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Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA)
NASDAQ:WBA
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Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) AI Stock Analysis

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WBA

Walgreens Boots Alliance

(NASDAQ:WBA)

Rating:55Neutral
Price Target:
$12.00
▲(0.17% Upside)
Walgreens Boots Alliance's overall score is influenced by its challenging financial performance and valuation concerns, though partially offset by positive technical indicators and the strategic potential of the Sycamore acquisition. The merger is the most significant factor, offering a potential pathway to improved operational efficiency and market positioning.
Positive Factors
Healthcare profitability
US Healthcare's profitability improved significantly, driven by contributions from VillageMD and Shields.
International growth
International was led by strengthened momentum in Germany and especially Boots, growing 6.8% and 5% respectively.
Private equity acquisition
A private equity takeover could provide WBA with additional flexibility to address operational challenges in the private market.
Negative Factors
Cash flow and debt concerns
There are concerns about WBA's lack of cash flow and upcoming debt challenges, which could complicate a potential deal.
Competitive market
CVS has been gaining share vs. the market, including WBA, for a few years.
Revenue challenges
Overall the revenue remains challenged, with store closings driving a total (5.3)% decline.

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Walgreens Boots Alliance Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionWalgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. operates as a pharmacy-led health and beauty retail company. It operates through two segments, the United States and International. The United States segment sells prescription drugs and an assortment of retail products, including health, wellness, beauty, personal care, consumable, and general merchandise products through its retail drugstores. It also provides central specialty pharmacy services and mail services. As of August 31, 2021, this segment operated 8,965 retail stores under the Walgreens and Duane Reade brands in the United States; and five specialty pharmacies. The International segment sells prescription drugs; and health and wellness, beauty, personal care, and other consumer products through its pharmacy-led health and beauty retail stores and optical practices, as well as through boots.com and an integrated mobile application. It also engages in pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution business in Germany. As of August 31, 2021, this segment operated 4,031 retail stores under the Boots, Benavides, and Ahumada in the United Kingdom, Thailand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Chile; and 548 optical practices, including 160 on a franchise basis. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. was founded in 1901 and is based in Deerfield, Illinois.
How the Company Makes MoneyWalgreens Boots Alliance generates revenue through multiple key streams. The primary revenue source is the sale of prescription drugs, which is driven by customer demand and the number of prescriptions filled. Additionally, the company earns revenue from the sale of over-the-counter products and beauty products across its retail stores. The retail pharmacy segments also benefit from health services, which contribute to in-store traffic and additional sales. Furthermore, WBA's Pharmaceutical Wholesale segment generates revenue by distributing pharmaceutical products to healthcare providers and pharmacies. Strategic partnerships with healthcare providers, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical manufacturers enhance its supply chain and revenue opportunities. The company also leverages its loyalty programs and digital platforms to drive customer engagement and repeat business, impacting overall earnings positively.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Gross Margin by Segment
Gross Margin by Segment
Shows the percentage of revenue remaining after cost of goods sold for each segment, indicating pricing power and cost efficiency across the company’s diverse operations.
Chart InsightsWalgreens Boots Alliance is experiencing divergent trends across its segments. The US Retail Pharmacy segment is facing a persistent decline in gross margins, highlighting ongoing challenges in this area. Conversely, the US Healthcare segment is showing a positive turnaround, with margins improving significantly since 2022, suggesting successful strategic adjustments. The International segment remains relatively stable, but with slight fluctuations. Investors should watch for further developments in the US Healthcare segment, as its continued improvement could offset weaknesses in retail pharmacy operations.
Data provided by:Main Street Data

Walgreens Boots Alliance Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Apr 08, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 09, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call highlights growth across pharmacy and international segments, along with successful cost management initiatives and improved free cash flow. However, these positives are balanced by challenges in retail sales, decreased adjusted EPS, and market difficulties.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Increased Sales Across Segments
Sales increased 6.9% on a constant currency basis with growth across all segments. Pharmacy comp sales increased 12.7% driven by brand inflation and script volume.
Successful Store Closure Strategy
The footprint optimization program is exceeding historical script retention rates, with the company on track to close nearly 500 locations during fiscal year 2025.
Improved Free Cash Flow
Free cash flow improved year-over-year, benefiting from decreased capital expenditures and higher adjusted operating income, excluding sale leaseback impacts.
International and Healthcare Segment Growth
Boots UK comp retail sales increased 8.1%, and US Healthcare sales grew by 12% compared to the prior year quarter.
Negative Updates
Decline in US Retail Sales
US retail comparable sales declined 4.6% in the quarter, driven by a weaker cold and flu season and challenging consumer discretionary spending.
Decreased Adjusted EPS
Adjusted EPS of $0.51 declined 23% year over year due to prior year sale leaseback gains and lower Syncora equity income.
Continued Market Challenges
The consumer market remains difficult, with promotional environments and channel-shifting impacting sales, especially in discretionary categories.
Company Guidance
In the recent Walgreens Boots Alliance earnings call for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, guidance highlighted several key metrics and strategic moves. The company reported a 6.9% increase in sales on a constant currency basis, with adjusted EPS of $0.51, albeit a 23% decline year-over-year due to prior year sale leaseback gains and lower Syncora equity income. The US pharmacy sector saw a 12.7% rise in comparable sales, driven by brand inflation and script volume, while retail sales declined due to a weaker cough, cold, and flu season. The company is addressing these challenges through a store footprint optimization program, expecting to close about 450 stores by the end of the year, with a projected $100 million AOI benefit. Efforts to improve pharmacy operations include enhanced micro-fulfillment centers, currently serving approximately 4,800 stores, which have increased shipped volumes by 23% and reduced costs by 13%. Walgreens continues to focus on employee scheduling optimization and procurement improvements with Syncora to stabilize costs. Despite a challenging retail environment, the company reaffirms its adjusted EPS guidance of $1.40 to $1.80 for fiscal 2025, citing progress in contractual negotiations and operational efficiencies.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Walgreens Boots Alliance faces significant financial challenges, with negative net margins and high leverage. Although there is revenue growth, the company struggles with profitability and consistent cash flow, indicating a need for strategic adjustments.
Income Statement
35
Negative
Walgreens Boots Alliance's income statement presents several challenges. Although revenues have been increasing annually, the company is experiencing negative EBIT and EBITDA, indicating operating inefficiencies or high expenses. The net profit margin is negative due to substantial net losses, raising concerns about sustainability and profitability.
Balance Sheet
40
Negative
The balance sheet shows a company with high leverage, as evidenced by a significant debt-to-equity ratio. Stockholders' equity has decreased over the years, which may limit financial flexibility. While the equity ratio is declining, it remains positive, suggesting some capacity to meet obligations, but overall financial stability is weakening.
Cash Flow
45
Neutral
Walgreens Boots Alliance's cash flow statement highlights some positive aspects, with a significant increase in operating cash flow in the most recent period. However, free cash flow has been inconsistent, and cash flow ratios indicate challenges in translating net income into cash. The company's ability to generate consistent free cash flow is a concern.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue154.58B147.66B139.08B132.70B132.51B121.98B
Gross Profit26.47B26.52B27.07B28.27B28.07B26.08B
EBITDA-3.36B-11.28B3.48B4.96B5.96B2.84B
Net Income-6.30B-8.64B-3.08B4.34B2.54B456.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets69.41B81.04B96.63B90.12B81.28B87.17B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments830.00M3.11B739.00M2.47B1.19B516.00M
Total Debt29.03B32.85B33.53B35.48B33.39B40.14B
Total Liabilities62.09B68.86B68.14B59.72B57.46B66.04B
Stockholders Equity7.18B10.45B20.02B29.37B23.82B21.14B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow580.00M-363.00M141.00M2.17B4.18B4.11B
Operating Cash Flow1.58B1.02B2.26B3.90B5.55B5.48B
Investing Cash Flow1.03B1.88B-3.09B-1.06B4.07B-1.30B
Financing Cash Flow-2.41B-538.00M-887.00M-1.50B-9.04B-4.65B

Walgreens Boots Alliance Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price11.98
Price Trends
50DMA
11.66
Positive
100DMA
11.38
Positive
200DMA
10.80
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.11
Positive
RSI
58.00
Neutral
STOCH
25.35
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For WBA, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 11.98 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 11.92, above the 50-day MA of 11.66, and above the 200-day MA of 10.80, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.11 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 58.00 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 25.35 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for WBA.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Risk Analysis

Walgreens Boots Alliance disclosed 52 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Walgreens Boots Alliance reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Walgreens Boots Alliance Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (51)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
78
Outperform
$14.70B35.735.15%6.88%21.11%
78
Outperform
$11.54B9.6918.66%0.44%9.61%39.65%
74
Outperform
$10.58B28.6210.81%2.61%5.15%412.41%
59
Neutral
$12.14B-19.77%4.61%-7.47%-438.39%
55
Neutral
$10.32B-60.49%8.35%6.22%-8.21%
51
Neutral
$7.83B-0.18-40.10%2.29%21.46%-2.03%
48
Neutral
$8.09B1.93-15.84%-85.32%-111.82%
* Healthcare Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
WBA
Walgreens Boots Alliance
11.98
2.88
31.65%
COO
Cooper Co
74.10
-20.44
-21.62%
VTRS
Viatris
10.42
-0.93
-8.19%
QGEN
Qiagen
47.99
2.42
5.31%
UHS
Universal Health
182.41
-53.47
-22.67%
ROIV
Roivant Sciences
11.99
>-0.01
-0.08%

Walgreens Boots Alliance Corporate Events

Delistings and Listing ChangesM&A TransactionsShareholder Meetings
Walgreens Boots Alliance Shareholders Approve Sycamore Acquisition
Positive
Jul 11, 2025

On July 11, 2025, Walgreens Boots Alliance announced that its shareholders approved the acquisition by Sycamore Partners Management, L.P., with approximately 96% of votes in favor. The merger will result in Walgreens Boots Alliance becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Sycamore, ceasing to be publicly traded. The transaction is expected to close in the third or fourth quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals. This merger aims to enhance Walgreens’ turnaround strategy and strengthen its position in the pharmacy, retail, and health services sectors.

The most recent analyst rating on (WBA) stock is a Buy with a $16.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Walgreens Boots Alliance stock, see the WBA Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jul 12, 2025