The local office market saw little change in the third quarter, and brokers say the fourth quarter will likely yield similar results.

Memphis’ vacancy rate ended the quarter in the mid-14 percent range, the same levels as 2008, according to Colliers International Memphis’ Q3 office report. Vacancy during that period in 2007 was below 12 percent.

2. Report: Premium Hikes for Top Medicare Drug Plans - Wednesday, September 26, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Millions of seniors enrolled in some of the most popular Medicare prescription drug plans face double-digit premium hikes next year if they don't shop for a better deal, says a private firm that analyzes the highly competitive market.

3. Feds Order Discover to Refund $200 Million to Cardholders - Tuesday, September 25, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Discover Bank will pay millions in fees to settle accusations by regulators that it pressured credit card customers to buy costly add-on services like payment protection and credit monitoring.

4. Tricare Won't Return Walgreen to Pharmacy Network - Friday, September 07, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – The military health insurance plan Tricare says Walgreen Co.'s drugstore chain, the largest in the U.S., will not be part of the network where plan members can get their prescriptions filled.

5. New Coupons Aim to Keep People Off Generic Drugs - Tuesday, August 21, 2012

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – If brand-name prescription medicines cost you as little as generic pills, which would you choose? A few drugmakers are betting Americans will stick with the name they know.

6. Walgreen, Express Scripts Sign New Agreement - Friday, July 20, 2012

The Walgreen pharmacy chain will begin filling prescriptions from customers in the Express Scripts network again starting in September under a new multiyear contract that ends a costly impasse between the companies.

7. Walgreens to Buy Arkansas-Based USA Drug - Friday, July 06, 2012

Walgreens says it’s acquiring Arkansas-based drug store chain USA Drug from Stephen L. LaFrance Holdings.

USA Drug is the same company that in 2010 sold Memphis Ike’s and Super D stores to Walgreens, which subsequently closed 17 of the stores, then bought and kept open the two remaining Ike’s at Union Avenue in Midtown and Park Avenue in East Memphis.

8. Walgreen to Spend $6.7B on Alliance Boots Stake - Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Walgreen Co. will pay $6.7 billion in cash and stock to buy a stake in European health and beauty retailer Alliance Boots, a deal that would give global clout to a U.S. drugstore chain struggling with slipping sales in its home market.

9. Express Scripts Stock Rises After Q1 Growth Report - Monday, May 14, 2012

Shares of Express Scripts are climbing after the pharmacy benefits manger reported prescription growth in its first quarter since splitting with drugstore chain Walgreen.

Express Scripts says adjusted prescriptions totaled nearly 193 million in its first quarter, up 3.6 percent compared to last year. That figure treats 90-day mail-order prescriptions as three regular, 30-day prescriptions.

10. Express Scripts' $29.1B Deal for Medco Closes - Tuesday, April 03, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Express Scripts Inc. said Monday that it completed its $29.1 billion acquisition of Medco Health Solutions Inc., creating the largest pharmacy benefits manager in the country by far.

11. Express Scripts May Close Medco Deal Next Week - Thursday, March 29, 2012

Pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts says it may close its $29.1 billion acquisition of Medco Health Solutions as soon as next week.

The St. Louis company had said recently it expected to close the deal early in the second quarter. Shareholders from both companies have already approved the acquisition, but the Federal Trade Commission is still reviewing it.

12. Walgreen Profit Slides Nearly 8 Percent - Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Drugstore operator Walgreen Co.’s fiscal second-quarter earnings fell almost 8 percent due in part to its decision to leave the Express Scripts pharmacy network, but the performance still topped analyst expectations.

13. Walgreen Revenue Figure Falls 4.6 Percent - Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Drugstore operator Walgreen Co. said Monday, March 5, its monthly revenue from stores open at least a year slipped again in February, as a split with Express Scripts Inc. and a weak flu season continued to hurt business.

14. Express Scripts Moves Past Split With Walgreen - Friday, February 24, 2012

Express Scripts Inc. says it is doing fine after breaking up with pharmacy operator Walgreen Co., but it won't rule out getting back together with the largest U.S. drugstore chain.

15. CVS Caremark Q4 Profit Rises, 2012 Outlook Climbs - Thursday, February 09, 2012

Drugstore chain Walgreen's loss of a big client is turning into rival CVS Caremark's gain so far this year.

A contract squabble between Walgreen Co. and pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts Inc. has driven more customers to CVS pharmacies, prompting that company to raise its 2012 earnings forecast by 3 cents per share.

16. Key Revenue Measure Falls 4.6 Pct at Walgreen - Monday, February 06, 2012

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Walgreen Co. said Friday that January revenue from stores open at least a year fell 4.6 percent, as a split with Express Scripts Inc. and a weak flu season hurt business for the largest U.S. drugstore chain.

17. Moody's May Downgrade Some Walgreen Ratings - Friday, January 06, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – Moody's Investor Service is putting some of Walgreen Co.'s credit ratings on review for a potential downgrade after the expiration of the drugstore operator's contract to participate in the Express Scripts pharmacy network.

18. Walgreen Pushes to Keep Express Scripts Clients - Monday, January 02, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Walgreen CEO Greg Wasson said Friday chances are probably "slim to none" that the drugstore operator will reach an agreement with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts before their current contract ends Saturday.

19. Walgreen Expects to Lose Most Express Scripts Biz - Friday, December 30, 2011

Drugstore operator Walgreen Co. said Thursday it expects to lose almost 90 percent of prescriptions handled by pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts Inc. after it leaves Express Scripts' networks on Jan. 1.

20. Accredo Parent Co. Merger Approved - Thursday, December 22, 2011

Shareholders of Medco Health Solutions Inc., parent company of Memphis-based Accredo Health Group Inc., on Wednesday, Dec. 21, approved a proposed $29.1 billion merger with Express Scripts.

21. Walgreen Q1 Profit Drops on Express Scripts Fight - Thursday, December 22, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Drugstore operator Walgreen Co.'s fiscal first-quarter earnings fell more than 4 percent due in part to a slow flu season and its decision to leave the Express Scripts Inc. pharmacy network next month.

22. Medco Shareholders OK $29B Express Scripts Deal - Wednesday, December 21, 2011

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. (AP) – Pharmacy benefits manager Medco Health Solutions Inc., the parent company of Memphis-based Accredo Health Group Inc., says its shareholders have approved the company's proposed acquisition by Express Scripts for $29.1 billion.

23. CVS Caremark Rises on 2012 Profit Forecast - Wednesday, December 21, 2011

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) – Shares of CVS Caremark Corp. rose Tuesday after the company said it expects that profit at its Caremark pharmacy benefits management business will grow in 2012, reversing two years of declines.

24. Express Scripts, Medco Pare Lobbying in Q3 - Thursday, November 17, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Pharmacy benefits managers Medco Health Solutions Inc. and Express Scripts Inc. lobbied the government to approve their proposed $29.1 billion merger, but cut back on their total lobbying expenses in the third quarter.

25. Express Scripts Notes Receive Investment Grades - Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts Inc. received investment-grade ratings from three firms on up to $10 billion in senior notes it plans to issue to help pay for its $29.1 billion acquisition of Medco Health Solutions Inc.

26. CVS Caremark Q3 Profit Rises 7 Percent - Friday, November 04, 2011

WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) – CVS Caremark Corp.'s third-quarter earnings climbed 7 percent, as a long-term contract and acquisition boosted the pharmacy network claims it processed.

27. Senate Plans Express Scripts-Medco Hearing - Thursday, October 20, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – A Senate antitrust subcommittee plans to hold a hearing on the proposed combination of pharmacy benefits managers Express Scripts Inc. and Medco Health Solutions Inc. It would be the second committee to look into the $29.1 billion deal.

28. Analyst Downgrades Walgreen and Cuts Estimates - Wednesday, October 19, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Jefferies and Co. downgraded shares of Walgreen Co., saying the drugstore chain is in a weak negotiating position in its dispute with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts Inc.

29. Express Scripts Turns Down Walgreen Tricare Offer - Tuesday, October 18, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Walgreen Co. said Monday it is offering to continue filling prescriptions for military members, retirees, and their families under a new deal with Express Scripts Inc., but the pharmacy benefits manager said the offer was not good enough.

30. Express Scripts Cuts Profit and Prescription Views - Friday, October 07, 2011

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Express Scripts Inc. cut its annual profit forecast Thursday, saying fewer people are seeing doctors and filling prescriptions while the economy remains stagnant. The pharmacy benefits manager also said its planned purchase of Medco Health Solutions Inc. and a contract dispute with Walgreen are increasing its costs.

31. Medco, Express Scripts Pare Combined Q2 Lobbying - Monday, October 03, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Pharmacy benefits managers Medco Health Solutions Inc. and Express Scripts Inc., which have agreed to combine, trimmed their lobbying costs to $940,000 in the second quarter.

32. Walgreen Fiscal 4th-Qtr Profit Jumps 69 Percent - Wednesday, September 28, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Drugstore operator Walgreen Co. said Tuesday its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings jumped 69 percent, boosted in part by a gain from the $525-million sale of its pharmacy benefits management business.

33. Walgreen Says Express Scripts Talks are Stalled - Wednesday, September 07, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Drugstore chain Walgreen Co. reiterated Tuesday that it plans to stop filling prescriptions managed by Express Scripts Inc. on Jan. 1, saying contract renewal negotiations between the companies are stalled.

34. Analysts Raise Estimates on CVS After New Buyback - Friday, August 26, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Analysts raised their profit estimates for CVS Caremark Corp. Thursday, a day after the drugstore chain and pharmacy benefits manager said it will buy back another $4 billion in stock.

35. CVS Caremark Q2 Profit Slips 1 Percent - Friday, August 05, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – CVS Caremark said Thursday its profit slipped 1 percent in the second quarter as its pharmacy benefits management business weathered lower prices on contract renewals.

The Woonsocket, R.I., company said Caremark faced lower prices related to contract renewals. The most significant of those was its retail pharmacy contract with the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program, which the company renewed in the third quarter of 2010. While those renewals cut into its profit, total revenue for CVS Caremark rose 10.9 percent to $14.57 billion as the company began a new 12-year contract with Aetna Inc. and acquired Universal American Corp.'s Medicare Part D business.

36. Accredo Health Parent Merges With Express Scripts - Friday, July 22, 2011

Medco Health Solutions Inc., the parent company of Memphis-based Accredo Health Group, announced Thursday, July 21, it had signed a merger agreement with Express Scripts Inc.

37. Walgreen Boosts Dividend, OK's $2B Stock Buyback - Thursday, July 14, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Drugstore operator Walgreen Co. said is raising its quarterly dividend by almost 29 percent to 22.5 cents and its board has authorized a new $2 billion stock buyback program.

38. Walgreen Says it Will Split With Express Scripts - Wednesday, June 22, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Walgreen Co. said that it is willing to walk away from more than $5 billion in annual revenue because pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts doesn't pay it enough to fill prescriptions.

39. Moody's Compares PBMs, Backs CVS Caremark - Wednesday, June 08, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Moody's Investor's Service maintained a positive view of the largest U.S. pharmacy benefits managers Tuesday, saying it has the highest opinion of CVS Caremark Corp.

40. Walgreen Selling Pharmacy Benefits Ops for $525M - Thursday, March 10, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Walgreen Co. said Wednesday it is leaving the pharmacy benefits management business, selling that operation to Catalyst Health Solutions Inc. for $525 million in cash and freeing it to focus on its drugstore network, the largest in the United States.

41. MLGW to Consider Prescription Drug Contract - Thursday, August 05, 2010

On the agenda for Thursday’s Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division board meeting is a resolution awarding a contract for a managed prescription drug program to Express Scripts Inc. in the amount of $53.5 million.

42. CVS Caremark Q3 Profit Up But Loses Big Contracts - Friday, November 06, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - CVS Caremark disclosed more multibillion dollar contract losses in its pharmacy benefits management business and said the head of the unit will depart.

CEO Tom Ryan said CVS, which also runs the nation's second-biggest drug store chain, won't reach its goals in 2010 because of the sharp reversal of fortunes at the Caremark unit, which administers drug benefits for employers. CVS shares plunged 20 percent.

43. Archived Article: Planetrx P.2 - Wednesday, August 30, 2000
Struggling PlanetRx Struggling PlanetRx.com moves staff to Memphis Struggling online drugstore PlanetRx.com plans to cut its workforce by up to 50 positions and move its headquarters from South San Francisco to Memphis, in an effort to conserve cash...

44. Archived Article: Tech Briefs - Wednesday, June 21, 2000
The University of Memphis now offers a financial aid estimator service on the Internet to provide future students with an esti The University of Memphis now offers a financial aid estimator service on the Internet to provide future students with an ...

45. Archived Article: Tech Briefs - Wednesday, May 31, 2000
Executives of Daisytek International Corp Executives of Daisytek International Corp. will spend Monday in Memphis with decision-makers and leaders of the office products vendor community, introducing them to a new Daisytek geared to expand its low-c...

46. Archived Article: Techbriefs - Wednesday, April 19, 2000
PlanetRx PlanetRx.com Inc., an Internet health care destination, and Express Scripts Inc. announced the expanded capability to fill prescriptions covered under the mail or retail benefit. The companies are also continuing to engage in co-marketing a...

47. Archived Article: Planetrx P. 2 - Thursday, January 27, 2000
PlanetRx PlanetRx.com revenues, memberships jump PlanetRx.com Inc., an Internet healthcare destination for commerce, content and community, announced financial results for its fourth quarter ended Dec. 31. Net revenues rose to $5.1 million, growing ...

48. Archived Article: Planetrx - Tuesday, December 28, 1999
PlanetRx PlanetRx.com, Express Scripts offer relief for allergy sufferers through Internet site Express Scripts and PlanetRx.com announced plans to develop a unique Web site for allergy sufferers. Working through Express Scripts, PlanetRx.com has si...

49. Archived Article: Tech Briefs - Wednesday, October 20, 1999
PlanetRx PlanetRx.com Inc. and Express Scripts Inc. announced PlanetRx.com has completed the acquisition of Express Scripts e-commerce pharmacy, making PlanetRx.com the exclusive online pharmacy for Express Scripts and its 36 million members. In add...

50. Archived Article: Planetrx Back - Thursday, September 02, 1999
Express Scripts and PlanetRx PlanetRx.com enters new online agreement Express Scripts Inc., an independent pharmacy benefit management firm, announced a definitive agreement with PlanetRx.com Inc. that will give Express Scripts a 19.9 percent owners...

51. Archived Article: Ftc Infobox - Tuesday, October 17, 1995
*10/17 FTC infobox New FTC telemarketing regulations Callers must identify themselves and the nature of the call, costs and restrictions, terms of refunds and exchange, how to enter a prize promotion and the odds of winning. Callers are prohibited f...