Former ceo and chairman of Doubleday & Company–as well as life trustee of the New York Public Library, long-time trustee of the New York Zoological Society and board member of the American Academy of Rome–John Turner Sargent, Sr., 87, died peacefully at his home in Manhattan on February 5. He “had been in frail condition in recent years after suffering a stroke.” In partnership with Nelson Doubleday, Sargent led Doubleday’s expansion as a “communications conglomerate” and vertically-integrated publishing enterprise that included book manufacturing, the Literary Guild and Doubleday book clubs, the acquisition of book exporter Feffer & Simons, the 26 […]
Archives for February 2012
Harper’s Nelson Purchase Still Awaits Government Review
Just to update your acquisition closing calendars, we note that the finalization of HarperCollins’ agreement to purchase Thomas Nelson is taking longer than originally projected. When the deal was announced at the end of the October, the parties indicated the deal was “expected to close by the end of the calendar year” while stipulating that it “is subject to regulatory clearances and other customary closing conditions.” All indications are that the delay is due to waiting on government signoff rather than any other deal-related issues. Harper spokesperson Erin Crum indicates, “We are still undergoing the regulatory review period, but we […]
Bookselling: More on RJ Julia Sale; Curious George Bookstore To Reopen Under New Ownership
Updating Monday’s story on the announced sale of RJ Julia Booksellers, owner Roxanne Coady added a few more details in a telephone interview with us this morning. The idea to sell had been brewing for “at least a year and a half to two years,” Coady said. “It wasn’t an a-ha moment, but you know how you think about something and it’s not sorted in your mind, but there’s enough evidence pointing directly at what you should decide? It was like that.” That RJ Julia had a “very good year” in 2011 cemented Coady’s decision to sell, since “it made […]
Corporate: Book Printers Edwards Brothers & Malloy Merge; CodeMantra Buys Preparé Inc
Ann Arbor, MI-based book manufacturers Edwards Brothers and Malloy have merged to form the US’s sixth-largest book printer. The new company, now called Edwards Brothers Malloy, has combined sales of $115 million and will have three offset facilities—Edwards Brothers’ plants in Ann Arbor, MI, and Lillington, NC, and Malloy’s operation in Ann Arbor—along with 11 digital print plants in the United States, Canada, and the UK. Edwards Brothers president and ceo John Edwards will be ceo of the merged company, with Malloy president Bill Upton continuing as vp operations and Joe Upton remaining as vp sales and marketing. Edwards said […]
HBG USA Rises, As Hachette UK Struggles
Hachette Book Group USA had a sharp turnaround in the fourth quarter, with sales rising 12.8 percent (after falling 8 percent in the prior quarter), riding a “powerful performance” and an easier comparison to a year ago, when Stephenie Meyer sales had declined. But Hachette UK continues to struggle, down 4.5 percent for the fourth quarter (after falling 10 percent in the third quarter). The company blamed “tougher international market conditions (REDgroup’s bankruptcy in Australia),” even with UK rights to the Steve Jobs biography. Lagardere’s publishing division reported overall fourth quarter sales of 537 million euros, down 3.4 percent overall […]
ITC Attorney Says BN Did Not Infringe On Microsoft Patents
The International Trade Commission trial in Microsoft’s patent infringement action against Barnes & Noble began in Washington on Monday, with BN scoring a prominent opinion in their favor. ITC attorney Jeffrey Hsu told Bloomberg that “he is recommending that ITC Judge Theodore Essex find there was no violation by Barnes & Noble of three Microsoft patents” in testimony given before evidence was presented at trial. Microsoft, however, believes Hsu’s opinion will be swayed once the trial is underway. The software company said in its original complaint that Amazon has licensed at least one of their patents for the Kindle. If the […]