Walgreens Boots Alliance is considering selling the company to a private equity firm – a move that would take the publicly traded company private, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Deerfield-based Walgreens has been in discussions with Sycamore Partners over a deal that could be completed early next year,

Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance surged after The Wall Street Journal reported that the pharmacy chain is in talks to sell itself to a private-equity firm in a deal that would take it off the public market.