Quarto reported preliminary earnings for the full fiscal year on Tuesday, with sales of $186.1 million up 5.5 percent, helped by “two small acquisitions” during the year, and pre-tax profit of $12.1 million was up 5.2 percent. Digital sales grew fivefold, but still comprise only $2.1 million of sales, or about 1 percent of sales, noted in the release “to satisfy the curiosity of analysts and commentators.” Often mentioned as a potential acquirer of other houses, including the current Sterling Publishing offer, Quarto’s net debt also rose–up 14 percent, to $81.4 million, including the cost of acquiring Cool Springs Press […]
Archives for February 2012
Awards: Writers for Writers, LAT Book Awards Nominees, and More
The Poets & Writers/Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers awards will honor David Baldacci, Kwame Dawes, and Carol Muske-Dukes and Kathryn Court is the recipient of their editor’s award, to be presented at the organization’s annual benefit dinner on March 29. The Los Angeles Times Book Awards finalists were named Tuesday morning across 10 categories. The winners will be named on April 20. Figment.com will receive their Innovator’s Award and author of the 1972 coming-of-age novel BLESS ME, ULTIMA Rudolfo Anaya will receive the Robert Kirsch Award for significant contribution to American letters. Nominees were also announced for the Canadian award for a first novel, run by Quill […]
S&S Unveils New Royalty Statements, Coming Soon Online
Simon & Schuster is dispatching “substantially redesigned” and more compact royalty statements with this reporting period, and as of March 1 those statement will be viewable as PDFs on their online Agent Portal. The publisher has worked closely with many authors and agents in developing the resigned statements, including “close consultation” with the Association of Authors’ Representatives’ royalty committee. Spokesperson Adam Rothberg adds that their “development roadmap definitely includes more flexibility in delivery options, and more granular data, and we will be continuing our productive work with agents on moving forward in all aspects of the royalty process.” AAR committee […]
Nook Tablet 8GB Announced for $199
Alongside their third quarter earnings, Barnes & Noble announced the release of a new Nook Tablet priced at $199–the same as the Kindle Fire–with 8GB of memory. (The original Nook Tablet, still available at $249, has 16GB of memory.) Along with the new model, they have reduced the price on the existing Nook Color to $169. Release
Barnes & Noble Sells More Books, But Liberty Share Dilute Earnings
Barnes & Noble reported third quarter earnings Tuesday and, consistent with their holiday sales update, business increased at the retail stores. At $1.494 billion, store sales were up 2 overall; same-store sales rose 2.8 percent, and the company said “retail core” comparable sales, excluding devices, accessories and warranties, rose 4.2 percent compared to a year ago. (Those increases are all slightly smaller than the growth reported for the nine-week holiday period on its own) BN.com sales rose 32 percent to $420 million, on the rising Nook business but with “a decline in online physical product sales”; college sales slid, “due […]
Jeremy Lin Will Wait for A Book Deal
Following unclear reports from earlier last week on whether or not there has been active solicitation for a book deal for New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin, over the weekend there was a clarifying statement from agent Richard Abate–who was working with Lin’s management in preliminary fashion, but is not doing so now. Abate said: “Earlier this month, Mr. Lin’s representatives asked me to arrange meetings to explore the possibility of a book deal. As the frenzy surrounding Mr. Lin has escalated, his representatives wisely decided to postpone those meetings until they can approach the development of a book project with […]