Walgreens 2014 Annual Report Download - page 62

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report and other documents that we file or furnish with the Securities and Exchange Commission contain
forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our
future performance, our business, our beliefs and our management’s assumptions. In addition, we, or others on our
behalf, may make forward-looking statements in press releases or written statements, on the Company’s website or
in our communications and discussions with investors and analysts in the normal course of business through
meetings, webcasts, phone calls, conference calls and other communications. Some of such forward-looking
statements may be based on certain data and forecasts relating to our business and industry that we have obtained
from internal surveys, market research, publicly available information and industry publications. Industry
publications, surveys and market research generally state that the information they provide has been obtained from
sources believed to be reliable, but that the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed.
Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements
regarding our future financial and operating performance, as well as forward-looking information concerning our
investment in Alliance Boots and the arrangements and transactions contemplated by the Purchase and Option
Agreement with Alliance Boots and their possible effects, the proposed holding company reorganization, our
commercial agreement with AmerisourceBergen, the arrangements and transactions contemplated by our
framework agreement with AmerisourceBergen and Alliance Boots and their possible effects, generic inflation or
deflation, payer reimbursement, estimates of the impact of developments on our earnings, earnings per share and
other financial metrics, network participation, cough/cold and flu season, prescription volume, pharmacy sales
trends, prescription margins, number and location of new store openings, vendor, payer and customer relationships
and terms, possible new contracts or contract extensions, competition, economic and business conditions, outcomes
of litigation and regulatory matters, the level of capital expenditures, industry trends, demographic trends, growth
strategies, financial results, cost reduction initiatives, acquisition and joint venture synergies, competitive strengths
and changes in legislation or regulations. Words such as “expect,” “likely,” “outlook,” “forecast,” “would,” “could,”
“should,” “can,” “will,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “target,” “continue,” “sustain,” “synergy,” “on track,”
“headwind,” “tailwind,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “may,” “possible,” “assume,” variations of such
words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to
the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties
and assumptions that could cause actual results to vary materially from those indicated, including, but not limited
to: those relating to the Purchase and Option Agreement and other agreements relating to our strategic partnership
with Alliance Boots, the arrangements and transactions contemplated thereby and their possible effects, the
proposed holding company reorganization, the risks that one or more closing conditions to the transactions may not
be satisfied or waived, on a timely basis or otherwise, including that a governmental entity may prohibit, delay or
refuse to grant approval for the consummation of the transactions or that the required approvals by the Company’s
shareholders may not be obtained; the risk of a material adverse change that the Company or Alliance Boots or
either of their respective businesses may suffer as a result of disruption or uncertainty relating to the transactions;
risks associated with changes in economic and business conditions generally or in the markets in which we or
Alliance Boots participate; risks associated with new business areas and activities; risks associated with
acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments and divestitures, including those associated with cross-border
transactions; risks associated with governance and control matters; risks associated with the Company’s ability to
timely arrange for and consummate financing for the contemplated transactions on acceptable terms; risks relating
to the Company and Alliance Boots’ ability to successfully integrate our operations, systems and employees, realize
anticipated synergies and achieve anticipated financial results, tax and operating results in the amounts and at the
times anticipated; the potential impact of announcement of the transactions or consummation of the transactions on
relationships and terms, including with employees, vendors, payers, customers and competitors; the amounts and
timing of costs and charges associated with our optimization initiatives; our ability to realize expected savings and
benefits in the amounts and at the times anticipated; changes in management’s assumptions; our commercial
agreement with AmerisourceBergen, the arrangements and transactions contemplated by our framework agreement
with AmerisourceBergen and Alliance Boots and their possible effects; risks associated with equity investments in
AmerisourceBergen including market fluctuations and whether the warrants to invest in AmerisourceBergen will be
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