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Organization
12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2016
Organization [Abstract]  
Organization
1. Organization
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (“Walgreens Boots Alliance”) and its subsidiaries are a global pharmacy-led health and wellbeing enterprise. Its operations are conducted through three reportable segments (Retail Pharmacy USA, Retail Pharmacy International and Pharmaceutical Wholesale). See Note 18, Segment Reporting for further information.

On December 31, 2014, Walgreens Boots Alliance became the successor of Walgreen Co. (“Walgreens”) pursuant to a merger designed to effect a reorganization of Walgreens into a holding company structure (the “Reorganization”). Pursuant to the Reorganization, Walgreens became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens Boots Alliance, a Delaware corporation formed for the purposes of the Reorganization, and each issued and outstanding share of Walgreens common stock converted on a one-to-one basis into Walgreens Boots Alliance common stock. References to the “Company” refer to Walgreens Boots Alliance and its subsidiaries from and after the effective time of the Reorganization on December 31, 2014 and, prior to that time, to the predecessor registrant Walgreens and its subsidiaries, except as otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires.

On December 31, 2014, following the completion of the Reorganization, Walgreens Boots Alliance completed the acquisition of the remaining 55% of Alliance Boots GmbH (“Alliance Boots”) that Walgreens did not previously own (the “Second Step Transaction”) in exchange for £3.133 billion in cash and approximately 144.3 million shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance common stock. Alliance Boots became a consolidated subsidiary and ceased being accounted for under the equity method immediately upon completion of the Second Step Transaction. For financial reporting and accounting purposes, Walgreens Boots Alliance was the acquirer of Alliance Boots. The consolidated financial statements (and other data) reflect the results of operations and financial position of Walgreens and its subsidiaries for periods prior to December 31, 2014 and of Walgreens Boots Alliance and its subsidiaries for periods from and after the effective time of the Reorganization on December 31, 2014.