"I believe we will have modest, single-digit growth probably as of next year," he said.

The company's goal is 3 percent to 4 percent volume growth, with high single-digit growth in earnings per share.

Credit card revenue remained flat, even as the industry over all saw single-digit growth.

Today, he said, "If we can get just single-digit growth, year over year, that's great."

"And when the computer business goes to single-digit growth, that's ominous," he said.

High single-digit growth, without acquisitions, would be impressive over the long term.

Why should we run out and merge with Glaxo, when they have single-digit growth?

Sales growth was higher early in the year, then slowed to single-digit growth in the summer and fall, a trend that continued into the holidays.

This was the first year of single-digit growth in retail drug sales since 1994.

"We saw double-digit industry long-distance growth for several years, but we now see single-digit growth."