Top credit insurer Euler Hermes is continuing to pull insurance cover from a number of retail operations, now including all of Borders UK, as well as the UK’s Book People. The decision is reportedly based on the overall economic decline rather than specific weaknesses at those operations. The Bookseller says that “the action has prompted at least one distributor to advise its clients to reconsider their trading limits. Hachette-owned LBS has emailed its publisher clients warning them that it wants to be told of the new limits by 23rd December or the supply of books will be placed on hold.”Bookseller
International News
Now that Quercus Has Sold New Shares, They Revise Guidance
Citing “exceptionally challenging recent market conditions,” the UK’s Quercus warned thatsales and profits for 2008 will fall below expectations. Trade book sales will range between 6 million and 6.5 million pounds, with what had been slim profits to begin with evaporating to breakeven for the whole group (including steady contract publishing sales of 4 million to 4.3 million pounds). The company says “a significant program of cost-cutting has been implemented, including a reduction in current staff costs and a review of the company’s future staffing requirements. Quercus just completed raising 1.75 million pounds in a share offer after they were […]
Another 10 Percent Drop in the UK
Weekly sales figures from Nielsen BookScan show book sales expenditures in the UK via tracked outlets declined 10.5 percent compared to the same week a year ago, ending December 13. Unit sales fell less, by 5.4 percent, with discounting pushing down the average selling price.
EUK to Liquidate
As predicted, the bankrupt UK wholesaler EUK has failed to find a quick buyer for what it is basically an unsustainable basis and bankruptcy administrator Deloitte announced today that “700 employees have today been made redundant.” The business will “continue to operate with a reduced workforce of 375 employees” while they try to extract whatever small value they can from the company. “Whilst we will continue to consider offers for the sale of the business as a going concern, we will now focus on realizing value from the company’s assets.” That will likely increase the efforts to sell Bertram’s–which is […]
Sales Down at Waterstone's–And Getting Worse
HMV reported sales for the first six months of their fiscal year (ending October 25), showing revenue of 235.1 million pounds at their Waterstone’s unit declined 3.8 percent overall, and 3.1 percent on a same-store sales basis. The company notes that without the impact of last year’s release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, same-store sales declined just 1.4 percent. The bookseller showed an operating loss of 9.3 million pounds for the period, 4.5 percent more than last year’s loss of 8.9 million pounds. The company says increases in costs included 1.5 million pounds towards their supply chain overhaul. […]
UK Book Chains Fare Worse than Trade
Revenue from sales at UK High Street booksellers (like Waterstone’s and WH Smith) fell 12.7 percent in the week ending December 6–almost five points worse than the overall decline in sales tracked by Nielsen BookScan. The Telegraph says “high street book sales are plummeting as discounting, the growth of internet operators such as Amazon and dwindling consumer spending hits retailers.” As a result, “Discounting is becoming more aggressive as retailers fight to win customers with consumer spending dwindling in the wake of the economic downturn.”Telegraph