In preparation for the launch of the Affordable Care Act, or better known as Obamacare, Walgreens Co has been making strategic purchases.
On Monday, Walgreens announced a long-term partnership with Theranos Inc to bring the latter's speedy lab testing in its healthcare outlets. The following day, the largest drug retailing chain in the US would be buying North Carolina drugstore chain Kerr Drug for an undisclosed amount.
However, Walgreens chief executive officer Greg Wasson had refuted the notion that the Kerr acquisition was not primarily because of Obamacare. "We are closely aligned on the important task of expanding the health care role that community pharmacists can have with their patients, and we share the common goal of stepping out of the traditional drugstore format to create a new experience for our customers," he explained.
Kerr, who had recorded over USD380 million in additional yearly sales, would be adding its speciality pharmacy business and 76 retail drugstores to the already massive Walgreen operation. Walgreen has over 8,100 drugstores across the US and Canada. In 2012, The Illinois-based company generated USD72 billion in sales.
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