I think the offer is great for shareholders. As of the close yesterday, the stock was already at about a 24 forward P/E, so I think this represents a pretty good exit for shareholders.
Walgreen remains on a steady growth path, relatively unabated by industry or competitive threats.
We have no problem with the board aiming for a higher price. However, should the company pursue the limited breakup alone, we have serious concerns about whether that risky strategy will ultimately yield better returns for current shareholders.
Buying food has turned into a commodity, so supermarkets have to continually raise the bar to keep their customers.
They're probably disappointed in the offers that came in and they may be holding out for a higher price. Or they may be trying to do the breakup themselves, exit the underperforming markets through real estate sales and keep the operations in stronger markets.
As expected, it was a messy quarter. Retail was expected to be fairly weak, maybe there was a little more weakness in the supply chain services than investors had expected.
I think that this means that the sales process is not going well.
The company continues to grow, unabated by industry and competitive threats.
I'm not as concerned because the company is gaining market share relative to its peers and generating strong earnings and strong cash flow.
