Book Biz Closes Out an Unexpected 2020 (publishersweekly.com)

Adobe released its online shopping predictions for the upcoming holiday season. Based on Adobe Analytics, Adobe expects that online sales will be $107.4 billion, an increase of 13.8 percent, while in-store retail is expected to grow ten percent.* Cyber Monday is expected to become the largest online shopping day in history, generating $6.6 billion in sales, 16.5 percent growth compared to last year. Sales on Thanksgiving Day are expected to increase 15 percent YoY to $2.8 billion. One out of every six dollars this holiday season will be spent between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, leading to $19.7 billion in sales. The most anticipated gifts include Hasbro NERF guns, Nintendo Switch, Apple Air Pods and Sony PlayStation® VR. While large retailers (more than $100 million in annual revenue) will see higher order values and desktop conversion rates than smaller retailers (less than $10 million in annual revenue), the latter are expected to have the mobile advantage with a higher average conversion rate of 1.9 percent by attracting more shoppers with an intent to buy. Adobe Analytics data also forecasts that shoppers will gravitate towards purchasing more lower-priced items online as opposed to big ticket items. While toys and apparel saw a 39 percent and 20 percent unit growth respectively last holiday season, jewelry sales came in low, with a three percent decline in unit growth. These trends are expected to continue this season. Click Read More below for additional information.

Net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 decreased 3.1% to $512.2 million, compared to $528.4 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017. Company comparable sales on a 13-week basis decreased 7.5% versus the year-ago period. Gross profit for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 totaled $189.7 million, or 37.0% of net sales, compared to $206.9 million, or 39.2% of net sales, for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017. Click Read More below for additional information.

The ODP Corporation announced that its Board of Directors determined to delay the previously announced public company separation to evaluate a potential sale of the Company’s consumer business. In May 2021, the Company announced that its Board of Directors unanimously approved a plan to separate ODP into two independent, publicly-traded companies by means of a tax-free spin-off to ODP shareholders. In November 2021, USR Parent, Inc., the parent company of Staples and a portfolio company of Sycamore Partners, reaffirmed its non-binding proposal to acquire the Company’s consumer business, including the Office Depot and OfficeMax retail stores business, the Company's direct channel business (officedepot.com), and the Office Depot and OfficeMax intellectual property, including all brand names, for $1 billion in cash. The Company remains in conversation with Sycamore as it further evaluates the potential value and regulatory risk of Sycamore’s proposed transaction. In December 2021, ODP’s Board of Directors received a non-binding proposal from another third party to acquire the Company’s consumer business. The terms of that proposal are confidential.