Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ: WBA) rocketed 27.5% higher on Friday, Jan. 10, 2024. Investors of all stripes are wondering whether more gains could be ahead for the beaten-down retail pharmacy chain operator.

Walgreens was the worst stock in the S&P 500 last year. An analyst writes that it’s still “premature to say that Walgreens is on a stable path to growth” despite upbeat earnings.

Walgreens Boots Alliance posted a wider quarterly loss, hit by the costs of closing stores and weaker retail sales, but shares surged after a smaller-than-expected drop in adjusted earnings. Walgreens shares soared more than 28% to$11.