Segment reporting

9 Months Ended

May 31, 2017

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment reporting

Segment reporting

The Company has three reportable segments: Retail Pharmacy USA, Retail Pharmacy International, and Pharmaceutical Wholesale. The operating segments have been identified based on the financial data utilized by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (the chief operating decision maker) to assess segment performance and allocate resources among the Company’s operating segments, which have been aggregated as described below. The chief operating decision maker uses adjusted operating income to assess segment profitability. The chief operating decision maker does not use total assets by segment to make decisions regarding resources, therefore the total asset disclosure by segment has not been included.

• The Retail Pharmacy USA segment consists of retail drugstores and convenient care clinics and the provision of central specialty and mail pharmacy services. Sales for the segment are principally derived from the sale of prescription drugs and a wide assortment of general merchandise, including non-prescription drugs, beauty products, photo finishing, seasonal merchandise, greeting cards and convenience foods.

• The Retail Pharmacy International segment consists primarily of pharmacy-led health and beauty stores and optical practices. Stores are located in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Chile, Thailand, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands and Lithuania. Sales for the segment are principally derived from the sale of prescription drugs and retail health, beauty, toiletries and other consumer products.

• The Pharmaceutical Wholesale segment consists of pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution businesses and an equity method investment in AmerisourceBergen reported on a two-month lag. Wholesale operations are located in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Spain, the Netherlands, Egypt, Norway, Romania, Czech Republic and Lithuania. Sales for the segment are principally derived from wholesaling and distribution of a comprehensive offering of brand-name pharmaceuticals (including specialty pharmaceutical products) and generic pharmaceuticals, health and beauty products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to pharmacies and other healthcare providers.

Results for each reportable segment include the allocation of procurement rebates and corporate-related overhead costs. The “Eliminations” column includes intersegment sales and the profit on these intersegment sales to the extent the inventory has not been subsequently sold externally.

To improve comparability, certain classification changes were made to prior period sales, cost of sales and selling, general and administrative expenses. These changes had no impact on operating income or adjusted operating income. The reclassifications were made in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016.

The following table reflects results of operations of the Company’s reportable segments (in millions):

	Retail Pharmacy USA		Retail Pharmacy International		Pharmaceutical Wholesale		Eliminations			Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Three months ended May 31, 2017
Sales to external customers	$	22,528	$	2,809	$	4,781	$	—		$	30,118
Intersegment sales	—		—		515		(515		)	—
Sales	$	22,528	$	2,809	$	5,296	$	(515	)	$	30,118
Adjusted operating income	$	1,463	$	193	$	253	$	5		$	1,914
Three months ended May 31, 2016
Sales to external customers	$	21,185	$	3,132	$	5,181	$	—		$	29,498
Intersegment sales	—		—		567		(567		)	—
Sales	$	21,185	$	3,132	$	5,748	$	(567	)	$	29,498
Adjusted operating income	$	1,382	$	258	$	179	$	(5	)	$	1,814

	Retail Pharmacy USA		Retail Pharmacy International		Pharmaceutical Wholesale		Eliminations			Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Nine months ended May 31, 2017
Sales to external customers	$	65,001	$	8,872	$	14,192	$	—		$	88,065
Intersegment sales	—		—		1,551		(1,551		)	—
Sales	$	65,001	$	8,872	$	15,743	$	(1,551	)	$	88,065
Adjusted operating income	$	4,304	$	648	$	703	$	1		$	5,656
Nine months ended May 31, 2016
Sales to external customers	$	63,055	$	10,219	$	15,441	$	—		$	88,715
Intersegment sales	—		—		1,730		(1,730		)	—
Sales	$	63,055	$	10,219	$	17,171	$	(1,730	)	$	88,715
Adjusted operating income	$	4,257	$	908	$	500	$	(12	)	$	5,653

The following table reconciles adjusted operating income to operating income (in millions):

	Retail Pharmacy USA		Retail Pharmacy International		Pharmaceutical Wholesale		Eliminations			Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Three months ended May 31, 2017
Adjusted operating income	$	1,463	$	193	$	253	$	5		$	1,914
Cost transformation										(171		)
Acquisition-related amortization										(83		)
LIFO provision										(97		)
Adjustments to equity earnings in AmerisourceBergen										(17		)
Acquisition-related costs										(29		)
Operating income										$	1,517
Three months ended May 31, 2016
Adjusted operating income	$	1,382	$	258	$	179	$	(5	)	$	1,814
Cost transformation										(73		)
Acquisition-related amortization										(96		)
LIFO provision										(92		)
Adjustments to equity earnings in AmerisourceBergen										(5		)
Acquisition-related costs										(15		)
Operating income										$	1,533

	Retail Pharmacy USA		Retail Pharmacy International		Pharmaceutical Wholesale		Eliminations			Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Nine months ended May 31, 2017
Adjusted operating income	$	4,304	$	648	$	703	$	1		$	5,656
Cost transformation										(592		)
Acquisition-related amortization										(247		)
LIFO provision										(204		)
Adjustments to equity earnings in AmerisourceBergen										(95		)
Acquisition-related costs										(75		)
Operating income										$	4,443
Nine months ended May 31, 2016
Adjusted operating income	$	4,257	$	908	$	500	$	(12	)	$	5,653
Cost transformation										(191		)
Acquisition-related amortization										(278		)
LIFO provision										(206		)
Adjustments to equity earnings in AmerisourceBergen										(5		)
Acquisition-related costs										(82		)
Asset impairment										(30		)
Operating income										$	4,861