Rite Aid Corp's sales at its established drugstores rose over the most recent quarter but the company forecast another loss this fiscal year despite the expectation of further sales gains.

The third-largest U.S. drugstore operator reported a net loss of $205.7 million, or 24 cents per share, compared with a loss of $208.4 million, or 24 cents per share, for the same quarter a year ago, in line with analyst estimates, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Sales were $6.46 billion, down slightly from a year ago. Sales at stores open at least a year were up 0.9 percent, helped by a 1 percent increase in sales of general merchandise.

Rite Aid expects a first full year loss of between $370 million and $560 million, or 42 cents and 64 cents per share, and for sales at established drugstores to rise between 0.5 percent and 2 percent.

Its shares were up 1 cent to $1.07 in premarket trading.

(Reporting by Phil Wahba; Editing by Derek Caney)