Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA), formerly known as Walgreen Company, is the largest drugstore chain in the United States. As of January 31, 2012, the company operates 8,300 stores in all 50 states, and has over 176,000 employees. The company offers consumer goods and services, a pharmacy, and health and wellness services. It offers its products and services through drugstores, through the mail, by telephone and online. WBA was founded in 1901, and is headquartered in Deerfield, IL. Walgreen is largely affected by the use of prescription benefit plans, as a decrease in benefit plans results in a decrease in revenue for Walgreen. As well, Walgreen is affected by the introduction of brand name or generic drugs. New brand name drugs generally result in higher revenues and new generic drugs generally result in an increase in gross profit margins. Walgreen has been paying dividends since 1972, and has increased them annually since 1976. Walgreen is a dividend aristocrat, which means it has been increasing dividends for more than 25 years consecutively. Walgreen pays its dividends quarterly.