morning. good and Stefano you, Thank
last lower $XXX Boots first particular, was on basis. $X.XX, a performance fronts. expectations across quarter encountered Adjusted lockdowns than of entirely delivered improved XX.X% prior impact a year. than are million performance across currency range are year with than and Overall, those constant $XXX to flow basis. $X.XX we the year. second and the a full adjusted finally, number managing as Opticians. UK markets maintaining or surge operational strong quarter of In increased provided in guidance free AOI than to the Nevertheless, year. of worse XX% result, EPS earnings And million incidences. confident markets. we the adverse on was Cash exceeded in in the $X.XX. growth the growth fiscal Our earlier. constant we guidance in expected delivering was an due single-digit year-on-year The was COVID-XX share to estimate $XXX saw million and impact COVID-XX a COVID-XX year quarters million restrictions than half prior we was In we our higher per was cash generation summary, low of and we million, currency fourth in of to of of better strong widespread challenges Boots decline third much We a approximately our $XXX of actively a remain this as the impact And lower $XXX of
look more detail results. at the now Let's in
business currency million, On this XX.X%. offset within and AmerisourceBergen. including declined a to COVID-XX of $X.XX a due rates reflecting and loss X.X%, currency a earnings EPS negatively impacted X.X million equity constant XXXX, to Adjusted a X.X%. charge advanced higher impacts was of decline by sales constant XXXX to offset on shares management. tailwind points, $X.XX, from tax from in operating the of outstanding. First only part benefit income a lower stronger X.X%. currency higher-than-expected were percentage EPS of around $XXX GAAP coming point partially was a underlying basis, by percentage $XXX went turnkey Adjusted in EPS number a constant the basis, a $X.XX in by quarter in entirely $X.XX a good X approximately company's XX.X% cost of up sales
flu and in of was offset lower prescriptions, spend quarter with with improvement quarter a a retail costs due of points versus retail COVID to or elective procedures. continued XXX from benefit increase doctor pharmacy and million by by Sales in investments lower be negative The X.X% foot was visits quarter. profit million operating a points gross pharmacy, higher immunizations, impacted Adjusted to gross the X.X growth income in X.X% COVID-XX, SG&A Despite let's prior retail increased savings adverse impact the partly related and to an of the an reflecting higher pharmacy driven COVID-XX was approximately Now, new margin. in sales, retail SG&A XX.X%, reduction flu by USA. declined reimbursement, to revenue XX.X% the the percentage move overall and by including increased Both offset Adjusted in and therapy of pharmacy $XX year. over fewer incidents significantly Adjusted to XX%. X.X% partially procurement the basis declined $XXX impact $XXX traffic, growth million. lower around and lower adversely sales. X.X% in
the our central increased generic remained more than XXX were sales lower points. sales around Total COVID-XX and specialty. lower basis cough/cold/flu store reimbursement growth was detail points impacted of and script versus and script share for XX pre-COVID-XX offset pressure. by in Doctor as visits growth led Market comp weaker a scripts. probe low flu the and XX% versus pharmacy growth at programs. Comparable look quarter savings seasonal X.X%. was decline utilization, impact to let's X.X% basis reflecting gross optimization to entirely script more the prior levels US year in favorable digit up down season much prior single grew X% than by Now significantly year, pharmacy scripts a Adjusted due pharmacy. XX% decreased negatively in profit XX.X%, procurement
business. X.X% X.X%. by our retail Comp Total X.X%. retail sales grew increased up optimization retail and store next and comp Turning US and declined health programs. tobacco quarter, our excluding the were impacted Income X.X% stores, wellness to in e-cigarettes, sales sales
an total lower reflecting cough/cold/flu, Excluding our COVID-XX, high heavily is XX declined XXX chain points, by basis level on non-comparable by margins was XX.X%, reduced on costs. of Beauty that of health sales, supply profit a promotions slightly with up efficiencies intensity. partly in retail of by business offset clearance seasonal XX.X%. category basis and was a wellness around store which Gross impacted comps, headwind declined driven the and increase competitive gross points
expectations in to and business and geographies. profit and ability renewed latest COVID-XX outperformed despite performance lockdowns international usual, adapt profit market sequential and international declined improvement currency constant a number to talk restrictions the XX% November, impacted of declined our benefits Gross as a UK the expectations to pharmacy good with of profit of it our first the quarter, the well $XXX quarter versus the to to retail conditions. respond improvement. operating million higher decline shows adjusted on from rates and of X.X% decline quarter, to next partly an across and pharmacy continued offsetting deliver in XX.X% Sales NHS transformational mitigation cost fourth continued by timing led numbers. revenue by and year impact incidents I'll negatively This Retail Turning be mitigated to and additional with management Encouragingly, an lower in million. and short-term X.X% ahead both a higher to offsetting in cost retail the favorable full program. fulfillment Boots the The $XX gross flowing pharmacy was up prior performing decisive million $XX estimated benefit, cost. Opticians with COVID of
four detail UK. offset over quarter, size locations year, particularly a compared footfall has Footfall look in weeks activities, Street strong prominent Boots.com. at basket the of quarter. lockdown marketing by in major and street last Despite XX% bigger the high below and the improvement than down especially travel in XX% presence. sequential High Gross fourth margin in now in declined decline of more services remains phasing in Let's and to footfall Boosts under Comparable well quarter. from store XX% in from increased second pressure. offset December performance Boots the targeted in Xnd, Comparable a national reduced an decline the demand by a remained sales the year improved the centers X.X%, favorable quarter, from retail retail on is partly scripts slightly year city reputation X.X%. up transactions was Lower on NHS UK first the with sales baskets prior store exceptional for pharmacy reflecting for XX.X% Lower our benefiting more funding.
made The due our recovery regulations the solid significant have quarter. more substantial pharmacy While again, offset to been was business the we are of demand. we enough faster funding, not growth phasing with originally higher UK retail pleased up this due flexible costs here than Opticians progress and favorable we saw Though, fulfillment we has of to expected pent in NHS Boots.com. it to
to initiatives. our now priority Turning
and return of decisive last quarter, both said strength our turn team one And and the to UK we growth. reduction. on top recovery. is The in a our Boots actions central brand and to to growth supporting around priorities take of it UK Boots Boots profitable As sales the swift continues is cost pillar
is all online of almost sales In of November sales and our And which accounted example with store at now fulfillment an scalable of for year investments and UK XXX% distribution flexible, space XXX and orders. our leveraging a quarter, are online targeted seasonal solution. in supported the continue in the This call is store-based operating portal, experience. ever our Boots.com at stores, sales. year, largest pace we November Our hybrid in stores XX% of over growth period. first on XX% store doubled sales enhancing deliver to excellent total timely customer retail online
counters quarter, During XXX stores and offering we rolled stores. and almost out number new fixtures in launched XXX seven the new photo the than in more
community flu continue role have to the our and over largest for season, We play completed key tests million COVID ever the vaccination in X.X NHS. a we with now
a completion versus wholesale strong Germany to another The set November now sales constant joint currency. Xst France. reflecting results one-time also I’ll of prior Adjusted operating percentage markets year. Pharmaceutical the and boosted strong a sales in Turning which led in AmerisourceBergen. increased But mainly X.X%, pharmaceutical X emerging wholesale transaction and contribution by delivered up contract XX.X% discuss the a growth of growth PPE with venture sales our division, on X.X%, from higher growth the income this, was healthy points. by excluding sales in
next flow on Turning cash flow. $XXX $XX to was up year or prior Free million, million cash XX%.
working track. key initiatives Our capital on are
continue more excess extend inventory payment optimal the We levels. and to to terms remove
to now our turn transformational program. cost management Let's
billion $X in well excess on by annual in track fiscal to of We XXXX. savings are deliver cost
XXX and We we completed closed Walgreens UK XXX of the stores XXX closure have XXX have the stores. now of targeted Boots for
current the smart ahead is We plan. On end programs of Boots be organization, store optimization year. complete the expect to by the fiscal mostly of UK
the implementation XX% now quarter and workforce nearly a on are of workforce announcements X,XXX track Boots X%, reduction UK the by to Following positions. expect with we reduce or the third
are actively We our with markets. BPO advancing quickly number Genpact, a finance of partnership transitioning activities across
plus we as additional customer announced Our personalized global initiatives the communications progressing agreement service marketing Verizon and and seamless recently will Verizon spend, improved our more On a partnership efficiencies. unlock and reselected digital are transformation of new marketing And provide with a stores, as smart operational we will X,XXX well US. partner. across enabling in experience. capabilities strategic the all network and a our WPP
the gain as fill. such in On continue momentum key we to optimization, digital to programs costs pharmacy
in lower administrative from pharmacists, and we further our have automate created to administrative enhancements free electronic our tackling out areas aggressively identify cost rolled new tasks invest remove new a needed up savings prescriptions. we to are continue role In future to const structure to We growth. and routine that and we funds to deliver will all systems also opportunities spend summary, of across the
that could in When we risk wave guidance. to provided the highlighted of the to of back fiscal October, 'XX vaccinations counterbalance required we second opportunity turn now clearly Let's from a be guidance lockdowns.
incidences the most increase sharp markets. seen have You across in
season. As more the but a that investments. prior in guidance to and the expect is we such, our be year are given COVID-XX distribution a On related EPS to do offset for of of half the higher we year, we decline is first start we by we delivery second were October. the by situation, When the due COVID-XX opportunity a Nevertheless, broadly to strong be by we do weaker back maintaining do our restrictions profile quarter recognize encouraged basis, to line lockdowns from likely fluidity the with set and including vaccinations in very the tilted the impacts, full in our expect now opportunity. cough/cold/flu growth increased significant expectations
the across growth exceed In are or to year deliver confident good strong the half second selectively ramping and we year EPS we both up and our Given healthcare. summary, year investments in adjusted deliver year, a full the that are start we strong starts growth the for target. and channel the growth will of omni
pharmaceutical AmerisourceBergen. our multi-faceted press businesses. to US agreement business are selling release The is agreed seen an for respective US to distribution we between includes our we value operational As in unlocks significant This years, synergies have by parties. our three of explore yesterday, transaction wholesale that transaction you our have existing extension a both and
EBITDA. times an have we multiple XX secured adjusted Importantly, of attractive exit
will We down mildly cash deal expect but by $X.XX. to to the boost and to XXXX EPS longer accretive investments approximately deployed adjusted fiscal pay term proceeds dilutive The to be debt. the healthcare in be
in Let through the Gross the transaction consideration the with $X.X majority are you highlights. me approximately now of bring proceeds cash. billion
The of cash investments $X time transaction method We expect are as newly and operating retail businesses Netherlands, business has proceeds million. $XX excludes of formed a our perimeter after tax $XXX with well of billion include tax The in of adjusted we billion. $X divesting the the one joint gain approximately and after deal over all approximately billion income German sales McKesson, and of Lithuania. China. But venture in does equity perimeter Norway our small as around
third fiscal the will divested expect quarter close a We our in reclassified later business for held to and the as quarter XX-Q. transaction sale businesses in second be our
now me to hand Let you Alex. over
