Rite Aid's pharmacy samestore sales rose 1

About SDI TechnologiesFounded in 1956, SDI Technologies designs, manufactures, and markets a broadrange of consumer electronics that are both innovative and high in quality.SDIs key product lines include alarm clocks, clock radios, portable speakers,and home audio systems. SDIs key national brands include iHome, Timex,Bongiovi, Harley-Davidson, Made for iPod, Works with iPhone, Designed for Zune,Made for Sansa, and Bluetooth. SDI has six offices and facilities throughout North America and Asiawith over 400 employees. SDIs productscan be found worldwide through virtually every distribution network in over 50countries HighWater GroupMatt Schlosberg, 212-338-0077 x. Copyright Business Wire 2009. Walgreen Dec same-store sales up 4.9 pct Stocks Rite Aid Dec. same-store sales down 0.2 pct Shares of Walgreen, Rite Aid rise (Adds analysts' comments, updates stock activity) By Jessica Wohl CHICAGO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Walgreen Co's (WAG.N) sales atdrugstores open at least a year rose a better-than-expected 4.9percent in December, as cash-strapped consumers continued tobuy basics but shied away from holiday items.

Walgreen, whose shares rose 4.8 percent, said it saw steadyconsumer traffic throughout December, with transactions incomparable stores up 0.7 percent. "One month does not make a trend but it appears the companymay be getting some response to recent promotional activity andincreased advertising," said Jefferies & Co analyst ScottMushkin, who has a "hold" rating on Walgreen. "Especially withlackluster results from Rite Aid, it looks like the companytook share in December." Basic necessities such as food, drinks and paper productssold well, Walgreen said, while demand for seasonal items suchas Christmas decorations was weak. Walgreen's same-store sales rose after falling 0.9 percentin November. The 4.9 percent same-store sales rise includes aboost of 2 percentage points because December 2008 had two moreweekdays when patients typically fill more prescriptions than December 2007 did. Walgreen said pharmacy same-store sales jumped 8.5 percent.General merchandise, or front-end, same-store sales rose 0.4percent, but would have been up 2 percent to 3 percent withoutthe drag from poor sales of seasonal merchandise. Walgreen "is beginning to formulate a strategy to addressthe key issues," yet still faces a challenging environment,said Credit Suisse analyst Edward Kelly, who rates its shares"outperform." Rite Aid's pharmacy same-store sales rose 1.2 percent inthe four weeks ended Dec 27 while front-end same-store salesfell 2.4 percent.

The results were worse than Rite Aidsuggested when it posted its sixth straight quarterly loss lastmonth Through Dec 18, same-store sales were up 0.4 percent. CVS Caremark Corp (CVS.N), a key competitor of Walgreen andRite Aid, does not typically release monthly sales results. 22, CVS issued a statement standing byits full-year profit forecast. At that time, it said consumerswere cautious and that it expected December same-store sales tobe "well short" of their increases of 4.3 percent in Octoberand 6.1 percent in November. Rite Aid bought the Brooks and Eckerd drugstore chains in2007.

Walgreen said total sales were up 10.8 percent to nearly$6.11 billion. Rite Aid's total drugstore sales fell 2.1percent to $2.16 billion. Shares of Walgreen were up $1.08 at $26.63 in late morningNew York Stock Exchange trade, while Rite Aid gained 2 cents to36 cents. (Reporting by Jessica Wohl; Editing by Derek Caney, Lisa VonAhn and Gunna Dickson) Stocks. 5 /PRNewswire/ CertainTeed Insulation todayannounced the completion of its acquisition of the OFI Income Fund on January2, 2009.Under the agreement, CertainTeed Insulation acquires all of theassets of the OFI Income Fund and the OFI Operating Trust, including OttawaFibre, for approximately $42 million CDN, and the assumption of its adjusteddebt.(Logo: http:// )Established in 1980, OFI served as a manufacturer and distributor of abroad range of fibreglass insulation products used in both residential andcommercial applications.The acquisition includes fibreglass insulationmanufacturing facilities in Ottawa and Tillsonburg, Ontario and Redcliff,Alberta, as well as a ceiling tile plant in Ottawa."CertainTeed has modestly serviced the Canadian building industry withinsulation for many years as our U.S.