Walgreens Boots Alliance

RANK18

Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, who stepped in as CEO in March 2021, had plenty to celebrate after her first year in the job. Walgreens Boots Alliance’s profits increased by a whopping 457.5% over the prior year, to $2.5 billion, as the drugstore chain became a major point of sale for at-home rapid COVID tests and COVID vaccines. In October 2021, Walgreens intensified its involvement in the primary-care business, investing $5.2 billion to acquire a majority stake in VillageMD. With pharmacists experiencing increased burnout, the company has begun to embrace A.I.; it is on track to open 22 robot-powered prescription-refill hubs. Like other major drugstore chains, the company faces ongoing litigation alleging that its pharmacies helped worsen the opioid crisis; Walgreens’ attorneys have said the company’s pharmacists acted in good faith in filling out opioid prescriptions.