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Empresas y finanzas

Walgreen to buy 45 percent stake in Alliance Boots


    (Reuters) - Walgreen Co said it would buy a 45 percent stake in KKR & Co-owned Alliance Boots for $6.7 billion in a cash and stock deal that would bring together the two largest pharmacy chains in the United States and Europe.

    Walgreen, which has the option to buy the rest of Alliance BOOTS (BOOT.LO)in the next three years, said it would pay $4 billion in cash and 83.4 million shares for the stake.

    Walgreen said the deal would add substantially to its earnings per share in the first year.

    The company also reported third-quarter earnings of $537 million, or 62 cents per share, compared with $603 million, or 65 cents per share, a year earlier.

    Walgreen said it would increase its quarterly dividend to 27.5 cents per share from 22.5 cents.

    (Reporting by Juhi Arora in Bangalore; Editing by Viraj Nair)