Same-store sales for the company rose 0.3 percent for the four weeks ending Saturday compared with the year-ago period, the company said.

The front-end sales component was up about 4.2 percent, with about 2.4 percent attributed to over-the-counter flu-related products.

Meanwhile, same-store pharmacy sales results were down about 1.4 percent with the introduction of new generic products.

But the prescription count at comparable stores was up about 5 percent in the period, with about 3.4 percent attributed to the flu — including flu shots, Rite Aid said.

Total drugstore sales during the four weeks were more than $1.91 billion, down about 0.5 percent by that measure.

As of Saturday, Rite Aid operated 46 fewer stores than it did at the comparable point a year ago, the release stated.

Shares of East Pennsboro Township-based Rite Aid are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RAD.