DEERFIELD, IL-In a word, the growth strategy for the expandingWalgreens chain is stores, according to remarks by companypresident Greg Wasson Monday as the expanding drug chain reportedrecord sales and earnings for the latest full year that ended Aug11. Wasson, commenting in a conference call with financialinvestors, mentioned stores in each of the elements of a three-partgrowth strategy that he outlined.

“We have a three-part strategy for growth, and the first part isto continue what we do best, grow stores,” the Walgreens presidentsaid. “We're committed to organic store growth, yet at the sametime we're more open to acquisitions when the right opportunityarises.”

The second part of the Walgreens growth strategy is expandinginto adjacent sectors of pharmacy and health care service at itsstores. For example, in August the company acquired Option CareInc., a national specialty pharmacy and home infusion servicesprovider. The move made it the fourth-largest specialty pharmacyprovider in the country and the largest home infusion provider.