UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) - March 28, 1997





                               ECKERD CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


         Delaware                      1-4844                  51-0378122

(State or other jurisdiction      (Commission File No.)   (IRS Employer
of incorporation)                                         Identification No.)


8333 Bryan Dairy Road
Largo, Florida

(Address of principal                                             33777
executive offices)                                              (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:     (813) 399-6000





Item 8.   Change in Fiscal Year


Eckerd  Corporation  ("New  Eckerd")  was formed by J. C. Penney  Company,  Inc.
("JCPenney") in 1996 for the purpose of acquiring the former Eckerd  Corporation
("Old Eckerd") in a transaction  effected  through a cash tender offer of $35.00
per  share  for  50.1% of Old  Eckerd's  outstanding  common  stock  (which  was
completed  in December  1996),  followed by a second  step merger  completed  on
February 27, 1997 in which Old Eckerd  stockholders  received  0.6604  shares of
JCPenney  common stock for each  remaining  share of Old Eckerd common stock not
purchased in the tender offer.  New Eckerd is the surviving  corporation  of the
merger of Old Eckerd with and into New Eckerd.  New Eckerd's  fiscal year at the
time of the merger was the  calendar  year.  On March 28, 1997,  New Eckerd,  by
unanimous written consent of its Board of Directors,  determined that its fiscal
year shall end at the close of business on the last  Saturday in January of each
year. New Eckerd's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 1997
will be the first report filed with the Securities  and Exchange  Commission for
the new fiscal year.






                                   SIGNATURES



Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                              ECKERD CORPORATION


                                              /s/ Samuel G. Wright
                                              -------------------------------
                                              Samuel G. Wright
                                              Executive Vice President/Chief
                                              Financial Officer
Date:  June 9, 1997