From Soda Fountains to Buyouts: The Rise and Fall of Walgreens

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The Intersect: Healthcare Designed Across Disciplines

Well Revolution

61 episodes

1 week ago

Great solutions are born at the intersections. In a world that rewards specialization, range is an advantage. The Intersect curates insights from healthcare, tech, engineering, science, and design to help you think smarter, design better, and build for impact. Hosted by AI, each episode turns diverse ideas into actionable conversations.

Medicine

Health & Fitness

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Medicine

Health & Fitness

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From Soda Fountains to Buyouts: The Rise and Fall of Walgreens

The Intersect: Healthcare Designed Across Disciplines

19 minutes 34 seconds

8 months ago

From Soda Fountains to Buyouts: The Rise and Fall of Walgreens

How did Walgreens transform from a single Chicago drugstore in 1901 to a global pharmacy giant, only to face a dramatic decline and a planned buyout in 2025? This episode explores the historical financial analysis of Walgreens, tracing its journey through over a century of innovation, expansion, and strategic missteps.

Early Innovations and Growth: From Charles Walgreen's entrepreneurial spirit and the introduction of the malted milkshake to rapid expansion aided by "medicinal" whiskey during Prohibition, discover how Walgreens built its foundation.
Mid-Century Expansion and National Success: Learn about Walgreens' pioneering move to self-service stores, its entry into international markets, and its financial milestones, such as reaching $1 billion in annual sales by 1975.
Global Expansion and Peak Value: Explore Walgreens' acquisitions of Duane Reade, Alliance Boots, and its attempt to acquire Rite Aid. Also, find out how these deals led to a soaring market value of over $100 billion by the mid-2010s.
The поворот to Healthcare and the Subsequent Decline: Discover Walgreens' strategic shift towards healthcare services, its investments in VillageMD and CareCentrix, and the challenges it faced with profitability, competition, and the opioid litigation.
The Road to Privatization: Examine the factors that led to Walgreens' decline, including strategic missteps, financial headwinds, and the eventual decision to go private through a buyout by Sycamore Partners in 2025. Learn about the cost-cutting measures, store closures, dividend cuts, and removal from the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Books

America's Corner Store: Walgreen's Prescription for Success – May 3, 2004 (John U. Bacon)