IT’S OFFICIAL: Walgreens is buying Rite Aid

http://www.businessinsider.com/its-official-walgreens-is-buying-rite-aid-2015-10

If the FTC allows this merger to happen that means that abt 60% of all chain pharmacy outlets will be controlled by TWO NAMES ! and abt 25% of all community pharmacies.  The possible real TROJAN HORSE is that both of these mega players will have  PBM’s (Prescription Benefit Managers) that controls what/how much  and when other pharmacies – their competitors – get paid for prescriptions filled at their competitors. The various PBM’s have been notorious on “dragging their feet” on reimbursing pharmacies at current cost of the medication that the pharmacy has to pay from the wholesaler. Ultimately being able to highly influence if a competitor is capable of making a profit and even just staying in business.  Just during 2015 the two major PBM’s ( Express Scripts & CVS Health) stopped paying for specialized compounded medications and new expensive LIFE SAVING MEDICATIONS. While all of these mergers talk about economy of scale… the result will could be poorer service at the store level and more denial of assess to certain medications or categories of medications.

Walgreens Boots Alliance just announced plans to buy Rite Aid Corp. for $9 per share.

That values Rite Aid at $9.4 billion. The deal is valued at $17.2 billion, including debt.

That’s a 48% premium to the closing price per share the day before the agreement was signed.

Rite Aid shares were up as much as 40% earlier Tuesday after news broke of a potential deal. In after-hours trading, shares were down about 6.92%.

“Our complementary retail-pharmacy footprints in the US will create an even better network, with more health and wellness solutions available in stores and online,” Walgreens CEO Stefano Pessina said in a statement.

He added: “Walgreens Boots Alliance will provide to Rite Aid its global expertise and resources to accelerate the delivery of integrated frontline care, and to offer innovative solutions for providers, payers, and other entities in the US healthcare system.”

He also said they would realize “synergies over time.”

Once they’re combined, the companies expect to cut over $1 billion in annual expenses.

Walgreens plans to finance the deal with cash by issuing new debt and assuming existing debt.

Citigroup is the sole adviser to Rite Aid. UBS is advising and arranging bridge financing for Walgreens.

Here’s the press release:

DEERFIELD, Ill. & CAMP HILL, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA) and Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Walgreens Boots Alliance will acquire all outstanding shares of Rite Aid, a U.S. retail pharmacy chain, for $9.00 per share in cash, for a total enterprise value of approximately $17.2 billion, including acquired net debt. The purchase price represents a premium of 48 percent to the closing price per share on 26 October 2015, the day before the agreement was signed. The combination of Walgreens Boots Alliance and Rite Aid creates a further opportunity to deliver a high-quality retail pharmacy choice for U.S. consumers in an evolving and increasingly personalized healthcare environment.

Walgreens Boots Alliance is highly focused on building a differentiated in-store experience for health, wellness and beauty, and this combination will help accelerate Rite Aid’s own efforts toward that end. Once the acquisition closes, Walgreens Boots Alliance plans to further transform Rite Aid’s stores to better meet consumer needs.

“Today’s announcement is another step in Walgreens Boots Alliance’s global development and continues our profitable growth strategy. In both mature and newer markets across the world, our approach is to advance and broaden the delivery of retail health, wellbeing and beauty products and services,” said Walgreens Boots Alliance Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Stefano Pessina. “This combination will further strengthen our commitment to making quality healthcare accessible to more customers and patients. Our complementary retail pharmacy footprints in the U.S. will create an even better network, with more health and wellness solutions available in stores and online. Walgreens Boots Alliance will provide to Rite Aid its global expertise and resources to accelerate the delivery of integrated frontline care, and to offer innovative solutions for providers, payers and other entities in the U.S. healthcare system. Finally, this combination will generate a stronger base for sustainable growth and investment into Rite Aid stores, while realizing synergies over time.”

“Joining together with Walgreens Boots Alliance will enhance our ability to meet the health and wellness needs of Rite Aid’s customers while also delivering significant value to our shareholders,” said Rite Aid Chairman and CEO John Standley. “This transaction is a testament to the hard work of all our associates to deliver a higher level of care to the patients and communities we serve. Together with Walgreens Boots Alliance, the Rite Aid team can continue to build upon this great work through access to increased capital that will enhance our store base and expand opportunities as part of the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise.”

The boards of directors of both companies have approved the transaction, which is subject to approval by the holders of Rite Aid’s common stock, the expiration or termination of applicable waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of calendar 2016.

The transaction is expected to be accretive to Walgreens Boots Alliance’s adjusted earnings per share in its first full year after completion. Additionally, Walgreens Boots Alliance expects to realize synergies in excess of $1 billion.

Upon completion of the merger, Rite Aid will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens Boots Alliance, and is expected to initially operate under its existing brand name. Working together, decisions will be made over time regarding the integration of the two companies, ultimately creating a fully harmonized portfolio of stores and infrastructure.

Walgreens Boots Alliance expects to finance the transaction through a combination of existing cash, assumption of existing Rite Aid debt and issuance of new debt.

Citi acted as Rite Aid’s exclusive financial adviser, with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP acting as its legal counsel on transaction legal matters and Jones Day acting as its legal counsel on antitrust regulatory matters.

UBS Investment Bank acted as Walgreens Boots Alliance’s financial adviser and provided a fairness opinion to the board of directors of Walgreens Boots Alliance, with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acting as its legal counsel on transaction legal matters and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acting as its legal counsel on antitrust regulatory matters. UBS Investment Bank will be the sole arranger on the bridge financing to Walgreens Boots Alliance.

Walgreens Boots Alliance will hold a one-hour conference call to discuss its fourth quarter results and today’s acquisition announcement beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow, 28 October 2015. 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 October 2015 through 4 November 2015, by calling 855-859-2056 within the USA and Canada, or 404-537-3406 outside the USA and Canada, using replay code 42212047.

 

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