Fourth-quarter service performance for July 1 through July 30 included: First-Class Mail: Delivered 89.0 percent of First-Class Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1.5 percentage points from the third quarter. Marketing Mail: Delivered 92.6 percent of Marketing Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1.6 percentage points from the third quarter. Periodicals: Delivered 82.7 percent of Periodicals on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 3.4 percentage points from the third quarter. For the week of July 24 - 30, Marketing Mail maintained the highest service performance level (93.7 percent) reported for that category in nearly five years, since the week of August 20-26, 2016 (93.9 percent).

Second Quarter 2021 Financial Highlights: • Total revenues of $804.3 million rose 4.9% compared to the prior year quarter ◦ Same store revenues (as defined and reconciled on Table No. 5 below) increased 6.8% compared to the second quarter of 2020 • Total digital revenues were $259.3 million or 32.2% of total revenues • Net income attributable to Gannett of $15.1 million • Adjusted EBITDA totaled $115.8 million, an increase of $37.8 million or 48.4% compared to the second quarter of 2020 and represented a 14.4% margin • Net cash flow provided by operating activities of $31.3 million • Free cash flow of $23.1 million

Fiscal 2021 Full Year Key Financial Highlights: *Revenues were $9.36 billion, a 4% increase compared to $9.01 billion in the prior year, reflecting a 30% increase in the fourth quarter *Net income of $389 million compared to a net loss of $(1.55) billion in the prior year, which included non-cash impairment charges of $1.69 billion *Total Segment EBITDA was $1.27 billion compared to $1.01 billion in the prior year *Diluted EPS were $0.56 compared to $(2.16) in the prior year – Adjusted EPS were $0.67 compared to $0.22 in the prior year *Revenues at Move, operator of realtor.com®, grew 36% year-over-year, with 68% growth in the fourth quarter, which was an acceleration from the prior quarter growth rate. Average monthly unique users grew 32% in the fourth quarter *Dow Jones saw record digital subscriptions, continued robust growth at Risk & Compliance and a strong increase in digital advertising revenues *Foxtel’s streaming products exceeded 2 million total paid subscribers as of year end, driving 40% total paid subscriber growth *Book Publishing continued to benefit from strong consumption patterns with 19% revenue growth *Announced agreement to acquire OPIS, a leading data and analytics provider for energy and commodities markets, to bolster Dow Jones’ Professional Information Business

The international media, services, and education company Bertelsmann has completed the acquisition of 25 percent of the capital shares and 46 percent of the voting rights in the Nasdaq-listed education company Afya in Brazil. The Brazilian antitrust authorities had previously given their approval. The transaction, which significantly expands Bertelsmann’s involvement in the Brazilian education market, has a volume of €500 million. Bertelsmann will provide three of the eleven members of the company’s Board of Directors from now on. Afya is the leading provider of medical education and training in Brazil. Bertelsmann acquired the shares in the company from Crescera Educacional II, a fund launched in 2014 by Crescera Capital with Bertelsmann as the main investor. Afya is now to be developed further in cooperation with the Esteves founding family, which holds 24 percent of the shares and 45 percent of the voting rights, and the company’s successful management.

The media companies RTL Deutschland and Gruner + Jahr are joining forces to form a new national cross-media champion. The decision follows a review process lasting several months, with the aim of deepening the successful collaboration between the country’s leading private TV, radio, and streaming group and the publishing house with its powerful brands. The new company will start operating as one at the beginning of next year. Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe says: “The relevant bodies, RTL Group’s Board, and Bertelsmann’s Executive Board and Supervisory Board, have come to the conclusion that RTL Deutschland and G+J can better exploit their growth potential together. By forming this national media champion, Bertelsmann is implementing its strategic priorities as it has already done in France, the Netherlands and Belgium. This will strengthen our media businesses in the German market in the competition with the global tech platforms,” Rabe continued, “No other media company in this country can create such a cross-genre growth alliance. RTL Deutschland and G+J are a content powerhouse that combines the content expertise of 1,500 journalists, among other things. The companies bring together strong content and brands across the various media under one roof. This will generate annual synergies of around 100 million euros – largely due to growth.”

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $15.21 billion for the retail month of July, the four weeks ended August 1, 2021, an increase of 16.6 percent from $13.04 billion last year. For the forty-eight weeks ended August 1, 2021, the Company reported net sales of $176.30 billion, an increase of 17.8 percent from $149.66 billion last year.

Highlights from the quarter include: *Raising 2021 billings guidance to $980-1,020 million and unlevered free cash flow guidance to 12-14% of billings *Strong billings growth across the Company of 25% in Q2 and 21% YTD as demand for teaching and learning solutions grows with students returning to classrooms this fall *Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR)2 growth accelerated 106% bringing ARR to $77 million, or 8% of trailing twelve-month billings. Net Retention Rate (NRR)2 was 154% *Trailing twelve-month free cash flow of $101 million, an improvement of $29 million compared to the first quarter of 2021, reflecting strong operating leverage and the benefits of 2020 actions to align HMH’s cost structure with its Digital First, Connected strategy *Gross leverage ratio of 1.8x, below HMH’s target leverage ratio of 2.0x adjusted EBITDA

In a reversal of the usual flow of things, GrillGirl.com founder Robyn Lindars has started a print magazine. Grill Girl is available at retailers and grocery stores nationwide, including Barnes & Noble, CVS and Walmart. Lindars, who started offering outdoor grilling recipes in 2008, went into print to help “elevate everyone’s grilling game,” she states. Each issue will feature over 25 recipes and advice on how to pick the right grill, grill the perfect steak, cook an entire meal on the grill and plank grill pizzas.

Total revenues for the second quarter of 2021 increased 23.5 percent to $498.5 million from $403.8 million in the second quarter of 2020. Subscription revenues increased 15.7 percent to $339.2 million, advertising revenues increased 66.4 percent to $112.8 million and other revenues increased 8.7 percent to $46.5 million. Compared with the second quarter of 2019, total revenues increased 14.3 percent, as subscription revenues increased 25.4 percent, advertising revenues declined 6.6 percent and other revenues increased 3.3 percent. Total operating costs increased 12.4 percent in the second quarter of 2021 to $421.4 million compared with $374.9 million in the second quarter of 2020, while adjusted operating costs increased 15.4 percent to $405.6 million from $351.6 million in the second quarter of 2020. Compared with the second quarter of 2019, total operating costs increased 5.8 percent, while adjusted operating costs increased 6.5 percent.

Total reported sales for the second quarter of 2021 were $2.3 billion, an increase of 6% compared to the second quarter of 2020. The year-over-year increase in revenue was partially driven by stronger business activity as the public sector returned to work and schools began to return to in-class learning. Product sales in the second quarter were up 6% relative to the prior year period, driven by stronger demand for core supply product categories, workspaces and technology. Service revenue in the first quarter was up 8%, largely related to stronger demand for managed print and fulfillment, as well as copy and print services in both BSD and Retail Divisions. The Company reported operating loss of $78 million in the second quarter of 2021, compared to operating loss of $456 million in the prior year period. GAAP operating results in the second quarter included $122 million of charges including $115 million of non-cash asset impairment charges, and $7 million in net merger, restructuring and other operating costs. Asset impairment charges of $115 million in the second quarter of 2021 included $114 million related to impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets at CompuCom, largely related to the macroeconomic effects of COVID-19 on current business conditions. Net merger, restructuring and other operating costs of $7 million were primarily associated with the planned separation of B2B operations. Net loss was $88 million, or $(1.62) per diluted share in the second quarter of 2021, compared to net loss of $439 million, or $(8.19) per diluted share in the second quarter of 2020.

At HH Global it is important to us that we ensure our organisation grows both responsibly and sustainably, therefore our Innovation with Purpose strategy continues to evolve. A key objective of this is to enhance and develop our holistic approach to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) activities. The ambitions of many organisations are yet to be distilled into targets in this area. HH Global is demonstrating genuine leadership by showing our clients, colleagues and suppliers the commitments we are making, relevant not only to our own operations but to the whole of our supply chain.

Due to an anticipated large gathering of people during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, out of an abundance of caution for the safety and health of our employees and the public, the Aug. 6, 2021, open session meeting of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors will now be conducted by live audio webcast only, with no in-person attendance. With no in-person attendance, the Postal Service is cancelling the previously scheduled public comment period that was to have been conducted following the adjournment of the meeting. The Board is expected to discuss the following items at the Aug. 6 meeting beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET: *Call to Order and Opening Remarks of the Chairman *Remarks of the Postmaster General and CEO *Approval of Minutes *Committee Reports *Quarterly Financial Report *Quarterly Service Performance Report *Approval of Tentative Agenda for November Meetings *Adjournment

S&P Global and IHS Markit announced an agreement to sell IHS Markit's Oil Price Information Services (OPIS); Coal, Metals and Mining; and PetroChem Wire businesses to News Corp in a cash transaction valued at approximately $1.150 billion. The sale is expected to be completed at the close of the merger between S&P Global and IHS Markit. The agreement marks the culmination of S&P Global and IHS Markit's previously announced decision to explore a divestiture of these businesses and represents an important milestone on the path to regulatory approval for the merger between S&P Global and IHS Markit.

Grainger reported results for the second quarter 2021 with sales of $3.2 billion, up 13.1% and up 15.0% on an organic, daily, constant currency basis compared to the second quarter 2020. Both the High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment segments produced strong top-line growth. Gross margin for the second quarter of 2021 was 35.0%, a 75 basis point decline over the prior year quarter driven by pandemic-related inventory adjustments recorded in the High-Touch Solutions N.A. segment. Reported operating earnings for the second quarter of 2021 of $334 million were up 62% versus the second quarter of 2020, primarily due to losses taken in the second quarter of 2020 related to the divested Fabory business.

Underlying revenue up 17% to £1,597m · Global Online Learning up 25% driven by strong growth in US Virtual Schools; modest growth in OPM with good underlying growth offset by discontinued programs.· Global Assessment grew 34% with growth across all divisions, following the closure of test centres and schools and exam cancellations in 2020. · North American Courseware up 2%, driven by a recovery in Canada which more than offset a 2% decline in US Higher Education Courseware. · International grew 8% with growth in courseware, clinical assessment and PTE following school, bookstore and test centre closures last year. Statutory results · Sales increased 7% to £1,597m (2020: £1,492m) reflecting underlying performance, partially offset by portfolio changes and currency movements. · Statutory operating profit £9m in H1 2021 (H1 2020: £107m), with the decrease due to the profit on disposal of Penguin Random House in 2020 and restructuring costs in 2021 partially offset by improved trading and reduced intangible charges. · Statutory EPS 2.3p (H1 2020: 6.3p).

S&P Global eported second quarter 2021 results with revenue of $2,106 million, an increase of 8% compared to the same period last year with every segment delivering revenue growth. Net income increased 1% to $798 million. Diluted earnings per share increased 1% to $3.30 primarily due to revenue growth partially offset by increased compensation-related expenses. Merger Update: S&P Global and IHS Markit continue to progress with merger integration planning. In addition, work with global regulators remains underway and we anticipate closing the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2021. Profit Margin: The Company's operating profit margin decreased 210 basis points to 54.8% primarily due to a challenging expense comparison to the second quarter of 2020 and increased compensation-related expenses, and costs related to the pending merger with IHS Markit in 2021.

Fourth-quarter service performance for July 1 through July 23 included: *First-Class Mail: Delivered 89.3 percent of First-Class Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of nearly 2 percentage points from the third quarter. *Marketing Mail: Delivered 92.4 percent of Marketing Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1.4 percentage points from the third quarter. *Periodicals: Delivered 82.8 percent of Periodicals on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 3.6 percentage points from the third quarter.

*Operating cash flow increased 16% to $59.3 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $51.2 billion for the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2020. *Free cash flow decreased to $12.1 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $31.9 billion for the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2020. *Net sales increased 27% to $113.1 billion in the second quarter, compared with $88.9 billion in second quarter 2020. Excluding the $2.5 billion favorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, net sales increased 24% compared with second quarter 2020. *Operating income increased to $7.7 billion in the second quarter, compared with $5.8 billion in second quarter 2020. *Net income increased to $7.8 billion in the second quarter, or $15.12 per diluted share, compared with $5.2 billion, or $10.30 per diluted share, in second quarter 2020.

The theory among publishers that book sales rose last year because people were reading more has been borne out in part by a survey recently released by the U.S. Department of Labor. According to the American Time Use survey, reading among people 15 years old and up increased by 21% in the May-December period in 2020 over the same period in 2019. The data shows that reading of all kinds increased from just under 17 minutes per day in 2019 in the same timeframe to just over 20 minutes in the comparable period last year. The biggest increase in daily reading came among 20 to 34 year-olds and in readers over 65. People older than 75 spent by far the most time reading last year (and every year for that matter), reading an average of 55 minutes per day in the 2020 May-December period.

In the first half of 2021, Group revenue totalled €2,076 million, up 5% on a like-for-like basis. Group recurring EBIT in the first half of the year totalled €3 million, up sharply by €221 million compared to a negative €218 million in first-half 2020. Lagardère Publishing recorded decade-high recurring EBIT of €110 million (€27 million in first-half 2020), with Lagardère Travel Retail reporting recurring EBIT of -€96 million, versus -€209 million in first-half 2020. The Group reported a loss before finance costs and tax of €117 million in first-half 2021 (loss of €397 million in first-half 2020), including non-recurring/non-operating items for a net negative amount of €61 million. The loss – Group share was €171 million, versus a loss – Group share of €422 million in first-half 2020.

As expected in our most recent postal update in June, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has approved the postal rate increase that was proposed by the USPS. The PRC spent about a month reviewing the USPS’s proposal before formally announcing its approval on Monday, July 19th. Per the PRC, it confirmed that the planned price adjustments for all market dominant classes, including workshare discounts, are consistent with applicable regulations and applicable Commission directives and orders. The PRC also concluded that the planned classification changes, with some minor revisions described in the PRC Order, are consistent with applicable law. The new postal rates will become effective August 29th, and our analysis of numerous postage estimates shows that postage increases for Marketing Mail to be averaging about 8.6% for Flats and 6.6% for Letters. Mailings with in-home dates up to September 13th will pay current postage rates, with postage being paid on August 27th. This postal rate increase is unprecedented, with the PRC sanctioning and approving the USPS to increase rates higher than the 12-month rolling consumer price index (CPI). In effect, these rates will be about 4 times higher than the current CPI and are contrary to the rate increase guidelines laid out in the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act.

MIDLAND has just launched a new and innovative Specialty Media catalog for offset, digital and inkjet sheet fed printers. The all-inclusive catalog merges major sheet fed print technologies into one unique publication. Offset, HP Indigo, Dry Toner and Inkjet substrates are all featured within one book. “The Specialty Media catalog is a one-stop shop product guide that gives our customers the opportunity to find the correct printable substrate without having to thumb through multiple catalogs,” comments David Field, General Manager of Midland’s Specialty Paper & Film Division. The new product guide features synthetic papers, rigid media, window and walls films, pressure sensitive papers, integrated substrates, magnetic media and specialty paper products. “These are all products that are of high value to our customers and their end users and are application driven” added Field. The catalog is segmented into the following categories: • Non-Adhesive Synthetic • Adhesive Synthetic • Adhesive Paper • Specialty Substrates. “Our customers are going to be blown away by this updated version of the Specialty Media Catalog”, said Mike Ratcliff, President of Midland’s Specialty Paper & Film Division. “This is more than just another catalog. It is a tool for our customers to use for their customers for all of their high value print projects – it gives them a window into what’s possible”.

Sustainability is playing an increasingly larger role in the lives of young consumers, particularly among Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Generation Z (born 1997 and after). This trend is expected to continue as Gen Z consumers enter the workforce and start setting up their own households. As a result, the Paper and Packaging Board’s “How Life Unfolds” Campaign® is launching a new sustainability-focused effort to more appealing to young consumers. “As our consumer audience begins to age up, we need to keep reaching out to younger generations with important sustainability messaging,” explains Mary Anne Hansan, president of the Paper and Packaging Board. “They are worried about the environment, have heard stories about recycling not being worthwhile and have misperceptions about the health of U.S. forests. That’s why we’ve created a campaign set to reach a younger audience with content that is both entertaining and educational.” The new effort is based in part on findings from The Hartman Group’s “Sustainability 2019: Beyond Business as Usual” study of American consumers aged 18-73. Researchers found that sustainability is “a cultural value and defining concern for today’s consumer,” and that “consumers increasingly hold companies and governments responsible for sustainability than individuals,” even as they adjust their own behaviors to lessen their personal environmental footprint.

Target Corporation and Ulta Beauty shared details about the highly anticipated Ulta Beauty at Target, slated to begin rolling out in more than 100 Target stores nationwide and online with more than 50 specially curated prestige brands this August. The differentiated retail concept pairs Ulta Beauty's industry authority with Target's beloved experience, bringing a one-of-a-kind beauty experience to millions of guests. The companies are planning for these experiential "shop-in-shops" to reach a total of 800 Target stores across the country in the coming years. "As the retail and beauty industries continue to evolve, we take pride in being leaders that continually redefine and elevate guest experiences. Ulta Beauty at Target reflects our commitment to drive the industry forward and keep our guests meaningfully engaged," said Kecia Steelman, chief operating officer, Ulta Beauty. "Our dynamic teams have worked together to create a disruptive, exciting way to discover prestige beauty with a thoughtfully curated assortment and knowledgeable, approachable experts to serve as beauty gurus."

Fourth-quarter service performance for July 1 through July 16 included: *First-Class Mail: Delivered 89.3 percent of First-Class Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of nearly 2 percentage points from the third quarter. *Marketing Mail: Delivered 92.0 percent of Marketing Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 1 percentage point from the third quarter. *Periodicals: Delivered 83.0 percent of Periodicals on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of nearly 4 percentage points from the third quarter. The Postal Service’s continued improvement despite seasonal effects from the Independence Day federal holiday anticipated during for the period of July 10 to July 16.

Few people in the industry have been willing to venture a prediction on how the book business will finish 2021, but in a July 21 presentation on industry print unit sales through the first half of the year, NPD BookScan analyst Kristen McLean laid out three possible scenarios. All outcomes assume that the rapid gains in print unit sales the industry has posted so far this year will slow in the last six months of 2021. Indeed, McLean noted that, since the end of what she called an historic first quarter, the year-to-date growth rate has lost about one point per week; in other words, growth was up 29% at the close of the first quarter and ahead 18% at the end of the second quarter. At present, she said, sales appear to be steadily gliding back to a more normal performance.

Total revenues across all categories for May 2021 were up 11.1% as compared to May 2020, coming in at $1.1 billion. Year to date revenues were up 23.4%, at $5.1 billion for the first five months of the year. Trade (Consumer Books) sales were up 7.9% in May, coming in at $685.2 million, and up 23.2% year to date, with $3.5 billion in revenue. In terms of physical paper format revenues during the month of May, in the Trade (Consumer Books) category, Hardback revenues were up 18.7%, coming in at $252.8 million; Paperbacks were up 14.5%, with $229.9 million in revenue; Mass Market was down 15.1% to $19.2 million; and Board Books were down 4.8%, with $9.0 million in revenue.

There is a worrying trend from organisations who increasingly want to move their customer communications online, particularly bills and statements. Typically, this decision is made for cost reasons, but misleading claims about the environment are being used all too often instead. This is commonly referred to as Greenwashing. A study, conducted by the not-for-profit organisation Two Sides and independent research company Toluna, aims to understand changing consumer perceptions towards print and paper. The study found that consumers overwhelmingly want the right to choose how they receive their communications (digitally or printed) from organisations. 76% of UK consumers (74% EU) want this choice. Defaulting people online without a choice to save cost, will impact those most vulnerable and at risk in our communities. In the UK, 6.3% of all adults have never used the internet (Office of National Statistics, 2020). Often, it is the most vulnerable members of society that depend on traditional, postal, transactional mail. The move to an online only society risks leaving older people, the disabled, rural dwellers and those on low incomes disconnected.

For the eighth consecutive year, Midland Paper is a co-sponsor for the Inkjet Summit 2021 to be held July 26 – 28, 2021 in Austin, Texas. The Inkjet Summit is an exclusive invitation-only, hosted event designed for senior managers and business executives who want to understand how inkjet technology trends, software, consumables and finishing solutions will impact their businesses and help them shape their strategies for the future. David Field, Midland Paper’s General Manager for Specialty Paper & Films, will present a ‘Case Study’ illustrating effective print media options across a multitude of different production inkjet platforms. “The production inkjet equipment market continues to expand with OEM press announcements unveiled at a rapid rate, including a whole new wave of sheet fed inkjet options. In addition, new OEM inkjet presses are being developed for web and sheet fed configurations which adds to the complexity for printers who are aiming to make an inkjet equipment investment decision.” “We offer consultative advice for printers who plan on entering the production inkjet market. Midland Paper is truly OEM and Paper agnostic when it comes to objective advice in todays’ evolving production inkjet market”, quotes Mike Ratcliff, President of Midland Paper’s Specialty Paper & Film Division.

Bloomsbury experienced strong trading for the first four months of its financial year, with year-on-year sales growth of 28%, maintaining momentum from the prior year's outstanding performance. Consumer division revenues were 26% ahead of last year, with strong print and e-book sales. Adult revenues grew by 17% and Children's revenues by 32%. Bestsellers included Tom Kerridge's Outdoor Cooking, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Silver Flames and Lisa Taddeo's Animal. UK Consumer print sales growth was ahead of the market.* Non-Consumer division revenue was 31% higher than last year, with Academic and Professional growth of 35%, driven by continued strong demand for Bloomsbury Digital Resources, which was 41% ahead of last year. Special Interest revenue increased by 23%. In June, our revenue benefitted from the two most recent strategic acquisitions: Head of Zeus delivered £859k, within Consumer Adult, and Red Globe Press delivered £478k, within Non-Consumer Academic and Professional.

The Postal Service’s proposal appears to target mail that consistently fails to meet service performance goals and has the most opportunity for improvement. However, the Commission is concerned that the Postal Service did not conduct any operational or pilot testing of its proposed service standard changes. The Commission finds this lack of testing problematic as mail processing is complex and requires timely execution to provide reliable service performance. In addition, the Commission notes that the Postal Service’s estimated annual cost savings for the proposed service standard changes do not indicate much improvement, if any, to the Postal Service’s current financial condition. Rather, the estimated cost savings from extending the service standard would be eliminated by additional costs associated with the growth in packages. Therefore, it is not clear that the tradeoff between financial viability and maintaining high-quality service standards is reasonable. Likewise, the Postal Service concludes that any reduction in First-Class Mail and Periodical volume due to its proposal will be modest, but that conclusion is premised upon analysis of customer satisfaction and demand that relies on numerous unproven assumptions. The Commission encourages the Postal Service to consider the full recommendations outlined in its advisory opinion prior to implementing its plan. The Postal Service should: *Regularly update and publicly communicate realistic targets throughout its implementation *Ensure cost savings are realized but balanced with and not prioritized over maintaining high-quality service standards *Closely monitor the implementation of its plan to determine whether the new potential surface transportation network actually increases efficiency and capacity utilization *Monitor more closely customer satisfaction going forward, particularly for customer and mailer segments that the change may most impact *Be more transparent in the feedback it receives from stakeholders and keep its plan flexible to the needs of customers, stakeholders, and the general public *Not rely upon its filed econometric analysis to estimate the impact of the proposed service changes on volume

Bookstore sales continued their strong rebound from the lows of spring 2020. According to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau, bookstore sales soared 130% in May over May 2020, rising to $632 million. Last April and May saw the weakest bookstore sales performances of 2020, with sales in May 2020 totaling just $275 million. Compared to May 2019, May sales this year were down 9.2%.

The U.S. Postal Service reported initial fourth-quarter service delivery performance data that showed continued improvement from the third quarter across all First-Class, Marketing and Periodical mail categories. Fourth quarter service performance for July 1 through July 9 included: *First-Class Mail: Delivered 90.6 percent of First-Class Mail on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of more than 3 percentage points from the third quarter. *Marketing Mail: Delivered 91.6 percent of Marketing Mail on time against the USPS service standard, consistent with third quarter performance. *Periodicals: Delivered 84.7 percent of Periodicals on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of more than 5 percentage points from the third quarter.

The streak is over. The long run of unit sales of print books posting weekly sales gains over the comparable week in 2020 came to an end last week, with units falling 1.3% compared to the week ending July 11, 2020, at outlets the report to NPD BookScan. The decline is the result of continued pressure on nonfiction sales, particularly adult nonfiction, the industry’s largest category. Print sales fell 10.2% compared to a year ago in adult nonfiction. Last year at this time, books on race and social justice spurred by the #blackoutbestsellerlist campaign continued to sell in large numbers, taking up six of the top ten slots at the time. And John Bolton’s The Room Where It Happened, which was #1 on the category bestseller list, sold nearly 57,000 copies in the comparable week last year.

L Brands, Inc. reported net sales of $2.351 billion for the nine weeks ended July 3, 2021, compared to net sales of $1.369 billion for the nine weeks ended July 4, 2020. Second quarter 2020 sales were negatively impacted by the closure of stores for approximately half the quarter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales for the first nine weeks of the second quarter of 2021 increased 12 percent compared to sales of $2.101 billion for the same period of 2019. Bath & Body Works net sales were $1.239 billion for the nine-week period ended July 3, 2021, compared to net sales of $743.5 million for the nine weeks ended July 4, 2020. Bath & Body Works sales for the first nine weeks of the second quarter of 2021 increased 48 percent compared to the same period of 2019. Victoria’s Secret net sales were $1.112 billion for the nine-week period ended July 3, 2021, compared to net sales of $625.7 million for the nine weeks ended July 4, 2020. Victoria’s Secret comparable sales for the first nine weeks of the second quarter of 2021 increased 3 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

Mail order and publishing executives once followed every hiccup within the U.S. Postal Service. Their businesses depended on it. Those days aren’t over for publishers, judging by an article that appeared last week in The Washington Post. Periodical rates could leap by 8% on Aug. 29, a potentially devastating hit to struggling community newspapers, forcing them to reduce staffs and distribution, critics say. Such a hike could be the tipping point for survival for those publishers, Paul Boyle, senior vice president at the News Media Alliance, told WaPo. However, the USPS contends the impact will not be that serious.

Nordstrom and ASOS announced that Nordstrom has acquired a minority interest in the Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands. This investment will help drive the growth of these brands globally, setting the stage for Nordstrom and ASOS to sit alongside a new wider strategic partnership. This innovative partnership will involve unprecedented collaboration and alignment, redefining the traditional retail/wholesale model. Whilst ASOS will retain operational and creative control of the Topshop brands, a shared ownership model will ensure close collaboration between the U.S. retailer and ASOS, driving a stronger future for the iconic Topshop brands worldwide. Nordstrom is a leading multichannel retailer, with unmatched physical and digital reach in North America, operating two powerful brands with over 350 physical stores and sites that attract almost 2 billion annual visits. The retailer has been the exclusive distributer of Topshop and Topman in the U.S. since 2012 when they became the first to bring the brand to the U.S. market. Nordstrom will now have the exclusive multi-channel retail rights for Topshop and Topman in all of North America, including Canada and own a minority stake globally. The retailer will also become the only brick and mortar presence for these brands worldwide.

Hearst Magazines announced that Runner’s World is the recipient of two prestigious awards, a Pulitzer Prize and a National Magazine Award, both in the Feature Writing category, for “Twelve Minutes and a Life,” a story about the tragic killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery. The announcement was made by Hearst Magazines President Debi Chirichella. “Twelve Minutes and a Life,” published in Runner’s World’s September/October 2020 issue and written by contributor Mitchell S. Jackson, examines racism in running in America and recounts the last 12 minutes of the young Black man’s life as he was chased and fatally shot while jogging near his home. “Hearst has a long history of important reporting and storytelling in serving our communities,” said Hearst President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Swartz. “Runner’s World’s remarkable piece, covering a crucial topic and a devastating incident in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, is a significant example of our duty as journalists to tell these stories. Congratulations to Mitchell S. Jackson and the Runner’s World team on these well-deserved honors from two of the most prestigious awards in our industry.”

In the first half of 2020, unit sales of print books surprised many in the industry by posting a 2.9% increase over the same period in 2019 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan, overcoming a slump in sales in early spring following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Print sales finished 2020 up 8.2% over 2019, and that strong performance continued into 2021, with units jumping 18.5% in the first six months over the comparable period in 2020. With the exception of the juvenile nonfiction category, all the major publishing categories had double-digit sales increases in the first half of the year. Backlist had the strongest gains, up 21.4%, but frontlist sales were also solid, rising 12.4%. The increase in the first half of 2021 was led by the adult fiction category, where units rose 30.7%. The top seller in the category was Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds, which sold more than 558,000 copies since its release in early February (see “2021 Bestselling Print Books [So Far],” p. 6). The other top sellers in adult fiction were a mix of new releases and backlist titles.

The U.S. Postal Service reported third quarter FY 2021 service performance improvements over the second quarter across First-Class Mail, Marketing Mail and Periodicals. The quarter was USPS’s strongest quarterly service performance for all mail categories since the third quarter of FY2020. Third quarter FY2021 (covering the weeks of April 1 through June 30) performance numbers include: *First-Class Mail: 87.5 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a more than 9 percentage point increase over the second quarter. *Marketing Mail: 91.0 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a nearly 6 percentage point increase over the second quarter. *Periodicals: 79.2 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, a nearly 8 percentage point increase over the second quarter.

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $18.92 billion for the retail month of June, the five weeks ended July 4, 2021, an increase of 16.9 percent from $16.18 billion last year. For the forty-four weeks ended July 4, 2021, the Company reported net sales of $161.09 billion, an increase of 18.1 percent from $136.37 billion last year. This year’s June retail month had one fewer shopping day versus last year, due to the calendar shift of Memorial Day. This shift negatively impacted sales by approximately one and one-half to two percent.

Truck driver shortages, widespread port congestion, and skyrocketing container costs are among the biggest challenges facing the book industry supply chain for the rest of the year and into 2022, panelists on a July 6 BISG webinar looking at freight and shipping issues agreed. Book International’s v-p of global business development David Hetherington said that, in all his time in the book business, he has never seen such pressure building in the supply chain as is happening now. He predicted that things could get worse as more buying shifts online and more packages need to go directly to consumers’ homes. Hetherington, along with Ryan Forbes of Readerlink and Susie Scally of the international logistics firm Meadows Wye, also agreed that now is not the time for publishers to negotiate with trucking companies or the major delivery services. The lack of freight capacity is a real issue, Forbes said, and companies don’t need to yield on price.

Unit sales of print books rose 6.4% in the week ended June 26, 2021, over the comparable week in 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Adult fiction sales increased 28.1%, and the gains were achieved without any new releases making a splash. The President’s Daughter by James Patterson and Bill Clinton remained #1 on the category list, selling more than 30,000 copies. Two books released early this spring had good weeks: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry sold more than 21,000 copies, good enough for fourth place on the adult fiction list, and Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid was fifth, selling more than 18,000 copies. YA fiction sales jumped 49.6% over the week ended June 27, 2020, as books propelled by exposure on #BookTok continued to do well. Two such books, They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera and We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, finished first and second on this week’s category list, selling more than 17,000 copies and nearly 9,000 copies, respectively. The juvenile fiction category’s 11.2% sales increase was due in part to a new book: Alice Schertle’s Time for School, Little Blue Truck was #1 in the category, selling just over 24,000 copies.