About this content About Josh Lamb After graduating from the University of Kent in the summer of 2022 with a degree in History, Josh joined Proactive later that year as a journalist in the UK editorial team. Josh has reported on a range of areas whilst at Proactive, including energy companies during a time of global crisis, aviation and airlines as the sector recovers from the pandemic, as well as covering economic, social and governance issues. Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and ...

 Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) was last seen up 7.1% at $10.99, amid news the embattled drugstore giant is nearing a $10 billion deal with private equity firm Sycamore Partners that would take it private, possibly as soon as Thursday. Per the Wall Street Journal, the firm would keep the core U.S. retail business and sell off or take public other parts of the company. Since the start of 2025, WBA is up 17.8%, cutting into its now 46.6% year-over-year deficit. The stock's record high of $97.30 was ...

Core Viewpoint - Walgreens is nearing a $10 billion deal to go private, which has resulted in an increase in its stock price [1] Group 1: Company Overview - The potential deal indicates a significant shift in Walgreens' strategy, moving towards privatization [1] - The stock price of Walgreens has risen in response to the news of the impending deal [1] Group 2: Financial Implications - The deal is valued at approximately $10 billion, highlighting the scale of the transaction [1] - The privatization could lead to changes in operational focus and financial restructuring for Walgreens [1]

Group 1 - Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. is nearing a $10 billion deal to sell itself to Sycamore Partners, a private-equity firm [1] - The deal would result in Walgreens being taken private and likely broken up [1] - The potential announcement of the deal could occur as soon as Thursday [1]

Group 1: Logitech International SA (LOGI) - LOGI shares are down 2.9%, trading at $98.24, following a downgrade to "underperform" from "neutral" by BofA Global Research due to recent struggles and tariff threats [1][2] - The stock recently attempted to break its three-year high of $105.65 but closed below its 20-day moving average for the first time since January, despite an 18.8% increase so far in 2025 [2] - Options traders are showing bullish sentiment with a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 31.05, which is higher than 98% of annual readings [3] Group 2: Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA) - WBA shares are down 3.8%, trading at $10.81, following a downgrade to "sell" from "hold" by Deutsche Bank due to high uncertainty, and the stock has a year-over-year deficit of 49.7% [1][3] - Despite a 15.5% year-to-date gain, WBA has faced overhead pressure at the $12 level, capping rallies since late January [3] - Options activity is notably bullish, with 28,000 calls traded, which is double the intraday average volume, compared to only 5,051 puts [4]

Company Performance - Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) ended the recent trading session at $11.23, showing a +1.72% increase from the previous day's closing price, outperforming the S&P 500 which fell by 1.59% [1] - Over the past month, WBA shares have decreased by 1.87%, underperforming the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 0.87% and the S&P 500's loss of 2.23% [2] Upcoming Earnings - The upcoming earnings release is highly anticipated, with projected EPS at $0.53, indicating a significant 55.83% decline compared to the same quarter last year. Revenue is expected to reach $38.07 billion, reflecting a 2.75% increase year-over-year [3] - For the full year, analysts expect earnings of $1.60 per share and revenue of $151.57 billion, representing changes of -44.44% and +2.65% respectively from the previous year [4] Analyst Estimates - Recent changes to analyst estimates suggest a positive outlook for WBA, with upward revisions indicating confidence in the company's performance and profit potential [5] - The Zacks Rank system, which assesses estimate changes, currently ranks WBA at 2 (Buy), with a 0.76% upward shift in the consensus EPS estimate over the past month [7] Valuation Metrics - WBA has a Forward P/E ratio of 6.9, which is higher than the industry average Forward P/E of 5.93, indicating a premium valuation [8] - The company has a PEG ratio of 1.38, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 0.83, suggesting that WBA's valuation considers its expected earnings growth [9] Industry Context - The Retail - Pharmacies and Drug Stores industry, part of the Retail-Wholesale sector, holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 3, placing it in the top 2% of over 250 industries, indicating strong performance potential [10]

Core Viewpoint - Walgreens Boots Alliance shares experienced a notable increase due to news of a potential buyout by Sycamore Partners, despite broader market declines [1][3]. Group 1: Buyout Proposal - Sycamore Partners is proposing to split Walgreens into three separate entities: the main Walgreens pharmacy in the U.S., Boots pharmacy in the U.K., and specialty pharmaceutical unit Shields Health Solutions [2]. - Sycamore Partners appears to have secured the necessary financing for the proposed buyout [2]. Group 2: Market Reaction - Walgreens shares rose by as much as 7.3% before settling at a 2.2% gain, indicating a positive market reaction to the buyout rumors [1]. - Previous rumors of a buyout in December led to a spike in shares, but they retreated due to market volatility and lack of follow-through [3]. Group 3: Investment Considerations - Investors are cautioned against buying solely based on the potential buyout, as talks may not materialize [4]. - It is suggested that investors should consider the stabilization of Walgreens' earnings and the effectiveness of the turnaround plan under new CEO Tim Wentworth, who took over in late 2023 [4].

Core Viewpoint - Rosen Law Firm is reminding investors who purchased Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. common stock between April 2, 2020, and January 16, 2025, of the March 31, 2025, lead plaintiff deadline for a class action lawsuit [1] Group 1: Class Action Details - Investors who bought Walgreens common stock during the specified Class Period may be entitled to compensation without any out-of-pocket fees through a contingency fee arrangement [2] - A class action lawsuit has already been filed, and interested parties can join by contacting Rosen Law Firm [3][6] - The lead plaintiff must file a motion with the Court by March 31, 2025, to represent other class members in the litigation [3] Group 2: Law Firm Credentials - Rosen Law Firm emphasizes the importance of selecting qualified counsel with a successful track record in securities class actions, highlighting its own achievements in this area [4] - The firm has secured significant settlements for investors, including over $438 million in 2019 and has been ranked highly in securities class action settlements since 2013 [4] Group 3: Case Allegations - The lawsuit alleges that Walgreens failed to disclose widespread violations of federal law regarding prescription medication dispensation and reimbursement during the Class Period [5] - It is claimed that Walgreens' conduct posed a risk of regulatory scrutiny, civil liability, and reputational harm, and that its revenue from prescription sales was unsustainable due to unlawful practices [5] - The lawsuit asserts that Walgreens' public statements were materially false and misleading, leading to investor damages when the truth was revealed [5]

Core Viewpoint - Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. is facing a class action lawsuit for alleged violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, with claims of misleading statements and unlawful conduct regarding prescription medication dispensing [1][3][4] Summary by Sections Class Action Lawsuit Details - The class action lawsuit is titled Klein v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., and covers stock purchases made between April 2, 2020, and January 16, 2025 [1] - Investors have until March 31, 2025, to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit [1] Allegations Against Walgreens - The lawsuit alleges that Walgreens made false statements and failed to disclose ongoing violations of federal laws related to prescription medication [3] - Specific allegations include the dispensing of unlawful prescriptions and seeking reimbursement from federal health care programs, which led to a significant drop in stock price following the announcement of a civil complaint by the U.S. Department of Justice [4] Impact on Stock Price - Following the DOJ's announcement on January 17, 2025, Walgreens' stock price fell by more than 12% over two trading sessions [4] Lead Plaintiff Process - The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 allows any investor who purchased Walgreens stock during the class period to seek lead plaintiff status, which involves directing the lawsuit on behalf of all class members [5] About Robbins Geller - Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is a leading law firm in securities fraud cases, having recovered $6.6 billion for investors in class action cases, significantly more than any other firm in the last four years [6]

Core Insights - Grubhub has partnered with Walgreens to offer on-demand delivery of 15,000 everyday essential items from Walgreens and Duane Reade locations nationwide [1][2][3] - The collaboration aims to enhance customer experience by broadening access to convenience items, with data indicating that customers who shop from convenience merchants on Grubhub order nearly three times more per month than those who do not [2][3] - Walgreens and Duane Reade are now part of Grubhub+, Grubhub's loyalty program, providing members with benefits such as $0 delivery fees and exclusive offers [3][7] Company Overview - Grubhub is a leading U.S. ordering and delivery marketplace, connecting customers with local restaurants and convenience retailers, featuring 375,000 merchants across over 4,000 U.S. cities [4] - Walgreens, founded in 1901, serves nearly 9 million customers daily through approximately 8,500 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, employing around 220,000 team members [5][6] - Walgreens is part of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., which integrates healthcare, pharmacy, and retail services, with pharmacists playing a crucial role in patient care [6]