Bertelsmann Updates on Quarter, as Executive Sends New Signals In a short first quarter trading update, Bertelsmann disclosed that sales fell almost 4 percent to 4.2 billion euros, as net income turned positive again at 35 million euros. Operating EBIT, the company’s preferred measure of profits, rose 9.6 percent from the same period a year ago, to 217 million euros. Aside from losses due to currency exchange, the only other negative factor cited in the short report — which does not provide any breakouts by division — is that “revenues were also impacted by declines in sales of physical recordings […]
Archives for May 2008
Lunch for Wednesday, May 7
Lagardere Just Above Flat for the Quarter In a first quarter trading update, Lagardere announced that sales in their publishing division were “virtually unchanged, rising by just 0.5 percent” to 413 million euros. Hachette Book Group USA is credited with a “strong pace of growth” and the UK had “robust growth in adult and children’s fiction,” with gains in those areas eroded by drops in both the dollar and the pound against the euro. Meanwhile, in France sales fell, in part due to a “weak market in Literature,” though “illustrated books performed well,” as did book sales in Spain. Looking […]
Lunch for Tuesday, May 6
If They Do It As you surely know by now, the NYT’s man in Frankfurt Mark Landler has echoed — without attribution — the story last month from Germany’s Manager Magazine (which is partially owned by Bertelsmann’s Gruner + Jahr) that we cited here previously suggesting that Peter Olson will step down as ceo of Random House shortly. The Times puts the timetable at “in the next few weeks,” with one unnamed executive saying “It’s just a question of working out his deal.” A source for the WSJ “cautioned that no final decision had been made but said Mr. Olson […]
Lunch for Monday, May 5
Today’s Announcements: Stage Set for Prince; Harper Confirms Video Program Atria has announced publication this fall of pop star Prince’s 21 NIGHTS, a multi-media volume promising a glimpse into his life, lyrics, and mystique, constructed as a photographic essay with never-before-published images by Randee St. Nicholas that flows from his 21 concerts in 21 nights in London last year — also featuring “Indigo Nights,” a CD of Prince’s “speak-easy, after-hours, raw, live after-show sessions of pure unadulterated jams.” HarperCollins officially announced today their new in-house internet broadcast studio, which has been creating author videos from their offices for sales, marketing […]
Lunch Weekly For Monday, May 5
Deal Reports Just e-mail to deals@PublishersMarketplace if you aren’t using the online form linked below. Report a deal using the online form The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice deal” $50,000 – $99,000 “good deal” $100,000 – $250,000 “significant deal” $251,000 – $499,000 “major deal” $500,000 and up FICTION Debut Lisa Patton’s WHISTLIN’ DIXIE IN A NOR’EASTER, in which a Southern […]
Lunch for Friday, May 2
Coming Attractions: Barbara Walters to Hit News Cycle Look for major media with the release of Barbara Walters’ book AUDITION on Tuesday, including an Oprah Winfrey feature airing that day. In a transcript from that show given to the AP, they report that “after three decades of keeping mum, Barbara Walters is disclosing a past affair with married US Senator Edward Brooke.… The first African-American to be popularly elected to the Senate. Both he and Walters knew that public knowledge of their affair could have ruined his career as well as hers, Walters says.” She explains to an interviewer at […]