Finance

The adult trade segment was one of three major publishing categories to have an increase in the first three months of 2017 over 2016. The higher educational course materials segment had the largest gain in the period, with sales up 24.3%, according to the AAP.

A strong performance by its Nashville-based imprints FaithWords and Center Street helped lift sales 5% at Hachette Book Group in the first half of 2017 over the comparable period in 2016.

Increased investment led to a 51% decline in operating income in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the second quarter of 2016, Amazon reported Thursday afternoon.

Net earnings at Educational Development Corp. rose to $1.2 million in the quarter ended May 31, 2107 over the comparable period a year ago. Sales were up 20%.

Revenue at the publisher rose 4% in fiscal 2017 over the previous year, and operating income increased 17%. In announcing its latest financial results, the company also unveiled a program called Scholastic 2020, which aims to drive long term improvement in operating income.

The company reported sales of $1.87 billion in the fiscal year ended April 29, 2017, an increase of 3.7% over fiscal 2016. Full year net income was $5.4 million, as compared to $0.1 million in the prior year period.

The rise in Amazon’s stock price drove up the Publishers Weekly Stock Index by nearly 28% in the first six months of 2017. Without Amazon, the index would have fallen 5.4%.

A change in the curriculum at schools gave France's book business a boost in 2016, while its new minister of culture, a former publisher, is addressing lingering challenges, including the regulation of online bookselling.

Unit sales of print books rose 3% for the first six months of 2017 compared to the first half of last year at outlets that report to NPD BookScan.

In an announcement released yesterday in the U.K, the Quarto Group said it will report lower than expected results for the first half of 2017, but that it expects business to improve in the second half of the year.