Rite Aid Corporation announced sales results for the month and year-to-date ended December 28, 2013. For the month, same store sales increased 2.9% over the prior-year period. December front-end same store sales increased 1.0%. Pharmacy same store sales, which included an approximate 102 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, increased 4.1%. Prescription count at comparable stores decreased 2.0% over the prior-year period, driven by a decrease in flu-related prescriptions and flu shots. Total drugstore sales for the four-week period increased 2.7% to $2.109 billion compared to $2.054 billion for the same period last year. Prescription sales accounted for 63.6% of drugstore sales, and third party prescription sales represented 97.2% of pharmacy sales.

For the year-to-date, same store sales increased 0.5% over the prior-year period. Front-end same store sales increased 0.1% over the prior-year period while pharmacy same store sales increased 0.7%. Prescription count at comparable stores was flat compared to the prior-year period. Total drugstore sales increased 0.2% with sales of $20.953 billion compared to $20.913 billion for the same period last year. Prescription sales represented 67.5% of total drugstore sales, and third party prescription sales represented 97.1% of pharmacy sales.