ab 27 June 2025 Global Research China Healthcare Expert call takeaways: JDH, a rising competitor in drug retail O2O Meituan: a clear leader in drug retail O2O We invited an ex-Meituan manager of the drug retail business to discuss the pharmaceutical retail O2O (online-to-offline, or quick-commerce) market. According to the expert, Meituan was one of the first to start the O2O business in 2013 and is now China's largest O2O provider owing to its delivery capability and dispatch system advantages. To expand o ...

Core Insights - Walgreens Boots Alliance reported a quarterly loss that was better than expected, with rising pharmacy sales indicating potential for financial recovery under new private equity ownership [2] - The acquisition by Sycamore Partners, valued at $10 billion, is anticipated to lead to significant cost-cutting measures [3] - Shareholder approval for the acquisition is scheduled for a special meeting on July 11, with no serious opposition reported [4] Financial Performance - In the fiscal third quarter, Walgreens reported a net loss of $175 million, or 20 cents per share, compared to a net income of $344 million, or 40 cents per share, in the same period last year [5] - Total sales increased by 7% to $39 billion in the third quarter [5] - The U.S. Healthcare segment generated $2.1 billion in sales, with an operating loss of $64 million, significantly improved from a $220 million loss in the previous year [6] Cash Flow and Cost Management - Analysts noted Walgreens' ability to generate positive free cash flow in the quarter, a significant improvement given recent negative trends [7] - The company is on track to meet its goal of closing 1,200 underperforming stores by fiscal 2027, having already closed over 400 stores in the first nine months of the fiscal year [8] Strategic Outlook - The transition to private ownership is viewed positively, allowing Walgreens to focus on long-term reinvention without the pressures of public market expectations [10] - The company aims to close 500 stores in the current fiscal year as part of its cost-saving initiatives [8]

Core Insights - The healthcare industry is transitioning towards decentralized, patient-centric care models, with home infusion and specialty pharmacy services emerging as key growth areas [1] - BrightSpring Health Services (BTSG) and Option Care Health (OPCH) are two notable players capitalizing on the demand for cost-effective, high-quality treatment options [1] BrightSpring Health Services (BTSG) - BTSG achieved a remarkable 33% year-over-year growth in its infusion and specialty pharmacy segment in Q1 2025, driven by a 20% increase in prescription volumes and the launch of 127 limited distribution drugs [2][6] - The company reported operational excellence with a dispense accuracy of 99.999%, 95% infusion satisfaction, and over 90% home health satisfaction [7] - Adjusted EBITDA improved by 28% in Q1, with Pharmacy Solutions contributing 31% growth, supported by rising script volumes and operational initiatives [8] - Management raised the 2025 revenue guidance to between $12.0 billion and $12.5 billion, with adjusted EBITDA projected to be between $570 million and $585 million, indicating a potential growth of up to 27% [9][10] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate suggests an 82.1% improvement in BTSG's 2025 earnings per share (EPS) compared to 2024 [14] Option Care Health (OPCH) - OPCH reported a 16% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1, with mid-teens growth in acute therapies and high-teens growth in chronic, rare, and orphan therapies [11] - The company is leveraging AI and robotic process automation (RPA) to enhance operational efficiency and margin expansion [12] - Adjusted EBITDA improved by 13.7% year-over-year, leading to an 8.4% EBITDA margin, while the company repurchased $100 million in stock in Q1 [13] - OPCH's full-year 2025 revenue guidance is set between $5.4 billion and $5.6 billion, with EBITDA projected at $455 million to $470 million [13] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a 36.6% improvement in OPCH's 2025 EPS over the previous fiscal year [16] Comparative Analysis - BTSG is trading at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.31X, above its one-year median of 0.25X, while OPCH is at 0.90X, below its 5-year median of 0.97X, indicating that BTSG is more attractively valued relative to its growth [17] - Recommendations suggest buying BTSG due to its faster revenue and EBITDA growth, while holding OPCH as it makes strategic advancements [18]

About this content About Emily Jarvie Emily began her career as a political journalist for Australian Community Media in Hobart, Tasmania. After she relocated to Toronto, Canada, she reported on business, legal, and scientific developments in the emerging psychedelics sector before joining Proactive in 2022. She brings a strong journalism background with her work featured in newspapers, magazines, and digital publications across Australia, Europe, and North America, including The Examiner, The Advocate, ...

The new center is located at the Chicago Baptist InstituteCHICAGO, June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) announced today the opening of its new Workforce Innovation and Talent Center (WITC) in Chicago. The center, situated at the Chicago Baptist Institute, will improve the community's access to workforce training services and provide every participant who completes the program an opportunity to apply for a position at CVS Health.The WITC will transform lives in the Chicago community, like th ...

Core Viewpoint - JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth maintains an Overweight rating on Chewy, Inc. with a price target of $36, anticipating positive financial results for Q1 FY25 and an upward revision of FY25 outlook [1][2] Financial Performance Expectations - Chewy is expected to report Q1 net sales guidance between $3.06 billion and $3.09 billion, with a full-year net sales outlook of $12.30 billion to $12.45 billion [1] - Adjusted EBITDA margins are projected to be between 5.4% and 5.7% for FY25, with a year-over-year increase of 59 basis points [5] Revenue Growth and Customer Dynamics - Anmuth forecasts net customer additions of 104,000 sequentially in Q1 FY25 and 421,000 year-over-year for the full year [3] - Over 80% of Chewy's sales come from Autoship customers, providing strong revenue visibility and unit economics [3] Profitability and Revenue Diversification - Chewy's profitability is supported by advertising, product mix, automation, scale, and cost control, with projected free cash flow of $524 million, reflecting a 16% year-over-year increase [5] - The company is diversifying revenue through high-margin segments such as pharmacy, which has reached $1 billion on a trailing twelve-month basis, and international expansion [2] Market Trends and Traffic Insights - Chewy's web traffic increased by 4% year-over-year in Q1, with signs of improvement noted in May, although this is a decrease from 13% growth in the previous quarter [4] - Anmuth estimates a 6% year-over-year net sales growth for Q1 and 3% for FY25, which he considers conservative [4]

Company and Industry Summary Company Overview - The company reported net sales of **$20.97 billion** for the month, representing an increase of **6.8%** from **$19.64 billion** in the same period last year [3] Sales Performance - Comparable sales results for the month were as follows: - **U.S.**: **4.1%** - **Canada**: **3.3%** - **Other International**: **6.6%** - **Total Company**: **4.3%** - **E-commerce**: **11.6%** [3] - When excluding impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange, comparable sales were: - **U.S.**: **5.5%** - **Canada**: **6.3%** - **Other International**: **8.4%** - **Total Company**: **6%** - **E-commerce**: **12%** [4] Traffic and Transaction Insights - Comparable traffic or frequency increased by **3.4%** worldwide and **2.8%** in the U.S. [4] - The average worldwide selling price per gallon of gas decreased by approximately **10.4%** year-over-year [5] - Average transaction value increased by **0.9%**, and when excluding gas deflation and foreign exchange, it was up **2.5%** [5] Regional Performance - Strongest comparable sales in the U.S. were observed in the **Northwest**, **Midwest**, and **Los Angeles** regions [6] - Internationally, the best results were in **Mexico**, **Taiwan**, and **Korea** [6] Merchandising Highlights - Foods and sundries showed positive mid to high single-digit growth, with strong performance in: - **Cooler** - **Candy** - **Frozen Foods** - Fresh foods increased by high single digits, particularly in: - **Meat** - **Bakery** - Non-foods also performed well with mid single-digit growth, especially in: - **Jewelry** - **Majors** - **Gift Cards** - Ancillary business sales declined by low to mid single digits, while pharmacy, optical, and hearing aid departments were top performers [7][8] Challenges and Risks - The negative impact of foreign currencies on total and comparable sales was approximately: - **Canada**: **-1.6%** - **Other International**: **-1.0%** - **Total Company**: **-0.4%** [5] - Gas price deflation negatively impacted total reported comparable sales by approximately **-1.3%** [5] - The negative impact of cannibalization was approximately **-70 basis points** for the company in May [6] Future Outlook - The upcoming June reporting period will include five weeks, starting from June 2 and ending July 6, compared to the previous year's five weeks from June 3 to July 7 [8]

Core Insights - PharmaCorp Rx Inc. reported a net income of $254,000 for Q1 2025, marking its first quarter of positive net income [2][3] - The company has entered into non-binding letters of intent to acquire four community pharmacies for approximately $12.5 million, aligning with its acquisition-driven growth strategy [5][6] Financial Performance - Same-store sales increased by 4.0% year-over-year compared to Q1 2024, indicating organic growth across the pharmacy network [3] - Total prescription volumes rose by 3.2% year-over-year, reflecting sustained patient engagement [4] Acquisition Strategy - The proposed acquisitions are expected to be accretive to earnings and will be funded through a combination of cash and common shares [5][6] - The completion of these acquisitions is subject to the execution of definitive agreements and customary conditions, with anticipated closings between June 30 and August 31, 2025 [7] Operational Outlook - The company remains committed to expanding its national footprint through strategic acquisitions and operational excellence [9] - Management expresses confidence that the momentum from Q1 results will continue to build in future quarters [3][9]

Core Points - CVS Health has reopened its South Main Street pharmacy in Hendersonville after being severely damaged by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, marking a significant milestone for the community [1][2][4] - The store features an expanded pharmacy, private consultation and vaccination area, improved in-store delivery pickup area, and updated layout, enhancing the customer experience [6] - CVS Health has committed over $1.5 million in support for communities affected by Hurricane Helene through grants and product donations [7] Company Overview - As of December 31, 2024, CVS Health operates more than 9,000 retail pharmacy locations and over 1,000 walk-in and primary care medical clinics, serving approximately 90 million pharmacy benefits plan members [9][10] - The company provides health insurance products and services, including Medicare Advantage offerings and a standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, aiming to improve access to quality care and lower overall costs [10]

Summary of Conference Call Company Overview - The conference call was led by Andrew Yoon, director of finance and investor relations, discussing sales results for the retail month of April, comparing it to the same period last year [1] Key Financial Metrics - Net sales for April reached $21.18 billion, marking a 7% increase from $19.8 billion in the previous year [2] - The month had one less shopping day compared to last year due to the shift in Easter, negatively impacting total and comparable sales by approximately 1.5% to 2% [2] Comparable Sales Performance - Reported comparable sales for April were as follows: - US: 5.2% - Canada: 1.5% - Other International: 3.2% - Total Company: 4.4% - E-commerce: 12.6% [3] - Comparable sales excluding impacts from gasoline prices and foreign exchange were: - Total Company: 6.7% - E-commerce: 13% [3] - Comp traffic increased by 4.2% worldwide and 5% in the US [3] Impact of External Factors - Foreign currency fluctuations negatively impacted total and comparable sales: - Canada: -1.6% - Other International: -2.5% - Total Company: -0.6% [3] - Gas price deflation negatively impacted total reported comparable sales by approximately -1.7%, with the average worldwide selling price per gallon down about 13.4% year-over-year [4] Regional Performance - Strongest comparable sales in the US were observed in the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast regions [5] - Internationally, the best results were seen in Mexico, Korea, and Taiwan [5] Merchandise Highlights - Foods and sundries showed positive high single-digit growth [5] - Better performing departments included: - Fresh foods: high single digits - Meat and bakery: strong performance - Non-foods: mid to high single digits, with jewelry, majors, and home furnishings performing well [6] - Ancillary business sales were down mid to high single digits, while pharmacy, optical, and food court were the top performers [7] Future Outlook - The May reporting period will cover the four weeks beginning May 5 and ending June 1, compared to the same period last year [7]