DEERFIELD, ILL. AND CAMP HILL, PA. — Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ: WBA) and Rite Aid Corp. (NYSE: RAD) have agreed to sell 865 Rite Aid stores and some assets related to store operations to Fred’s (NASDAQ: FRED) for $950 million in an all-cash transaction. The agreement came about due to concerns by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in its review of Walgreens Boots Alliance’s proposed acquisition of Rite Aid, which was announced in October 2015. That transaction is scheduled to close in early 2017. The 865-store sale would make Fred’s one of the largest drugstore chains in the United States, with a significant presence in the South and on the East and West coasts. If the sale is approved, Fred’s will continue to employ all store associates and certain field and regional associates related to the operations. The stores will also continue to operate under the Rite Aid banner. Fred’s has also agreed to purchase additional Rite Aid stores if the FTC mandates additional divestments for the proposed merger. BofA Merrill Lynch acted as Walgreens Boots Alliance’s financial adviser. Sidley Austin LLP acted as legal counsel on transaction legal matters and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acted as its legal …
