Walgreens Boots Alliance has officially transitioned to private ownership following its acquisition by New York City–based private equity firm Sycamore Partners.
Here are five things to know:
1. Shareholders approved the $10 billion sale at a special meeting July 11. They received $11.45 per share in cash, about $9.9 billion in total based on 865 million outstanding shares. An additional payout of up to $3 per share could follow from Walgreens’ stake in VillageMD, potentially raising the deal’s overall value to $23.7 billion.
2. Under Sycamore’s ownership, Walgreens Boots Alliance will operate as five independent businesses: Walgreens, The Boots Group, Shields Health Solutions, CareCentrix and VillageMD.
3. Walgreens began considering a sale in December after unveiling plans to shutter roughly 1,200 stores over three years, including 500 in fiscal 2025. Leadership has said that private ownership offers more flexibility to pursue a turnaround strategy and strengthen its pharmacy, retail and healthcare services portfolio.
4. Mike Motz was appointed CEO effective Aug. 28, succeeding Tim Wentworth, who remains on the board. John Lederer, a former Walgreens director and Sycamore senior advisor, has been named executive chairman.
5. The company will keep its name and Chicago headquarters. Executives stressed that while Sycamore’s investment provides room to maneuver, the turnaround will require patience, focus and steady reinvestment to adapt to an evolving healthcare and retail landscape.
