Amazon gets federal approval to expand drone deliveries (chainstoreage.com)

A 1.5% increase in sales in the trade segment was not enough to offset declines in the other major publishing categories in 2016. As a result, industry revenue was 5.1% lower in 2016 than in 2015, dropping to $26.24 billion, according to the final sales estimates released by the Association of American Publishers. Trade sales (including the religious segment) were $15.9 billion in 2016, making trade the largest publishing segment. Within the trade group, sales from religious presses increased 6.9% from the prior year, followed closely by the 6.7% gain in the children’s/young adult fiction category. The increase in sales in the religious segment was attributed by the AAP to the crossover successes of a number of inspirational titles. The gain in the children’s/YA fiction segment was due in part to the blockbuster hit Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, which sold more than four million units. Click Read More below for more of the story.

The Book Manufacturers’ Institute (BMI) released the April results for its monthly survey on capacity and lead times for soft cover and hard cover books. This month’s survey also featured an update to the questions, factoring in both digital and offset printing methods. In looking at digital printing, the average hard cover capacity stayed about the same, only dropping 1 point to 64%. Lead time for digital hard cover books dropped from 17 days to 13 days. Digital soft cover books are running at 70% capacity and 12 days lead time. Both of those numbers are slightly up from March. According to responses regarding offset printing, hard cover manufacturers are running at 57% of their capacity, which is 9% less than last month. Lead times are down from 37 days to 22. The average soft cover offset capacity usage is down to 68% from 78%. Offset soft cover lead time down to 31 days from 35.

Torstar Corporation announced that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) has approved its previously announced plan of arrangement involving NordStar Capital LP ( “NordStar”), pursuant to which NordStar will, among other things, acquire all of the issued and outstanding Class A shares and Class B non-voting shares of Torstar (the “Shares”) at a price of $0.74 per Share (the “Arrangement”). The Arrangement is expected to be completed on or about July 30, 2020 and remains subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary closing conditions.