Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. announced financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2018, which ended 28 February 2018.
Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Stefano Pessina said, “Our growth strategy of increasing and consolidating volume, differentiating ourselves through value and quality of service, and controlling costs is bearing fruit across our businesses. This is reflected in another good set of financial results in which we delivered the highest sales growth in eight quarters, as well as strong cash generation and record U.S. pharmacy market share. We expect to continue to grow, in part through the recent acquisition of stores from Rite Aid, and today we are raising our fiscal 2018 guidance.”
Overview of Second Quarter Results
Fiscal 2018 second quarter net earnings attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance determined in accordance with GAAP increased 27.3 percent to $1.3 billion compared with the same quarter a year ago, while GAAP diluted net earnings per share increased 38.8 percent to $1.36 compared with the same quarter a year ago.
Adjusted fiscal 2018 second quarter net earnings attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance1 increased 16.6 percent to $1.7 billion, up 15.1 percent on a constant currency basis, compared with the same quarter a year ago. Adjusted diluted net earnings per share for the quarter increased 27.2 percent to $1.73, up 25.7 percent on a constant currency basis, compared with the same quarter a year ago.
Sales in the second quarter were $33.0 billion, an increase of 12.1 percent from the year-ago quarter, and an increase of 9.4 percent on a constant currency basis.
GAAP operating income in the second quarter was $2.0 billion, an increase of 33.9 percent from the same quarter a year ago. Adjusted operating income in the second quarter was $2.2 billion, an increase of 7.3 percent from the same quarter a year ago, and an increase of 5.9 percent on a constant currency basis.
GAAP net cash provided by operating activities was $2.2 billion in the second quarter, and free cash flow was $1.9 billion.
Overview of Fiscal 2018 Year-to-Date Results
For the first six months of fiscal 2018, net earnings attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance determined in accordance with GAAP increased 2.6 percent to $2.2 billion compared with the same period a year ago, while GAAP diluted net earnings per share increased 11.3 percent to $2.16 compared with the same period a year ago.
Adjusted net earnings attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance1 for the first six months of fiscal 2018 increased 12.7 percent to $3.0 billion, up 11.6 percent on a constant currency basis, compared with the same period a year ago. Adjusted diluted net earnings per share for the first six months of fiscal 2018 increased 22.4 percent to $3.01, up 21.1 percent on a constant currency basis, compared with the same period a year ago.
Sales in the first six months of fiscal 2018 were $63.8 billion, an increase of 10.0 percent from the same period a year ago, and an increase of 8.3 percent on a constant currency basis.
GAAP operating income in the first six months of fiscal 2018 was $3.3 billion, an increase of 12.9 percent from the same period a year ago. Adjusted operating income in the first six months of the fiscal year was $4.0 billion, an increase of 6.1 percent from the same period a year ago, and an increase of 5.2 percent on a constant currency basis.
GAAP net cash provided by operating activities was $3.2 billion in the first six months of fiscal 2018, and free cash flow was $2.5 billion.
Expected Impact of U.S. Tax Law Changes
The company’s GAAP effective tax rate was 27.4 percent in the second quarter and 25.4 percent in the first six months of fiscal 2018, compared with 19.0 percent and 18.2 percent for the second quarter and first six months of fiscal 2017, respectively.
The higher GAAP effective tax rates were primarily due to a provisional net discrete tax expense of $184 million as a result of the U.S. tax law changes enacted in December 2017. This expense is based on current estimates and is comprised of the accrual of a one-time transition tax partially offset by remeasurement of net U.S. deferred tax liabilities.
The company’s adjusted effective tax rate, calculated excluding income from the company’s equity investment in AmerisourceBergen Corporation, was 16.5 percent in the second quarter and 20.3 percent in the first six months of fiscal 2018, compared with 23.7 percent and 24.5 percent for the second quarter and first six months of fiscal 2017, respectively.
The lower adjusted effective tax rates were primarily due to the impact of the U.S. tax law changes.
Company Outlook
The company raised the lower and upper ends of its guidance for fiscal 2018 and now anticipates adjusted diluted net earnings per share of $5.85 to $6.05. This guidance assumes current exchange rates for the rest of the fiscal year and includes an expected benefit from the U.S. tax law changes that is marginally higher than the $0.35 per share upper end of the previously announced range. As previously announced, the company does not expect Rite Aid to significantly impact fiscal 2018 adjusted diluted net earnings per share. The company now expects to obtain a cash tax benefit from the U.S. tax law changes in excess of $350 million for fiscal year 2018, compared with the previous estimate, announced in January, of more than $200 million.
Second Quarter Business Division Highlights
Retail Pharmacy USA:
Retail Pharmacy USA had second quarter sales of $24.5 billion, an increase of 12.2 percent over the year-ago quarter. Sales in comparable stores increased 2.4 percent compared with the same quarter a year ago.
Pharmacy sales, which accounted for 70.3 percent of the division’s sales in the quarter, increased 18.7 percent compared with the year-ago quarter, primarily due to higher prescription volume including central specialty and mail following the formation of AllianceRx Walgreens Prime and from the acquisition of Rite Aid stores. Comparable pharmacy sales increased 5.1 percent, primarily due to higher volume. Reimbursement pressure and generics had a negative impact on comparable pharmacy sales growth, which was partially offset by brand inflation. The division filled 269.2 million prescriptions (including immunizations) adjusted to 30-day equivalents in the quarter, an increase of 9.1 percent over the year-ago quarter. Prescriptions filled in comparable stores increased 4.0 percent compared with the same quarter a year ago, primarily due to volume growth from previously announced strategic pharmacy partnerships and Medicare Part D growth. The division’s retail prescription market share on a 30-day adjusted basis in the second quarter increased approximately 100 basis points over the year-ago quarter to 21.4 percent, as reported by IQVIA (formerly IMS Health). This was the division’s highest reported quarterly retail prescription market share in the U.S.
Retail sales decreased 0.7 percent in the second quarter compared with the year-ago period. Comparable retail sales were down 2.7 percent in the quarter.
GAAP gross profit increased 6.7 percent compared with the same quarter a year ago and adjusted gross profit increased 6.6 percent. On an adjusted basis, pharmacy and retail gross profit both increased.
GAAP second quarter selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) as a percentage of sales decreased 1.9 percentage points compared with the year-ago quarter, primarily due to costs related to the cost transformation program in the year-ago quarter and to sales mix and higher prescription volume in the quarter. On an adjusted basis, SG&A as a percentage of sales decreased 0.9 percentage point in the same period, primarily due to sales mix and higher prescription volume.
GAAP operating income in the second quarter increased 25.2 percent from the year-ago quarter to $1.4 billion. Adjusted operating income in the second quarter increased 6.3 percent from the year-ago quarter to $1.6 billion.
As of the end of the second quarter the company had acquired 1,542 Rite Aid stores under the previously announced amended and restated asset purchase agreement. Since the end of the quarter the company completed the acquisition of all 1,932 stores. The transition of three distribution centers and related inventory is expected to begin during fiscal 2019.
The company continues to expect to complete integration of the acquired stores and related assets by the end of fiscal 2020, as previously announced.
As part of a program to optimize locations, the company continues to expect to close approximately 600 stores and related assets over an 18-month period, resulting in estimated pre-tax charges to the company’s GAAP financial results of approximately $450 million. This program commenced in March. Cost savings from the program are still anticipated to be approximately $300 million per year and are still expected to be fully delivered by the end of fiscal 2020.
Retail Pharmacy International:
Retail Pharmacy International had second quarter sales of $3.3 billion, an increase of 7.0 percent from the year-ago quarter due to currency translation. Sales decreased 2.6 percent on a constant currency basis.
On a constant currency basis, comparable store sales decreased 1.7 percent compared with the year-ago quarter. Comparable pharmacy sales increased 0.6 percent on a constant currency basis. Comparable retail sales decreased 2.8 percent on a constant currency basis mainly due to Boots UK.
GAAP gross profit increased 7.5 percent compared with the same quarter a year ago due to currency translation. On a constant currency basis, adjusted gross profit decreased 2.3 percent.
GAAP SG&A as a percentage of sales decreased 1.0 percentage point. Adjusted SG&A as a percentage of sales, on a constant currency basis, decreased 0.6 percentage point.
GAAP operating income in the second quarter increased 27.3 percent from the year-ago quarter to $252 million, while adjusted operating income increased 15.7 percent to $280 million, up 6.6 percent on a constant currency basis due to lower SG&A.
Pharmaceutical Wholesale:
Pharmaceutical Wholesale had second quarter sales of $5.8 billion, an increase of 14.4 percent from the year-ago quarter, mainly due to currency translation. On a constant currency basis, comparable sales increased 3.4 percent, which was behind the company’s estimate of market growth, weighted on the basis of country wholesale sales, due to challenging market conditions in certain continental European countries partially offset by strong performance in emerging markets.
GAAP operating income in the second quarter was $323 million, which included $202 million from the company’s equity earnings in AmerisourceBergen, compared with GAAP operating income of $165 million in the year-ago quarter, which included $42 million from the company’s equity earnings in AmerisourceBergen. Adjusted operating income increased 2.2 percent to $231 million, down 1.3 percent on a constant currency basis.
Conference Call
Walgreens Boots Alliance will hold a one-hour conference call to discuss the second quarter results beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time today, 28 March 2018. The conference call will be simulcast through the Walgreens Boots Alliance investor relations website at: http://investor.walgreensbootsalliance.com. A replay of the conference call will be archived on the website for 12 months after the call.
The replay also will be available from 11:30 a.m. Eastern time, 28 March 2018 through 4 April 2018, by calling +1 855 859 2056 within the U.S. and Canada, or +1 404 537 3406 outside the U.S. and Canada, using replay code 5439229.
1 Please see the “Supplemental Information (Unaudited) Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures” at the end of this press release for more detailed information regarding non-GAAP financial measures.
