Booksellers

Canadian chain Indigo continues to post good results, driven by their transformation to “cultural department stores.” Sales in their fiscal 2018 first quarter rose $13 million to $206 million (CA), with adjusted EBITDA of $100,000, compared to a loss of $6.1 million a year ago. The overall loss was $7.2 million, compared to a loss of $8.8 million a year ago. As in the past quarters, “higher revenue was driven by continued double-digit growth in general merchandise, particularly in the lifestyle, toy, and paper categories.” They say there was also “modest growth” in book sale, though according to the company’s […]

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt reported flat second quarter sales at $393 billion, as billings declined by $17 million. In what is seasonally a weak quarter, they had a higher net loss of ($46.9 million), compared to ($28.4 million) a year ago, and a bigger operating loss, $10 million higher at $31 million. The restructuring plan that saw significant layoffs in May cost $33 million during the quarter — including $14 million for severance and termination benefits. Trade sales were $42.4 million for the quarter, up from $38.7 million a year ago, rising 9.8 percent, andattributed to “Papi and the latest edition […]

Apple reported fiscal 2017 third quarter earnings, with sales $45.4 billion (up $3 billion) and net income of $8.7 billion (up from $7.8 billion a year ago). Traditionally one of Apple’s lighter quarters, those results were still ahead of analysts’ expectations — and the company’s own guidance for the next quarter was also stronger than expected, boosting the stock price. It used to be fun to watch Apple’s “services” revenue — which includes their media sales — grow and ultimately overtake Amazon’s “media sales” business, but then Amazon stopped breaking out media sales in 2017 and moved to charting subscription […]

Amazon reported second quarter sales on Thursday after, with sales rising 25 percent to $38 billion, as earnings were in line with the wide-ranging guidance but towards the lower side where analysts had been hopeful for hitting the end. That translates into operating income of $628 million — down 51 percent — and net income of $197 million, down significantly from $857 million a year ago. Profits are expected to remain low in the quarter to come, with the company forecasting anywhere from a loss of ($400 million) to a gain of $300 million, with the stock down lightly after […]