TOKYO -- Japanese drugstore chain Welcia Holdings likely recorded a more than 40% rise in operating profit to about 6.5 billion yen ($57.4 million) in the March-May quarter, thanks to extended store hours and sales growth at pharmacies with prescription counters.
The Tokyo-based company's sales apparently jumped 9% to around 167 billion yen. Existing-store sales climbed 5.1%, with increases of over 6% logged in April and May.
