Why are all the Walgreens closing?

Asked by: Antonia Skiles  |  Last update: March 15, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (60 votes)

The thinning of Walgreens locations has been in the works. Walgreens said in October 2024 it planned to close about 1,200 underperforming stores across the U.S. as a strategy to offset declining profits resulting from low drug reimbursement rates and sluggish retail sales.

Why is Walgreens in trouble?

The government's complaint alleges that, from approximately August 2012 through the present, Walgreens knowingly filled millions of prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, and/or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice.

What is the real reason Walgreens is closing?

Walgreens is closing more locations. Walgreens is closing approximately 1,200 locations as the drug store chain struggles to contend with online competitors and declining prescription drug payments. By 2027, about one in seven Walgreens currently open will close its doors.

Why are CVS and Walgreens closing?

Like many major retailers, America's largest pharmacy chains—Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS—are shutting down hundreds of stores nationwide as they navigate a storm of financial pressures, changing consumer behavior and intensified competition from e-commerce giants like Amazon.

Is Walgreens going to stay in business?

Walgreens announced in 2024 it would be closing about 1,200 stores across the U.S. as it struggles with slumping consumer spending. The company plans to close about 500 stores in fiscal 2025, which ends in August 2025.

Why Walgreens And CVS Are Shutting Down Thousands Of Stores

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Who is buying out Walgreens?

Walgreens is reportedly exploring selling itself to private equity firm Sycamore Partners. It might be the right decision for the company, some experts say.

Why is Walgreens losing so much money?

Walgreens said its quarterly loss includes costs “related to the footprint optimization program and an after-tax charge for fair value adjustments on variable prepaid forward derivatives related to the monetization” of its shares in the big drug distributor Cencora.

What stores are going out of business in 2024?

Retail closures were up 69% in 2024 when compared to last year, according to Coresight data reviewed by Newsweek.
  • Advance Auto Parts. ...
  • American Freight. ...
  • Big Lots. ...
  • Buybuy Baby. ...
  • CVS. ...
  • Denny's. ...
  • Family Dollar. ...
  • JOANN Inc.

Is Walgreens going to close down?

The thinning of Walgreens locations has been in the works. Walgreens said in October 2024 it planned to close about 1,200 underperforming stores across the U.S. as a strategy to offset declining profits resulting from low drug reimbursement rates and sluggish retail sales.

Why are pharmacies shutting down?

Changing consumer trends and market dynamics are leading to hundreds of pharmacy store closures in the U.S. Brick-and-mortar locations are losing to mail-order and digital options, according to a J.D. Power study of pharmacy customers.

What is the Walgreens scandal?

Walgreens settles allegations of fraudulent billing with DOJ. The Illinois-based pharmacy giant has agreed to pay almost $107 million to settle claims it billed Medicare, Medicaid and other government programs for prescriptions that were never dispensed.

Is CVS going out of business in 2024?

Your local CVS may be closing its doors for good. The drugstore chain is in the process of shuttering "roughly 300" locations across the country in 2024, a spokesperson confirmed to Good Housekeeping. That includes the dozens of pharmacies in Target stores.

Did Walmart buy Walgreens?

No. Walgreen's was founded by Charles Walgreen in the early 1900's. Walmart was founded by Sam Walton in the 1950's.

What is the best pharmacy to use?

Good Neighbor Pharmacy ranks highest among brick-and-mortar chain drug store pharmacies for an eighth consecutive year, with a score of 775. Good Neighbor received top scores in all study dimensions, including "level of trust with pharmacy." Health Mart (729) ranks second and Rite Aid Pharmacy ranks third (650).

Is Walgreens financially stable?

On Friday, Walgreens posted financial results that beat analyst expectations with revenue of $39.5 billion, up 7.5% year over year. Still, Walgreens reported a net loss of $265 million, larger than its $67 million loss same time last year, mainly due to costs stemming from ongoing store closures and asset sales.

What is Walgreens called now?

On December 31, 2014, Walgreens and Switzerland-based Alliance Boots merged to form a new holding company, Walgreens Boots Alliance. Walgreens became a subsidiary of the new company, which retained its Deerfield headquarters and trades on the Nasdaq under the symbol WBA. 1901, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Why is Walgreens falling?

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA 1.11%), better known as Walgreens, was one of the worst-performing stocks of 2024. Although the S&P 500 index rose by more than 20% for the year, Walgreens dropped by a staggering 64% due to consumer spending headwinds and poor performance from its primary care business efforts.

What is the controversy with Walgreens?

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on Friday accusing Walgreens of filling millions of unlawful opioid prescriptions. The civil suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Walgreen Boots Alliance, Walgreen Co.

Who is Walgreens merging with?

The new global enterprise combines Walgreens, the largest drugstore chain in the USA; Boots, the market leader in European retail pharmacy; and Alliance Healthcare, the leading international wholesaler and distributor.

Why is Walgreens closing locations?

The thinning of Walgreens locations has been in the works. Walgreens said in October 2024 it planned to close about 1,200 underperforming stores across the U.S. as a strategy to offset declining profits resulting from low drug reimbursement rates and sluggish retail sales.

Why are CVS closing stores?

CVS in 2021 announced plans to close 900 locations over three years, citing factors such as population shifts, consumer buying patterns, store density in communities, access to pharmacy services and future health needs.

Is Target closing stores in 2025?

Target is no stranger to adjusting its store footprint, and in 2025, it plans to close a few underperforming locations.

Why is Walgreens doing so poorly?

Walgreens shares are down more than 80% since the start of 2022 amid broad pressure on the business models of the pharmacy chains and a huge investment in primary care that has faced serious setbacks. In June, the company announced plans to close a large number of its U.S. retail stores.

Is CVS in trouble?

A CVS pharmacy shopping cart in Pinole, California, on July 18, 2023. The US Department of Justice announced a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing pharmacy chain CVS of filling illegal opioid prescriptions and billing federal health insurance programs, contributing to a nationwide epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose.

What is the future of Walgreens?

Walgreens Is Closing 1,200 Stores and Investors Should Expect Even More Big Moves in the Future. Its financials have been abysmal with the company often reporting a negative operating margin. Walgreens plans to close 1,200 stores over the next few years to reduce its expenses.