Canadian retailer Indigo reported sales for their fiscal first quarter, ending June 30, with sales of $205.4 million (CA), down $1 million and below expectations of a modest gain, as the company swung to an adjusted EBITDA loss of $13.3 million, and a pre-tax loss of $20.7 million (versus a loss of $7 million a year ago). EBITDA suffered due to “higher discounting, higher costs at the expanded distribution facilities, the increase in minimum wage in Ontario, and other investments in transformational initiatives.” Superstore sales comps were barely positive, up 0.2 percent, as were small-format store comps, up 0.76 percent. […]
Booksellers
More Earnings: Pearson Says PRH Sales Fell, Amazon Keeps Growing
Pearson reported modest results for the first half of 2018, with “good progress against strategic priorities” and their “efficiency program on track,” in line with their previous guidance for the year. (Which called for falling overall operating profit, though growth in the “underlying” profit.) The US higher ed business “grew modestly in the first half helped by lower returns, as expected” but is still projected to decline in the more important second half due to “underlying market pressures.” And the US K12 business remains up for sale. Profits from their stake in Penguin Random House declined to £22 million — […]
Investor Schottenfeld Tries A Little Agitation Again with Barnes & Noble Stock
Investment groups associated with hedge fund manager Richard Schottenfeld acquired holdings in Barnes & Noble sufficiently as of July 12 to file with the SEC, indicating control of more than 5 percent of the company’s stock. In this case they control 4.16 million shares, or 5.68 percent of the bookseller’s shares, and according to the filing they are holding a number of options, hoping for a boost in the share price. Schottenfeld has invested in Barnes & Noble before; back in late 2012 he claimed to have a “significant ownership interest” in the company (but not big enough to declare to […]
BNED, However, Ends The Year On A Positive Track
Separately, Barnes & Noble Education reported fourth quarter and full fiscal year sales after the close of the market on Wednesday. Fourth quarter sales of $358 million were up 4.3 percent, and full year sales of $2,204 million were 17.6 percent higher — both due to the acquisitions of MBS in February 2017 and Student Brands in August 2017. Net income in the fourth quarter was $17.1 million, but the full-year net loss was $(253) million due to the big impairment charge they took in March. Adjusted EBITDA of $22.2 million, was $3.4 million in the fourth quarter; full year 2018 […]
Print Sales Slid at Indigo, Driven By Merchandise Growth
Following last week’s headline results from Canadian retailer Indigo, their full annual report is out, and you can see in more detail how general merchandise sales are driving the chain’s growth. Actual print sales declined $5 million (CA) during the year, falling less than one percent to $593 million, while ereading revenues were down another $2.4 million, to just $10.1 million. General merchandise added $65 million, growing to $449 million. Print now comprises 55 percent of company sales (down from 58.6 percent), and general merchandise is up to 41.6 percent of sales. The growth was distributed between their superstores — […]
Amazon Gains On Strong Earnings
Amazon reported sales for the first quarter on Thursday afternoon, as net income more than doubled, to $1.63 billion, well ahead of analysts’ expectations. The stock is trading near all-time highs on the strong report. Sales of $51 billion were well ahead of the $35.7 billion in the same quarter a year ago. That was bolstered by $4.3 billion from physical stores — primarily the added Whole Foods. The results show fast growth in nearly every segment — their advertising business (+139%), subscription services (+60%), AWS (+49%), and third-party seller services (+44%). The lowest growth was in the basic business […]