Rite Aid announced it has regained compliance with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) share price list ruling. As required, Rite Aid has maintained an average share closing price above USD 1 for the past 30 days of trading. The retailer does not plan on implementing the reverse stock split, which was originally approved in an attempt to regain compliance.

Rite Aid reported total drugstore sales of USD 1.973 billion, a 2.5% decrease, for the four weeks ended June 27, 2009. Same store sales decreased 0.6%.

• Front-end same store sales decreased 4.5%.
• Pharmacy same store sales increased 1.4%. New generic introductions negatively impacted pharmacy same store sales by 484 basis points (bp).
• Prescription revenue was 67.9% of total sales; third-party prescription sales were 96.3% of pharmacy sales.

Same store sales for "core" Rite Aid stores, excluding Brooks-Eckerd, were as follows:

• Same store sales remained flat.
• Front-end same store sales decreased 4.4%.
• Pharmacy same store sales increased 2.6%.

Same store sales for the standalone Brooks-Eckerd stores were as follows:

• Same store sales decreased 1.8%.
• Front-end same store sales decreased 5.0%.
• Pharmacy same store sales decreased 0.7%.

For the 17-week year-to-date period, Rite Aid reported:

• Total sales decreased 1.5% year-over-year to USD 8.479 billion.
• Same store sales increased 0.3%.
• Front-end same store sales decreased 2.3%.
• Pharmacy same store sales increased 1.6%.
• Prescription revenue was 68.1% of total sales; third-party prescription sales were 96.3% of pharmacy sales.

As of June 27, 2009, Rite Aid operated 4,822 stores compared to 4,988 stores in the prior-year period.

Rite Aid announced it has completed the refinancing of September 2010 debt maturities, which includes its USD 145 million Tranche 1 Term Loan and USD 1.75 billion senior secured revolving credit facility. Prior to this announcement, Rite Aid had completed the term loan and senior secured notes. The USD 1 billion revolving credit facility was completed on June 26, 2009. Currently, Rite Aid’s only significant debt due before the maturity of the revolving credit facility due in 2012 are borrowings under its accounts receivable securitization programs; they are due September 2010.   

Sam’s Club partnered with Working Mother magazine to honor 30 "Working Mothers of the Year" at the magazine’s 30^th birthday party celebration in New York City.

• These mothers were recognized for their ability to effectively balance career, motherhood, and self-development.
• This event featured a roundtable discussion led by a panel of working moms and industry professionals on issues relevant to American moms.
• Sam's Club leveraged this event to promote services and products that would assist working moms, including its Click 'n' Pull service.

Sears Holdings will implement a universal login standard, called OpenID, which will provide online visitors with a single login for all of their online interactions, enabling them to consolidate and simplify their Internet identity.

• This login will connect users via MySears.com and MyKmart.com sites to other social media communities, including Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo, and Twitter; it will also allow visitors to log in to their Sears community sites using this ID, without the hassle of setting up a new account.
• Through the OpenID platform, visitors to the Sears and Kmart communities will soon be able to share information on products, services, and solutions with friends easily via Facebook.

In an effort to boost sales in a challenging environment, Sears Holdings will allow shoppers who lose their jobs to suspend payments and keep appliances bought with store credit cards.

• Customers who spend USD 399 and above on appliances (for example, washing machines and refrigerators) and related merchandise between July 6 and August 1, 2009, will be eligible to have one-twelfth of the purchase price credited toward their credit card account for every month of unemployment; those who are jobless for more than a year will have the full debt excused.
• Shoppers who lose their jobs between 60 days and one year after making the initial purchase qualify for this program.
• This program also covers delivery, service, and installation costs.

Target has officially announced that its up & up private label brand will include over 800 items in over 40 categories by the end of September 2009. Products will include cotton balls and swabs, laundry detergent, and baby food.

Click here for more information on the up & up launch.

Walgreens announced its Take Care Clinics will now offer treatment for specific skin conditions. The in-store clinics have expanded its services to include the following skin care procedures:

• Wart removal
• Skin tag removal
• Closure of minor cuts
• Treatment of skin irritations
• Treatment of skin infections, injuries, and rashes