Walgreens $4.38B Rite Aid Buy Clears Regulatory Hurdles

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Regulators have cleared Walgreens to buy 1,932 stores from Rite Aid for $4.38 billion. The acquisition increases Walgreen’s U.S. footprint, although it is 254 fewer stores than it originally planned to buy. The deal is expected to improve Walgreens leverage to buy drugs at reduced costs.

The Deerfield, IL-based drugstore chain is also planning to buy Rite Aid’s three distribution centers located in Dayville, CT, Philadelphia, and Spartanburg, SC. Store purchases are expected to begin next month, and be wrapped up in spring 2018.

Walgreens had struck a deal in July to buy 2,186 Rite Aid stores for $5.18 billion, which came after a failed attempt to take over the nearly 4,600-store chain. The retailer expects to realize roughly $300 million in annual synergies from the deal.

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About Dennis Kaiser

Dennis Kaiser is Vice President of Public Relations and Communications for Connect Creative. Dennis is a communications leader with more than 40 years of experience including as a journalist and in corporate and agency marketing communications roles. He is responsible for Connect Creative’s agency client services and is involved in a range of initiatives ranging from public relations and content strategy, communications and message development, copywriting, media relations, social media and content marketing services. Prior to joining Connect Media in 2015, his most recent corporate communications roles involved leading a regional public relations effort across Southern California for CBRE, playing a key marketing role on JLL’s national retail team, and directing the global public relations effort at ValleyCrest (BrightView), the nation’s largest commercial landscape services company. He has worked on marketing communications assignments for such CRE companies as Blackstone/Equity Office, Carlyle, Caruso, Disney Resorts, GE Capital, Irvine Company, Hines, Howard Hughes Corp., Jeffries, Lennar, MGM, Marcus & Millichap, Prologis, Raleigh Studios, Simon, Starwood, Trammell Crow Company, Transamerica, UBS and Wynn Resorts. Dennis has also worked on communications and launch strategies for a number of consumer electronic, media and tech brands including SlingMedia, Channel Master, Deluxe Media Entertainment, BeIn Sports, EchoStar and Sprint. Dennis’s agency background included firms such as Off Madison Ave., Idea Hall and Macy + Associates. He has earned an outstanding reputation with organization leaders as a trusted advisor, strategic program implementer, consensus builder and exceptional collaborator. Dennis has developed and managed national communications programs for Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, both public and private. He’s successfully worked with journalists across the globe representing clients involved in major-breaking news stories, product launches, media tours, and company news announcements. Dennis has been involved in a host of charitable and community organizations including the American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, Boy Scouts, Chrysalis Foundation, Freedom For Life, HOLA, L.A.’s BEST, Reach Out and Read, Super Bowl Host Committee, and the Thunderbirds Charities.

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Walgreens $4.38B Rite Aid Buy Clears Regulatory Hurdles

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Walgreens $4.38B Rite Aid Buy Clears Regulatory Hurdles

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