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Dow component (.DJI) Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) rose 1.9% after Cowen & Co upgraded the drug distributor stock, citing its healthcare services business push. Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) soared 9.4%, rising the most among S&P 500 (.SPX) components after forecasting a smaller-than-expected drop in annual sales. Energy (.SPNY) led gains among the 11 major S&P 500 sector indexes, bouncing off four-week lows by adding 2%. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 2.70-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.12-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded 19 new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 49 new highs and 122 new lows.

SummarySummary Companies Best Buy up, sees smaller annual sales dropMedtronic down, lowers FY profit outlookTesla attempts to recoup losses post slumpFutures up: Dow 0.44%, S&P 0.49%, Nasdaq 0.40%Nov 22 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes were set to open higher on Tuesday, with gains in shares of Walgreens and Best Buy helping investors assuage worries around the economic fallout of stricter COVID-19 curbs in China. Leading gains among S&P 500 (.SPX) components trading before the bell, Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) jumped 9.1% after forecasting a smaller-than-expected drop in annual sales ahead of the crucial holiday season. Dow component (.DJI) Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) rose 1.7% after Cowen & Co upgraded the drug distributor stock, citing its healthcare services business push. ET, Dow e-minis were up 148 points, or 0.44%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 19.25 points, or 0.49%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 46 points, or 0.4%. Analysts expect thin trading volumes as markets will be shut on Thursday for Thanksgiving holiday and will remain open for half day on Friday.

The following are major companies that were accused of contributing to the crisis, and settlements or judgments involving those companies. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA.TA)-In November, finalized claims nationwide for $4.25 billion, some of which is to be paid as a supply of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone. AbbVie Inc (ABBV.N)-In November, finalized a $2.37 billion nationwide settlement resolving claims against Allergan, a company it acquired in 2020. Endo International Plc (ENDPQ.PK)-Reached a $450 million settlement with more than 30 states as part of a bankruptcy filing in August. Mallinckrodt Plc (MNK.A)-Reached a $1.7 billion nationwide settlement as part of its bankruptcy reorganization plan, approved in February.

Sale-leasebacks allow retailers to raise capital without shedding stores by selling the underlying real estate and turning them from landlords into tenants. They also point out that companies often spend the money on share buybacks and dividends rather than investing in their business. Spokespeople for Kohl's, Macellum and Ancora declined to comment. It is not clear how many of Kohl's 1,100 stores would have been involved in any deal. Reuters GraphicsRENT EXPENSESIn a letter to shareholders in March defending its strategy against criticism from hedge fund Macellum Capital Management LLC, Kohl's said that a "large" sale-leaseback would "negatively impact margins by adding unnecessary rent expenses in perpetuity and risk Kohl's investment-grade rating".

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☆ Malaysian police warn of ethnic tensions on social media after divisive election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Malaysian police have cautioned the country's social media users to refrain from posting "provocative" content on race and religion after a divisive general election on Saturday that ended in a hung parliament. The police warning comes as race-based narratives dominated political chatter on social media during and after the election, according to an online hate speech monitoring project run by the Malaysia-based Centre for Independent Journalism. Race and religion are thorny issues in multicultural Malaysia, which has a majority of mostly Muslim ethnic Malays alongside significant ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian minorities of other faiths. Police said they had detected social media content that touched on racial and religious sentiments and insulted the country's monarchy after the election. Malaysian social media users on Monday reported a slew of posts on short video platform TikTok after the election that mentioned a deadly race riot in Kuala Lumpur on May 13, 1969.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Carlyle seeks to line up bid for urgent care provider Heritage -sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( David Carnevali | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Carlyle, a Washington, D.C.-based buyout firm, has been in discussions with other private equity firms about assembling a consortium that would make an offer to acquire HPN, the sources said. HPN generates annual cash flow of around $600 million, according to the sources. Merkin grew the Los Angeles-based company into a managed care powerhouse in the Californian market, where it serves nearly 700,000 individuals. Earlier this month, primary care provider VillageMD, which is backed by Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O), said it would acquire private equity-owned urgent care provider Summit Health in a deal valued at $9 billion. Amazon agreed in July to buy primary care provider One Medical for $3.49 billion, while CVS inked a deal in September to acquire Signify Health for $8 billion.

☆ Walmart to Pay $3.1 Billion to Settle Opioid Lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Sharon Terlep | Sarah Nassauer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Walmart said its opioid-settlement payments will reach communities faster than the deals made by other companies. Walmart Inc. has agreed to pay $3.1 billion to settle opioid-crisis lawsuits brought by several U.S. states and municipalities, adding to a landmark settlement with rival pharmacy chains. The agreement resolves a collection of lawsuits brought by states, cities and Native American tribes. Earlier this month, CVS Health Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. agreed to pay roughly $5 billion apiece to settle the lawsuits. The companies didn’t admit wrongdoing in their deals.

Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) jumped over 6% following a report that the company was planning to begin large-scale layoffs this week. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid 1 2Unofficially, the S&P 500 climbed 0.96% to end the session at 3,806.90 points. S&P 500 by market capOf the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes, eight rose, led by communication services (.SPLRCL) which was up 1.83%, followed by a 1.73% gain in energy (.SPNY). Advancing issues outnumbered falling ones within the S&P 500 (.AD.SPX) by a 2.8-to-one ratio. The S&P 500 posted 18 new highs and 15 new lows; the Nasdaq recorded 93 new highs and 221 new lows.

[1/4] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 7, 2022. Traders are now betting on 61% odds of a 50-basis point rate hike at the U.S. central bank's meeting in December. Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) climbed 5.4% following a report that the company was planning to begin large-scale layoffs this week. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.14-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.02-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded 15 new 52-week highs and 11 new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 58 new highs and 145 new lows.

[1/2] A Wall Street sign outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, New York, U.S., October 2, 2020. A split government could result in political gridlock that stymies major policy changes, an outcome that investors see as favorable for equities. Shares of Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) climbed 5.4% following a report that the company was planning to begin large-scale layoffs this week. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners for a 1.31-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and a 1.10-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded six new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 43 new highs and 95 new lows.

☆ Walgreens Unit Close to Roughly $9 Billion Deal With Summit Health
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Laura Cooper | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Walgreens appears to have pre-empted a sale process for Summit Health that was set to kick off next year. A unit of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. is nearing a deal to combine with a big owner of medical practices and urgent-care centers in a transaction worth roughly $9 billion including debt, according to people familiar with the matter, the latest in a string of acquisitions by big consumer-focused companies aiming to delve deeper into medical care. The drugstore giant’s primary-care-center subsidiary, Village Practice Management, would combine with Summit Health, the parent company of CityMD urgent-care centers, in an agreement that could be reached as early as Monday, the people said.

☆ Walgreens Unit to Buy Summit Health
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Laura Cooper | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Walgreens shares rose after its primary-care-center subsidiary agreed to acquire Summit Health, the parent company of CityMD urgent-care centers. A unit of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. struck a deal to combine with a big owner of medical practices and urgent-care centers in a transaction worth roughly $9 billion including debt, the latest in a string of acquisitions by big consumer-focused companies aiming to delve deeper into medical care. The drugstore giant’s primary-care-center subsidiary, Village Practice Management, agreed to acquire Summit Health, the parent company of CityMD urgent-care centers, the companies said Monday, confirming an earlier report by The Wall Street Journal.

☆ Walgreens-backed VillageMD to buy Summit Health in $9 billion deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 7 (Reuters) - Primary care provider VillageMD, which is backed by Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O), is buying urgent care provider Summit Health in a deal valued at nearly $9 billion, as the No. Private equity firm Warburg Pincus-backed Summit Health runs an independent physician-run medical groups, and also operates CityMD, which acts as alternatives to hospital emergency department visits. Walgreens also raised its fiscal year 2025 sales goal for U.S. healthcare business to $14.5 billion to $16.0 billion, from $11.0 billion to $12.0 billion previously to account for the deal. Together, VillageMD and Summit Health will have a presence in more than 680 locations. Summit Health and CityMD had merged in August 2019, with the company now having over 13,000 employees and operating in over 370 locations.

Walmart has agreed to pay $3.1 billion, mostly up front, according to two people familiar with the matter. The proposed settlement, which would be the first nationwide deal with retail pharmacy companies, follows nationwide opioid settlements with drugmakers and distributors totaling more than $33 billion. CVS, Walgreens and Walmart are the three largest retail pharmacies in the country by market share. The agency has attributed much of the recent rise in overdose cases to illegally manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. A congressional report last month put the economic toll of the opioid crisis in 2020 alone at $1.5 trillion.

The proposed settlement calls for CVS to pay $5 billion over 10 years, Walgreens to pay $5.7 billion over 15 years and Walmart to pay $3.1 billion, mostly up front, according to the people. Walgreens and CVS declined to comment. Walmart and a spokesperson for the plaintiffs' attorneys in the litigation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The proposed settlement, which would be the first nationwide deal with retail pharmacy companies, follows nationwide opioid settlements with drugmakers and distributors totaling more than $33 billion. CVS, Walgreens and Walmart are the three largest retail pharmacies in the country by market share.

☆ CVS, Walmart, Walgreens reach tentative $12 bln Opioid pact - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The combination photo shows a logo of CVS in Manhattan, New York, U.S., August 1, 2016, re-usable Walmart bags in a newly opened Walmart Neighborhood Market in Chicago September 21, 2011 and a Walgreens sign in the Chicago suburb of Niles, Illinois, February 10, 2015. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/Jim YoungNov 1 (Reuters) - CVS Health Corp (CVS.N), Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) and Walmart Inc (WMT.N) have tentatively agreed to pay more than $12 billion to resolve thousands of state and local government lawsuits accusing the chains of mishandling opioid painkillers, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. The proposed settlement calls for CVS to pay $4.9 billion, Walgreens to pay at least $4 billion and Walmart to pay $3 billion, according to the report, citing people familiar with the matter. Reporting by Baranjot Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cramer's lightning round: I can't recommend Icahn Enterprises
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Loading chart...Icahn Enterprises LP : "I don't know what's in that fund. Loading chart...Constellation Energy Corp : "Constellation Energy is still good." Loading chart...New York Community Bancorp Inc : "I'd rather see you in one that should not be where it is, that yields a very good price and that's Morgan Stanley ." Loading chart...Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc : "I think it may be time to pull the trigger." Disclaimer: Cramer's Charitable Trust owns shares of Morgan Stanley.

People are seen shopping in a Walgreens, owned by the Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 26, 2021. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterSteven Derringer, arguing for Walgreens, blamed the opioid crisis on excessive prescriptions and smaller, "mom and pop" pharmacies with lax controls. The U.S. opioid crisis has caused more than 500,000 overdose deaths over two decades, according to government data. One, brought by two Ohio counties, resulted in a jury verdict against Walgreens, Walmart and CVS Health Corp (CVS.N) last year, and a judgment of more than $650 million last month. Walmart and CVS settled with West Virginia last month for $82.5 million and $65 million, respectively, a week before a scheduled trial.

Leader of Brothers of Italy party Giorgia Meloni attends the fourth voting session to elect the new speaker, at the lower house of parliament, in Rome, Italy, October 14, 2022. Giorgetti, the industry minister in Mario Draghi's outgoing government, is considered to be one of the League's most moderate and pro-European figures. Coalition sources said energy-related matters are likely to remain in the hands of the ecological transition ministry. The frontrunner to succeed technocrat Roberto Cingolani in the job is Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, a coalition source said. Brothers of Italy's Adolfo Urso, previously head of the parliamentary committee on security, is the frontrunner for the position, one source said.

☆ Walgreens Chases Customers It Lost During Covid Focus
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. is planning to reinvigorate its pharmacy business partly through a marketing push designed to regain customers that stopped spending with the chain during the Covid-19 pandemic. The program lets executives analyze where customers are shopping and what they are buying, and use that information to reach out to them with more personalized marketing, Ms. “This is primarily a digital plan.”Walgreens plans to assess data to group customers into various communities, depending on what their needs are and where they shop, according to Ms. Brown, the customer chief. But a community of “support seekers,” who may need more pharmacy support, would be targeted with marketing around a store’s pharmacy services, Ms. Brown said. Walgreens in May named former Calvin Klein executive Linh Peters as its chief marketing officer, in part because of her experience leading marketing and loyalty programs at Starbucks, Best Buy, Target and Ulta.

read moreCore CPI, which excludes volatile food and fuel prices, gained 6.6% last month, compared with the estimates of a 6.5% rise. FEDWATCHCyclical parts of the market, including the S&P 500 financials (.SPSY), energy (.SPNY) and materials (.SPLRCM) sector indexes, rose between 2% and 3%. Big Wall Street banks will kick-off third-quarter reporting season on Friday, with investors awaiting to see how a high interest-rate environment would affect their profit. Analysts expect profit for S&P 500 companies to have risen just 4.1% from a year ago, much lower than an 11.1% increase expected at the start of July, according to Refinitiv data. read moreAdvancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.38-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.35-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.

People are seen shopping in a Walgreens, owned by the Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 26, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File PhotoOct 13 (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, as higher UK retail sales helped more than offset waning COVID vaccination demand. Shares of Walgreens, one of the largest U.S. pharmacies, rose nearly 3% amid bigger market weakness after the company also forecast a "better-than-feared" full-year profit. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterDespite inflationary challenges, Walgreens saw an uptick in retail sales, helped by higher demand for health and wellness as well as beauty products. The company also benefited from its Walgreens Health segment, which was launched last year as part of Walgreens' efforts to diversify its business.

The headline consumer price index gained at an annual pace of 8.2% in September, compared with an estimated 8.1% rise. read moreCore CPI, which eliminates volatile food and fuel prices, gained 6.6% last month, compared with the estimates of a 6.5% increase. "We would have hoped to see some moderation in inflation and we're not seeing that at this point. read moreDeclining issues outnumbered advancers for a 4.89-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and for a 3.39-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded no new 52-week high and 170 new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 10 new highs and 514 new lows.

The headline consumer price index gained at an annual pace of 8.2% in September, compared with an estimated 8.1%. Core CPI, which eliminates volatile food and fuel prices, gained 6.6% last month, compared with the estimates of a 6.5% increase. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"It's saying that inflation is still not under control. The Fed will most likely continue its pace of rate increases," said Robert Pavlik, senior portfolio manager, Dakota Wealth in Fairfield, Connecticut. FEDWATCHThe report follows data on Wednesday that showed U.S. producer prices increased more than expected in September amid strong gains in the costs of services and goods, suggesting inflation could remain uncomfortably high for a while.

☆ Walgreens boosted by higher retail sales, nascent consumer health business
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File PhotoOct 13 (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, as higher UK retail sales and strength in its newly launched consumer health business helped offset waning COVID vaccination demand. Shares of Walgreens, one of the largest U.S. pharmacies, rose nearly 7% in premarket trading after the company also forecast a higher full-year profit. Evercore ISI analyst Elizabeth Anderson said though the results were mixed, the full-year forecast was "much better than feared". The company also benefited from its Walgreens Health segment, which was launched last year as part of Walgreens' efforts to diversify its business. For 2023, Walgreens said its expects strong growth in its core business to offset waning demand for COVID related products and services.

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