CVS Caremark Announces Record First Quarter Results
CVS Caremark announces record first quarter revenue and earnings for the quarter ended March 29, 2008.
Net revenues for the thirteen-week period ended March 29, 2008, increased $8.1 billion to $21.3 billion, up from $13.2 billion during the thirteen-week period ended March 31, 2007. Same store sales (sales from stores open more than one year) in the Company's CVS/pharmacy division for the first quarter rose 3.9% over the prior year period. Pharmacy same store sales rose 3.7% and were negatively impacted by approximately 450 basis points due to recent generic introductions, while front-end same store sales increased 4.3%. Same store sales for the first quarter benefited from an earlier Easter (March 23rd this year versus April 8th last year), which shifted more holiday sales into March. The Company estimates the Easter shift had a positive impact of approximately 115 basis points on front-end same store sales for the quarter ended March 29, 2008.
Net earnings for the first quarter ended March 29, 2008, increased 83.1% to $748.5 million or $0.51 per diluted share on a GAAP basis, compared with net earnings of $408.9 million or $0.43 per diluted share in the comparable 2007 period. Adjusted earnings per share, which excludes $0.04 in amortization of intangible assets primarily related to acquisition activity, for the first quarter were $0.55, compared with $0.46 per share in the comparable 2007 period.
Tom Ryan, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of CVS Caremark, stated, 'I'm very pleased with our results for the quarter. We delivered strong revenue and margin growth across our businesses that led to earnings at the high end of our expectations. I'm most excited about the substantial progress we have made on our new integrated PBM/retail model, which is resonating strongly in the marketplace."
For the quarter, CVS Caremark opened 41 new retail pharmacy stores; closed 19 retail pharmacy stores, 2 mail order pharmacies and 1 specialty mail order pharmacy. In addition, the Company relocated 53 retail pharmacy stores and 1 specialty pharmacy store. As of March 29, 2008 the Company operated 6,267 retail pharmacy stores, 56 specialty pharmacy stores, 19 specialty mail order pharmacies and 7 mail order pharmacies in 44 states and the District of Columbia.