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Rite Aid Reports 0.9 Percent Same Store Sales Decrease for September

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^{Published in Stocks and Investing on Thursday, September 30th 2010 at 5:36 GMT by Market Wire}  

CAMP HILL, Pa.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD) today announced sales results for September.

Monthly Sales
For the four weeks ended September 25, 2010, same store sales decreased 0.9 percent over the prior-year period. September front-end same store sales decreased 0.3 percent while pharmacy same store sales, which included an approximate 233 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, declined 1.2 percent. Prescriptions filled at comparable stores decreased 1.3 percent over the prior-year period.

Total drugstore sales for the four-week period decreased 2.0 percent to $1.901 billion compared to $1.941 billion for the same period last year. Prescription revenue accounted for 68.5 percent of drugstore sales, and third party prescription revenue represented 96.2 percent of pharmacy sales.

Year-to-Date Sales
Same store sales for the 30-week period ended September 25, 2010 decreased 1.2 percent over the prior-year period. Front-end same store sales were down 1.0 percent while pharmacy same store sales decreased 1.3 percent. Prescriptions filled at comparable stores decreased 1.8 percent over the prior-year period.

Total drugstore sales for the 30 weeks ended September 25, 2010 decreased 2.3 percent to $14.407 billion compared to $14.743 billion in last yeara™s like period. Prescription revenue represented 68.2 percent of total drugstore sales, and third party prescription revenue was 96.2 percent of pharmacy sales.

Rite Aid is one of the nationa™s largest drugstore chains. On September 25, 2010, the company operated 4,742 stores compared to 4,809 stores in the like period a year ago. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the companya™s website at [ http://www.riteaid.com ].