As we approach the halfway point for 2012, now's a good time to look back at what's happening with the stocks that interest you. By making sure you know the important things that a company accomplished -- as well as the setbacks it experienced -- you can make a better decision about whether it's a smart investment for your portfolio.

Today, let's take a look at Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD). The drugstore retailer has struggled against its stronger competition for years. Although the stock is up slightly so far this year, plenty of questions still remain unresolved about Rite Aid's future. Let's take a quick look at how the stock is doing so far this year.

Stats on Rite Aid

2012 YTD Return 6.3%
Market Capitalization $1.19 billion
Revenue, Most Recent Quarter $6.47 billion
Year-Over-Year Revenue Growth, Most Recent Quarter 1.2%
Net Loss, Most Recent Quarter ($30.7 million)
CAPS Rating *

Source: S&P Capital IQ.

Why has Rite Aid gone nowhere since 2009?
Rite Aid has failed even where competitors have found success. While Walgreen (NYSE: WAG) and CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) have both done a good job of earning strong profits even during tough economic times, Rite Aid has posted 20 consecutive quarters of losses. The big problem is debt, which stifles its ability to make strategic moves and creates interest expenses that in many quarters is the main reason why the company loses money.

Rite Aid has done its best to capitalize on one opportunity, though. A dispute between Walgreen and Express Scripts (Nasdaq: ESRX) has forced many Walgreen customers working through Express Scripts to move their prescriptions, and Rite Aid has gotten its share of Walgreen's patrons.

But lately, rumors have surfaced that Walgreen should simply buy out Rite Aid in order to compete better against CVS. While a deal would help Walgreen grow, it would also shoulder the company with Rite Aid's debt -- something that Fool analyst Austin Smith thinks isn't worth the cost.

Rite Aid's most recent quarter made some shareholders excited about its future prospects, as company management gave full-year guidance for a smaller loss than previously thought. But in the end, Rite Aid needs to figure out how to make money -- and in the current environment, that'll be a tough assignment given the company's debt load.

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