand founded in 1901 that serves nearly 9 million customers and patients each day across approximately 8,500 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and Walgreens Boots Alliance as a pharmacy-led health and wellbeing enterprise formed through the combination of Walgreens and Alliance Boots.
News related to WBA and Walgreens has covered several key themes. One major area is corporate transactions and capital markets activity. In 2025, a series of announcements detailed the Agreement and Plan of Merger under which Blazing Star Merger Sub, Inc. merged with and into Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., resulting in the company becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Blazing Star Parent, LLC, an affiliate of Sycamore Partners. Related releases described tender offers and consent solicitations for various series of Walgreens Boots Alliance and Walgreen Co. notes, pricing terms, extensions of expiration times and settlement dates, and the final results of these offers.
Another important news category involves the company’s transition from public to private ownership. A Form 8-K filed on August 28, 2025 describes the completion of the merger, the cash consideration and divested asset proceed rights received by shareholders, and the cessation of trading of WBA common stock and certain notes on Nasdaq. A subsequent Form 25 documents the removal of these securities from listing, and a Form 15 filed on September 8, 2025 terminates registration and suspends reporting obligations. Sycamore Partners separately announced the completion of its acquisition of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. and its intention that Walgreens, The Boots Group, Shields Health Solutions, CareCentrix and VillageMD operate as standalone companies under private ownership.
Operational and healthcare-focused news also features prominently. Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy announced an expansion of its limited distribution drug network to 265 products, emphasizing its role in specialty medications for patients with rare, complex and chronic diseases and its independence from pharmacy benefit managers. Walgreens has also issued releases on vaccination services, including nationwide flu shot availability for individuals three years and older, walk-in and scheduled appointments, digital check-in features and incentives for myWalgreens members receiving vaccines.
Investors and observers using this news page can review historical coverage of WBA’s merger process, debt tender offers, governance and shareholder actions, as well as Walgreens’ specialty pharmacy initiatives and vaccination programs. For those tracking the evolution of the company, these articles collectively document WBA’s path from a publicly traded integrated healthcare and retail group to a privately held organization under Sycamore Partners, while also illustrating how Walgreens positions its pharmacies and specialty operations within the broader healthcare landscape.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) reported Q2 fiscal 2025 results with sales increasing 4.1% year-over-year to $38.6 billion. The company posted a loss per share of $3.30, compared to $6.85 loss in the year-ago quarter, while adjusted EPS was $0.63 versus $1.20 previously.
The quarter included $4.2 billion in non-cash impairment charges related to goodwill and assets at U.S. Retail Pharmacy and VillageMD, partially offset by $1.0 billion in after-tax gains from asset monetization. Operating loss was $5.6 billion, with U.S. Retail Pharmacy seeing comparable sales up 8.2% and pharmacy sales increasing 8.9%.
Free cash flow was negative $418 million, with operating cash flow impacted by $969 million in legal payments. Following the announcement of WBA's pending acquisition by Sycamore Partners, expected to close in Q4 2025, the company has withdrawn its fiscal 2025 guidance.
Walgreens reports significant increase in flu activity across the United States, with current levels 204% higher compared to the same period last year. Data from the week ending February 8, 2025, identifies the top five states with highest flu activity as Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas.
According to Anita Patel, VP of pharmacy services development, the concerning factors are hospitalizations and outpatient visits, with cases yet to peak. The current flu season is reported as the most intense in 15 years, with flu-symptom-driven doctors' visits exceeding peak levels since 2009-2010.
Walgreens offers comprehensive flu services including:
- Vaccination appointments with flexible scheduling
- Combination testing for influenza A/B and COVID-19 with 30-minute results
- At-home tests and OTC medicines with 1-hour delivery
- Virtual healthcare services and Same Day Prescription Delivery
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has announced a definitive agreement to be acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners in a transaction valued at up to $23.7 billion. Shareholders will receive $11.45 per share in cash at closing, plus a non-transferable right to receive up to $3.00 in cash per share from future monetization of WBA's VillageMD businesses.
The Cash Consideration represents a 29% premium, and the Total Consideration up to 63% premium, to WBA's closing share price of $8.85 on December 9, 2024. The deal includes a 35-day go-shop period and is expected to close in Q4 2025. WBA's Executive Chairman Stefano Pessina, owning approximately 17% of shares, will reinvest all cash consideration and make an additional investment in the acquiring company.
Post-acquisition, WBA will become private and maintain its Chicago headquarters, continuing to operate under the Walgreens and Boots brands. The transaction aims to better position WBA to execute its turnaround strategy with Sycamore's retail expertise.
Grubhub has announced a partnership with Walgreens to offer nationwide delivery from Walgreens and Duane Reade locations through its marketplace. The collaboration enables customers to access approximately 15,000 items for on-demand delivery, including beauty, health and wellness, snacks, personal care, household items, and toys.
According to Grubhub's data, customers who shop from convenience merchants on their platform order nearly three times more per month than those who don't. The partnership focuses on key markets like Chicago and New York City, with both Walgreens and Duane Reade locations being integrated into Grubhub+, the company's loyalty program, offering members benefits such as zero delivery fees, lower service fees, and exclusive offers on eligible orders.
NationsBenefits, a healthcare fintech platform, announced a retail integration with Walgreens that allows members of their 100+ health plan partners to use Benefits Mastercard® Prepaid Cards at Walgreens locations nationwide for eligible over-the-counter health products. The integration utilizes NationsBenefits' proprietary Basket Analyzer Service (BAS) technology for real-time, item-level adjudication at point of sale.
The collaboration aims to improve healthcare accessibility, particularly in underserved communities, by combining Walgreens' retail presence with NationsBenefits' technology infrastructure. The system ensures compliant purchases while maintaining health plan guidelines, leveraging Mastercard's network for enhanced payment acceptance across thousands of locations.
Walgreens reports significant increase in flu activity across the US, with current levels 204% higher compared to the same period last year. The Walgreens Flu Index has tracked four consecutive weeks of increasing flu cases, with Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas showing the highest activity levels.
According to Anita Pael, VP of pharmacy services development, the concerning factors are the high numbers of hospitalizations and outpatient visits, with cases not yet peaked. The CDC indicates this is the most intense flu season in 15 years, with flu-symptom-driven doctors' visits exceeding any winter flu season peak since 2009-2010.
Walgreens offers comprehensive flu services including vaccinations, testing, and treatment options. The company provides combination tests for influenza A/B and COVID-19 with results in 30 minutes, along with at-home tests and same-day prescription delivery services.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has announced the early settlement of certain prepaid variable share forward transactions related to Cencora shares, resulting in approximately $300 million in proceeds. The transaction involves the delivery of 6.1 million Cencora shares and a concurrent sale of 1.3 million additional shares.
Following the settlement, WBA retains approximately 12.6 million Cencora shares pledged under remaining forward contracts, scheduled to mature during March, June, and September 2025. The company's ownership in Cencora has decreased from 10% to approximately 6%. The proceeds will primarily be used for debt paydown, specifically addressing fiscal year 2026 debt maturities, and general corporate purposes.
The transaction includes a net aggregate cash payment of approximately $20 million to financial institutions. Despite the reduced ownership, WBA maintains its strategic partnership with Cencora, with Ornella Barra continuing to serve on Cencora's Board of Directors.
Walgreens celebrates the one-year anniversary of its Deans Advisory Council, a partnership with 17 pharmacy school deans focused on enhancing the pharmacy profession and addressing industry challenges. The collaboration has yielded several significant achievements, including:
- Launch of the Student Loan 401(k) Match Program
- Enhancement of the Pharmacy Educational Assistance Program offering up to $40,000 in tuition assistance
- Expansion of residency programs at multiple universities
- Establishment of pharmacy practice fellowships
- Implementation of a Patient Code of Conduct
- Revamping of pharmacy practice experiences to emphasize direct patient care
The Council is actively working on reimbursement reform and curriculum development, incorporating modern pharmacy technologies and patient care approaches. The initiative represents a long-term commitment to driving systemic change that benefits pharmacists and patients alike.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has announced the suspension of its quarterly cash dividend as part of its broader turnaround strategy. The decision comes as management evaluates and refines the company's capital allocation policy. This strategic move aims to strengthen the company's balance sheet through debt reduction and improved free cash flow.
The company cited upcoming cash requirements, including litigation costs and debt refinancing, as key factors in the dividend suspension decision. WBA's leadership emphasizes their commitment to executing strategic priorities and maintaining financial discipline to create long-term value.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) reported fiscal 2025 first quarter results with sales increasing 7.5% year-over-year to $39.5 billion. The company reported a loss per share of $0.31, compared to a loss of $0.08 in the year-ago quarter, while adjusted EPS was $0.51 versus $0.66 previously.
The U.S. Retail Pharmacy segment saw sales rise 6.6% to $30.9 billion, with pharmacy sales up 10.4% and comparable prescriptions filled increasing 2.3%. However, retail sales decreased 6.2%. The International segment grew 10.2% to $6.4 billion, with strong performance from Boots UK and Germany. U.S. Healthcare segment reached $2.2 billion in sales with growth across all businesses.
WBA maintains its fiscal 2025 adjusted EPS guidance of $1.40 to $1.80, with growth in U.S. Healthcare and International expected to be offset by U.S. Retail Pharmacy decline and higher tax rates.
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