After six straight quarters of “core” declines, HarperCollins finished their fiscal year with a better fourth quarter, boosted on the topline by an extra week of results. Sales of $433 million were up 11 percent overall (or $43 million), and EBITDA improved to $50 million (compared to $33 million a year ago). But this was a 14-week reporting period, and a 53-week fiscal year; the extra week accounted for $19 million of the gain, with acquisitions (e.g. buying out international Harlequin joint venture partners) comprising another $12 million of the sales increase on an adjusted basis — leaving about $12 million in sales improvement, about 3 […]