Walgreens quarterly profit beats estimates on strong pharmacy performance

FILE PHOTO: Raindrops hang on a sign for Wall Street outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

WALGREENS Boots Alliance Inc's quarterly profit beat Wall Street expectations on Tuesday, driven by better-than-expected sales in its retail pharmacy business, sending its shares 3% higher before the opening bell.

The company's U.S. retail pharmacy, its core operations, recorded revenue of $27.6 billion in the second quarter, surpassing analysts' estimate of $26.8 billion, as filling of non-COVID prescriptions offset a hit from falling demand for COVID vaccination.