Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) has announced a settlement regarding certain prepaid variable share forward transactions involving Cencora, Inc. (COR) shares. Initially, these transactions, set with multiple financial institutions, provided Walgreens with about $1.1 billion in cash when initiated. Originally planned to mature in March and June 2026, the transactions have been settled ahead of schedule.
Under this early settlement arrangement, Walgreens Boots Alliance will transfer a total of approximately 6.1 million Cencora shares to the financial institutions involved, along with an additional net cash payment of roughly $20 million. This transaction satisfies the company's prior commitment to deliver shares to these financial entities at a future date.
In a separate announcement, Walgreens Boots Alliance revealed the sale of Cencora common stock through an unregistered block trade, generating approximately $265 million. Additionally, a further sale of shares back to Cencora in a repurchase agreement brought in around $50 million.
The company plans to utilize these funds primarily for reducing debt and supporting general corporate operations. Coupled with other strategies, including its recent dividend suspension, Walgreens Boots Alliance is aiming to improve its financial positioning ahead of debt obligations due in fiscal year 2026.
Consequently, Walgreens Boots Alliance's stake in Cencora's common stock has decreased from about 10% to approximately 6%.
