Fourth Quarter Highlights *Comparable sales down 17.0% on an owned basis and down 17.1% on an owned plus licensed basis, a reflection of the continued challenges posed by the COVID pandemic. *Digital remained a growing and increasingly profitable platform. Sales grew 21% over fourth quarter 2019, with digital penetration at 44% of net sales. *Approximately 25% of Macy’s digital sales were fulfilled from stores, including curbside pickup and same-day delivery. *The company’s Star Rewards Loyalty program saw a 45% increase of its Bronze tier members in 2020, an essential part of its under-40 strategy. *Gross margin for the quarter was 33.7%, down 310 basis points from fourth quarter 2019. *Inventory down 27% from fourth quarter 2019. *Aggressively addressed slow-selling merchandise, reduced excess inventory levels and improved visual presentation in stores. *Exited the year in a healthy inventory position.

Fourth Quarter 2020: Sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 were $32.3 billion, an increase of $6.5 billion, or 25.1 percent from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019. Comparable sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 increased 24.5 percent, and comparable sales in the U.S. increased 25.0 percent. Net earnings for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 were $2.9 billion, compared with net earnings of $2.5 billion, in the same period of fiscal 2019. Fiscal 2020: Sales for fiscal 2020 were $132.1 billion, an increase of $21.9 billion, or 19.9 percent, from fiscal 2019. Comparable sales for fiscal 2020 increased 19.7 percent, and comparable sales in the U.S. increased 20.6 percent. Net earnings for fiscal 2020 were $12.9 billion, compared with net earnings of $11.2 billion in fiscal 2019.

The DIY food publishing sector has witnessed two big developments, reflecting conflicting trends. In one, Saveur has killed its print edition and will now focus on email newsletters and other digital content. Saveur’s editors announced last week that “we’ll no longer be producing Saveur as a quarterly print publication. While we understand this might be disappointing, Saveur has been in print for 27 years, and it feels like the right time to shift our focus to better meet our readers where they are.” Hearst’s Delish is going in the opposite direction: It is producing quarterly print editions, each tapping into a consumer food obsession. The first, Breakfast + Brunch will appear on March 2. They will be offered on newsstands and mailed to Delish’s Unlimited membership subscribers.

For the week ended Feb. 13, 2021, unit sales of print books increased 21.3% over the week ended Feb. 15, 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. It was the second consecutive week that unit sales rose by more than 20% over the comparable week last year. The increase was accomplished without the benefit of a big new hit and once again reflected strength across all major categories as well as big gains for backlist titles. The YA categories had the strongest gains, with nonfiction unit sales jumping 71.7% and fiction up 49.3% over 2020. Two anti-racist books—Stamped by Jason Reynolds and This Book Is Anti-racist by Tiffany Jewell—led the increase in YA nonfiction. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart topped the YA fiction list, selling almost 12,000 copies. Juvenile fiction sales rose 25.1% over 2020, and Llama, Llama I Love You by Anna Dewdney was #1 on the category list, selling about 38,000 copies.

For the week ended February 13, 2021, unit sales of print books increased 21.3% over the week ended February 15, 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. It was the second consecutive week that unit sales rose by more than 20% over the comparable week last year. The increase was accomplished without the benefit of a big new hit, and once again reflected strength across all major categories as well as big gains for backlist titles. Through February 13, backlist sales were up 32% over the same period in 2020, while frontlist sales rose 3.4%. Total print unit sales through February 13, 2021, were up 22% over the comparable period in 2020.

Award-winning foodie title Saveur is going all-digital under its new private equity owner 27 years after launching to critical acclaim. The food and recipe title was sold in October by Bonnier to North Equity as part of a package of magazines, including Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and Popular Science. North Equity has been buying up distressed print titles, often converting them to all-digital platforms. It also recently purchased decorating mag Domino and also owns bobvila.com.

Fourth-quarter highlights • Total revenue was a record $152.1 billion, an increase of $10.4 billion, or 7.3%. Excluding currency2, total revenue would have increased 7.5% to reach $152.3 billion. • Walmart U.S. comp sales1 increased 8.6% with strength across most key categories. • Walmart U.S. eCommerce sales increased 69% with strong results across all channels. • Sam’s Club comp sales1 increased 10.8% and eCommerce sales grew 42%. Reduced tobacco sales negatively affected comp sales by approximately 410 basis points. Membership income increased 12.9%, the strongest growth in six years. • Walmart International net sales were $34.9 billion, an increase of 5.5%. Net sales in constant currency2 increased 6.3%, led by Flipkart, Mexico and Canada. Changes in currency rates negatively affected net sales by approximately $0.3 billion. • Consolidated gross profit rate increased 29 basis points with positive contributions from each operating segment, led by the U.S.

News Corp announced that it has agreed to an historic multi-year partnership with Google to provide trusted journalism from its news sites around the world in return for significant payments by Google. Among the News Corp publications joining Google News Showcase will be The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MarketWatch, and the New York Post; in the UK: The Times and The Sunday Times, and The Sun; and in Australia a range of news platforms, including The Australian, news.com.au, Sky News, and multiple metropolitan and local titles. The landmark three-year agreement also includes the development of a subscription platform, the sharing of ad revenue via Google’s ad technology services, the cultivation of audio journalism and meaningful investments in innovative video journalism by YouTube.

Bookstore sales rallied slightly in December from deep monthly slumps for most of 2020, but were still down 15.2% in the last month of the year compared to December 2019. For all of 2020, bookstore sales fell 28.3% from 2019, according to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. December bookstore sales were $879 million, down from $1.04 billion in December 2019. The 15.2% December drop was the smallest decline since February, when sales slipped 0.7% before the global pandemic struck. In March, sales fell 33.2% as retail lockdowns kicked in, then plunged 74.2% in April as stay at home orders fully took hold. May sales were slightly better, falling 60% from May 2019.

Gannett Co., Inc. and McClatchy, two of the most iconic and acclaimed local media companies, with deep roots in over 300 local communities, are offering national brands the ability to connect seamlessly and more meaningfully with local audiences across a vast multi-channel network. Advertisers will now be able to reach two-thirds of the top local media markets with local properties including the Miami Herald, Austin-American Statesman, The Kansas City Star, Arizona Republic,Detroit Free Press, The Sacramento Bee and more, representing 200 million digital and 8.4 million print consumers through customized, targeted solutions and within a trusted, brand-safe environment. The collaboration simplifies the buying process and facilitates access to local audiences in a highly efficient manner, allowing both companies to better serve their brands’ customers.

The Postal Service reported total revenue of $21.5 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2021, an increase of $2.1 billion, or 11.1 percent, compared to the same quarter last year. Compensation and benefits expense increased by $771 million, or 6.2 percent, compared to the same quarter last year, primarily resulting from higher work hours associated with the record holiday package growth and an increase in paid leave associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, including leave authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, enacted as Public Law 116-127 (FFCRA). In addition to increased labor costs to support the volume increase, transportation expenses increased by $204 million, or 8.5 percent, compared to the same quarter last year, primarily due to the impact of higher volumes on air and highway transportation. Operating expenses were also impacted by an increase in retirement benefits expenses of $176 million, or 10.9 percent, compared to the same quarter last year, driven by revised actuarial assumptions outside of management’s control. Total operating expenses were $21.1 billion for the quarter, an increase of $1.1 billion, or 5.3 percent, compared to the same quarter last year. Net income for the quarter was $318 million.

Active Interest Media has been acquired by B&W Communications. Financial terms were not disclosed. B&W (Betterment & Wonderment Communications LLC) was launched by Andrew Clurman, the CEO-cofounder of AIM, to acquire enthusiast media brands. The previous owner was Wind Point Partners, a private-equity group from Chicago. AIM's enthusiast titles in the shelter, hobby and boating categories include Anglers Journal, Yachts International, Sail, Power & Motoryacht, Yachts International, Soundings, Horticulture, Popular Woodworking and Writers Digest, among others.

Dear Industry Member: Here is immediate action you can take while ACMA works furiously to raise the resources to comprehensively attack the ridiculous new USPS rate authority that will double catalog mailers’ postal rates over the next decade. Please determine whether you (catalog merchant), your employees, suppliers or customers have constituent standing in any of the following locations where there are Members of Congress with direct connections to postal decision makers: West Virginia, Kentucky, northern Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona, North Carolina, Kansas, Georgia, and Connecticut (click here for contact sheet). If you do, you have a unique ability to wield constituent pressure to cause elected officials to pressure the Postal Service Board of Governors to not institute a second unbudgeted rate hike, which could take place as soon as this summer. Click Read more below for important information.

For the Three Months Ended January 2, 2021 (14 Week Period): Net sales increased 26% to $375.8 million, compared to $297.6 million during the same period last year. Gross profit increased 39% to $224.8 million, or 59.8% of net sales, compared to $162.3 million, or 54.5% of net sales, in the fourth quarter of Fiscal 2019. Operating income increased to $81.4 million, or 21.7% of net sales, compared to $12.0 million, or 4.0% of net sales, during the prior year quarter. For the Twelve Months Ended January 2, 2021 (53 Weeks): Net sales increased 19% to $1,091.7 million, compared to $913.7 million in the prior year. Gross profit increased 32% to $628.8 million, or 57.6% of net sales, compared to $475.3 million, or 52.0% of net sales, in the prior year. Operating income increased 139% to $214.2 million, or 19.6% of net sales, compared to $89.8 million, or 9.8% of net sales, during the prior year.

Sales of print books continued to ride a hot streak into February with units jumping 25.7% in the first week of the month over the first week of February 2020 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The increase was the highest yet this year, and unit sales of print books were up 22.1% through February 6, 2021. Once again, all six major categories had double-digit sales increases over 2020, with sales in the young adult segments skyrocketing; fiction was up 55.7%, and the small nonfiction category rose 67.3%. The latter category benefited from the release of Brave by Sissy Goff, which landed in second place in its first week on sale and led to a 158% jump in sales in the social situations/family/health sub-category. The jump in fiction sales was spurred by the release of two new titles: Star Wars, The High Republic: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray topped the category bestseller list, selling more than 17,000 copies in its first week on sale, while Scott Cawthon’s The Twisted Ones sold over 9,000 copies.

Rising numbers of manufacturing businesses are turning to digital technologies to help improve their operational resilience and efficiency and support their customer growth strategies. More than two-thirds of manufacturers (67%) have accelerated their adoption of digital technologies as result of the Coronavirus pandemic, according to a major new report published today by The Manufacturer and IBM. With just 16% of manufacturing organisations choosing to pause their adoption projects, it is clear that the majority of businesses now recognise the strong correlation between digital tools and increased productivity, efficiency and resilience.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. announced net sales for the three months and year ended January 31, 2021. Total Company net sales for the three months ended January 31, 2021, decreased 6.9% over the same period last year to $1.09 billion. Comparable Retail segment net sales decreased 7% due to negative retail store net sales as stronger conversion rates could not offset the reduced store traffic caused by the coronavirus pandemic and related occupancy restrictions. Lower store net sales were partially offset by strong double-digit growth in digital channel sales. By brand, comparable Retail segment net sales increased 6% at Free People and decreased 6% at Urban Outfitters and 11% at the Anthropologie Group. Wholesale segment net sales decreased 7%. “I am pleased to report that all three brands registered nice improvement in ‘comp’ sales trends in January from that delivered during the Holiday period,” said Richard A. Hayne, Chief Executive Officer. “We are particularly pleased with how well the brands transitioned into February. Customer reaction to our spring assortments has been quite strong and ‘comps’ for the first week of the new fiscal year were positive at each brand,” finished Mr. Hayne.

Yet another effort is underway in Congress to eliminate the costly prefunding of U.S. Postal Service retiree healthcare benefits that have been an albatross for the USPS since a 2006 reform measure, and this time appears to have some more bipartisan momentum. A reform act that would eliminate the prefunding, which has cost the USPS many billions over the years, passed the House in 2020 but was hung up in the Senate. Now senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Steve Daines (R-MT) have reintroduced the measure, according to Federal News Network. A companion bill has been proposed by House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR), along with Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Tom Reed (R-NY) and Colin Allred (D-TX).

Fourth quarter net income decreased 16% to $454 million and diluted earnings per share decreased 15% to $1.88 as the Company took a number of lease impairment and restructuring charges aimed at improving future financial performance. Adjusted net income for the fourth quarter increased 5% to $654 million due to revenue growth, productivity improvements, and a lower effective tax rate partially offset by increased investment spending. Adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 7% to $2.71 benefiting from a 2% decrease in the average diluted shares outstanding. Pre-tax adjustments in the fourth quarter of 2020 totaled $247 million primarily due to office lease and equipment impairments, and restructuring charges all intended to improve future financial performance. Additional pre-tax adjustments included IHS Markit merger costs, deal-related amortization, and Kensho retention-related expenses. For the full year, revenue increased 11% to $7.44 billion. 2020 net income increased 10% to $2.34 billion and diluted earnings per share increased 12% to $9.66. 2020 adjusted net income increased 20% to $2.83 billion and adjusted diluted earnings per share increased 23% to $11.69.

Kohl’s announced it will partner with Eddie Bauer to bring premium-quality performance outerwear and outdoor apparel for the entire family to Kohl’s customers nationwide in Fall 2021. Kohl’s will offer a wide array of apparel from the outdoor brand across women’s, men’s and kids – from a core assortment of year-round products to seasonal selections – in as many as 500 stores. In addition, Kohls.com will offer an expanded assortment of Eddie Bauer favorites including down jackets and parkas, performance bottoms, fleece, flannel, sleepwear, and more – providing families with everything they need for their outdoor adventures. “We are excited to partner with Eddie Bauer, a brand synonymous with outfitting families for any activity or adventure, to bring their assortment of award-winning, high-quality activewear and outerwear to millions of Kohl’s customers,” said Doug Howe, Kohl’s chief merchandising officer. “Eddie Bauer’s rich heritage of designing authentic, functional apparel that inspires everyone to get outdoors combined with their passion for delivering differentiated, innovative products that meet the needs of today’s consumer has made the brand a leader in the outdoor industry. The addition of the Eddie Bauer brand into our portfolio acutely aligns with our ambition to grow our active and outdoor business, and attract new and younger customers to Kohl’s.”

With all major categories posting double-digit gains, unit sales of print book rose 19.5% in the week ended Jan. 30, 2021, over the comparable week in 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Unit sales of YA fiction soared by 50.6% over the week ended Feb. 1, 2020, and YA nonfiction sales rose 41.2%. In both cases it was strong across-the-board sales rather than one or two big bestsellers that drove the gains. In YA fiction, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart remained the top title, selling more than 11,000 copies. Brigid Kemmerer’s A Vow So Bold and Deadly was the bestselling new title, selling more than 7,000 copies. YA nonfiction sales were led by Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, which sold more than 3,400 copies. Juvenile fiction unit sales rose 32.5% and nonfiction increased 24% over a year ago. Alice Schertle’s Little Blue Truck’s Valentine stayed in the fiction top spot, selling just over 25,000 copies.

As lockdowns drag on and consumers spend more time at home, publishers are continuing to lean in to direct mail to engage their audience … and they are finding creative new ways to make it happen. “Publishers know Americans are going to be hunkered down at home for another few months of coronavirus-created isolation,” writes Max Willens in Digiday, “so some of them are hoping to drive more revenue by going right through readers’ front doors.” Those doors are especially attractive to direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, and many are helping their DTC advertisers create direct mail campaigns. “Over the past few months, The Los Angeles Times has been pitching direct mail and custom publishing campaigns to media agencies focused on DTC brands,” Willens writes.

In any industry or profession, without new birth, products, ideas, or people, there is no growth. If you’re not growing, if you’re not introducing new blood to the mix of what you have, you’re dying incrementally. And the lifecycle and growth of magazines aren’t any different than any other lifecycle. Yes, magazines come and magazines go, but just because one magazine folds it doesn’t mean the entire print medium is dying. And while in the last 20 years the number of consumer magazines in this country aimed at the general public has remained steady, averaging at around 7,000 titles, it should be noted that in those same 20 years we had at least 4,730 new magazines coming into the marketplace. And the reason I say at least, is because those were the ones that I was actually able to buy and collect ink on papers copies from. My definition was and is still is, “if it is not ink on paper, it is not a magazine.” much more at source: https://mrmagazine.wordpress.com/2021/02/04/publishing-is-believing-and-i-do-believe-a-mr-magazine-musing/

Preliminary Fourth Quarter 2020 Results: Fourth quarter 2020 total revenue declined approximately 10%, including a comparable sales decrease of 11%. Based on this, the Company expects fourth quarter 2020 diluted earnings per share to be in the range of $1.00 to $1.05, before considering any impact from tax planning strategies. These preliminary results reflect a better than expected gross margin rate and strong SG&A expense management. Gross margin continued to benefit from disciplined inventory management and further optimization in promotional strategies. SG&A expense decline was driven primarily by reductions in store, marketing, and technology expenses.

Fiscal 2021 Second Quarter Key Financial Highlights *Revenues were $2.41 billion, a 3% decline compared to $2.48 billion in the prior year – Adjusted Revenues increased 2% compared to the prior year *Net income of $261 million compared to $103 million in the prior year *Total Segment EBITDA was $497 million compared to $355 million in the prior year *Book Publishing Segment EBITDA increased 65% compared to the prior year, driven by strong revenue growth across every category *Dow Jones reported 43% Segment EBITDA growth, driven by record digital advertising revenues and continued growth in digital subscriptions

Unit sales of print book rose 19.5% in the week ended January 30, 2021, over the comparable week in 2020 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The increase marks the third consecutive week unit sales increased by at least 19% compared to 2020. For the month of January, print unit sales were 21.3% higher than January 2020. As has been the case for most of January, sales were up by double digits in all major categories. The four children’s publishing segments saw the largest gains. Unit sales of young adult fiction increased by 50.6% over a year ago, and young adult nonfiction sales rose 41.2%. In YA fiction, sales of supernatural/horror rose by 113% over the week ended February 1, 2020.

Fiscal 2021 second quarter revenues grew 11 percent to a record $902 million from the prior-year period. Highlights from the second quarter of fiscal 2021 included: A 22 percent increase in National Media Group digital advertising revenues from the prior-year period. Sessions to Meredith's owned and operated and network sites grew 16 percent from the prior-year period, led by the PEOPLE, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and InStyle brands. A 96 percent increase in Local Media Group political spot and digital advertising from the prior election cycle two years ago. Performance was led by the Phoenix and Atlanta markets, which combined accounted for approximately 60 percent of total political advertising revenues. A 34 percent increase in National Media Group digital consumer/licensing revenues from the prior-year period. Performance was driven by Apple News+, strong sales of Better Homes & Gardens-branded products at Walmart stores across the United States and at Walmart.com, and ecommerce via other retail partners. Continued sequential year-over-year improvement in Meredith's magazine and non-political television advertising platforms. Both comparable National Media Group magazine advertising and Local Media Group non-political advertising revenues declined in the mid-teens from the prior-year period. As a result of this performance, fiscal 2021 second quarter earnings from continuing operations more than doubled to $149 million from the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA grew 57 percent to $304 million.

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $13.64 billion for the retail month of January, the four weeks ended January 31, 2021, an increase of 17.9 percent from $11.57 billion last year. For the twenty-two weeks ended January 31, 2021, the Company reported net sales of $79.11 billion, an increase of 15.4 percent from $68.56 billion during the similar period last year.

Total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2020 increased 0.2 percent to $509.4 million from $508.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2019. Subscription revenues increased 14.7 percent to $315.8 million, advertising revenues decreased 18.7 percent to $139.3 million and other revenues decreased 12.1 percent to $54.3 million. Total operating costs decreased 0.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 to $428.8 million compared with $430.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, while adjusted operating costs decreased 0.1 percent to $411.7 million from $412.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, in each case as a result of the factors discussed below.

2020 Financial Highlights •Delivered sales of $11.8 billion, up 2.7%, and up 3.5% on an organic, daily, constant currency basis compared to the prior year (excluding divestitures and foreign exchange) •Generated reported operating earnings of $1.0 billion; adjusted operating earnings of $1.3 billion •Achieved $1.1 billion of operating cash flow and returned over $0.9 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights •Delivered sales of $2.9 billion, up 3.3%, and up 5.6% on an organic, daily, constant currency basis compared to the fourth quarter 2019 (excluding divestitures and foreign exchange) •Generated reported operating earnings of $275 million; adjusted operating earnings of $295 million •Achieved reported operating margin of 9.4%, up 300 basis points; adjusted operating margin of 10.0%, down 75 basis points

Gannett Co., Inc. announced that Gannett Holdings, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, has priced a $1.045 billion term loan, which will be used to refinance the 11.5% term loan entered into for the acquisition of Gannett Media Corp. The Term Loan B priced at L+700, with a 0.75% LIBOR floor and maturity of February 2026, callable at any time. The new Term Loan B is expected to close early next week and is subject to execution of definitive documentation. “We are pleased to announce the refinancing of our 11.5% term loan with a widely syndicated L+700 Term Loan B, which meaningfully improves the Company’s balance sheet and overall capital structure,” said Michael Reed, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gannett.

Net sales increased 38% to $386.1 billion, compared with $280.5 billion in 2019. Excluding the $1.4 billion favorable impact from year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the year, net sales increased 37% compared with 2019. Operating income increased to $22.9 billion, compared with operating income of $14.5 billion in 2019. Net income increased to $21.3 billion, or $41.83 per diluted share, compared with net income of $11.6 billion, or $23.01 per diluted share, in 2019.

Fourteen weekly newspapers in New Jersey will convert to nonprofit status, thanks to a deal between the Corporation for New Jersey Local Media (CNJLM) and current owner, New Jersey Hills Media Group. CNJLM has signed a letter of intent to convert the titles, some of which are 100 years old. Hills Media weighed several offers, but chose to go with “a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and expanding the local news coverage we provide — in print, on the web and on social media,” states Liz Parker, co-publisher and executive editor.

As soon as Bike hit the brakes, Pocket Outdoor Media CEO Robin Thurston decided he wouldn’t wait around to see if it would resume operations. Instead, he saw a chance to fill that magazine’s void in the marketplace with a new title in POM’s portfolio, so he invited the editorial staff of the now-idle publication to join his company and reimagine what a mountain biking magazine could—and should—be. The result is Beta, a multichannel content platform launched Tuesday, which includes a new quarterly magazine, website, and membership program called Beta Pass (part of Pocket's larger Active Pass platform). Its first print edition is due out in late March, just as the snow begins melting and riders return to dirt singletrack across much of the country.

If you’re a commercial mailer of flats and periodicals, brace yourself. Customers are facing an unexpected and steep increase in USPS mailing rates sometime this summer — even while service standards remain miserably low. The first indication that something was seriously wrong with operations at the USPS came last July, when newly appointed PG Louis DeJoy changed trucking regulations. On-time mail deliveries plummeted. It was so bad that a Washington DC District Court judge ruled they must reverse the changes in October and file daily paperwork with their progress. Now, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) tells us to expect an additional rate increase this summer of anywhere between 5.5% for first-class and up to 7.5% for marketing flats and periodicals. (That’s on top of recent rate changes that went into effect last month.) More at source: https://freeportpress.com/serious-questions-around-the-usps-and-rates/

UPS announced fourth-quarter 2020 consolidated revenue of $24.9 billion, a 21.0% increase over the fourth quarter of 2019. Consolidated average daily volume increased 10.6% year over year. Operating profit was $2.2 billion, up 1.6% compared to last year’s fourth quarter, or 26.0% on an adjusted basis. Net loss was $3.3 billion for the quarter; adjusted net income was $2.3 billion or 26.4% above the same period last year. In the fourth quarter, diluted loss per share was $3.75, compared to a diluted loss per share of $0.12 in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Combined print book and e-book sales hit 942 million units in 2020 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan, a 9% increase over 2019 and the most unit sales recorded in a single year by BookScan since the service was created in 2004. In a webinar held last week, Kristen McLean, executive director of NPD Books, said the gain was due to a combination of strong sales of both print and digital books. Print sales rose 8.2% over 2019, the largest annual increase since 2005, and the print total of 751 million units sold was the highest since 2009, the year before e-books started to become a meaningful part of the book business. E-book unit sales, as measured by NPD’s PubTrack Digital service, rose 12.6% over 2019 and were at their highest level since 2015, when 208 million units were sold (e-book sales figures for November and December are projections).

Book sales are still up following a hot start to 2021. Last week, unit sales of print books jumped 18% over the week ended January 25, 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. In the prior week, unit sales rose nearly 23% over 2020, resulting in a 22% increase in print sales through January 23 over the comparable period a year ago. Every major category had double digit increases last week. Those jumps were led by the young adult segments, where fiction rose 46.9% and nonfiction increased 48.5%. The top seller in fiction was We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, which sold nearly 15,000 copies, while Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi topped the nonfiction list, selling about 4,100 copies.

Total consolidated revenues increased 44.8 percent, or 271.2 million, to $877.3 million, compared with total consolidated revenues of $605.6 million in the prior year period, driven by ecommerce growth of 59.7 percent including revenue contributions from PersonalizationMall.com (“PMall”), which the Company acquired in August 2020. Excluding the contribution from PMall, total net revenues increased 24.7 percent and e-commerce net revenues increased 34.6 percent compared with the prior year period. Gross profit margin for the quarter increased 100 basis points to 45.4 percent, compared with 44.4 percent in the prior year period. Operating expenses as a percent of total revenues was 28.6 percent, compared with 28.0 percent in the prior year period. Excluding the impacts of the Company’s non-qualified deferred 401k compensation plan and one-time costs primarily associated with its acquisition of PMall, operating expenses, as a percentage of total revenues was 28.3 percent in the quarter. Net income for the quarter increased 53.3 percent, or $39.5 million, to $113.7 million, or $1.71 per diluted share, compared with net income of $74.2 million or $1.12 per diluted share in the prior year period. Adjusted net income for the quarter increased 54.1 percent, or $40.1 million, to $114.2 million, or 41.72 per diluted share.

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) announced today that its Directors have re-elected Brian Napack as Chairman of the Board for the 2021-2022 term, and elected Michael Pietsch as Vice Chairman. Mr. Napack, who is President and CEO of John Wiley & Sons, began his tenure as Chairman in September of 2020. Previously he served as AAP’s Vice Chairman since the beginning of 2020, and as a Board member since 2017. Mr. Pietsch is Chief Executive Officer of Hachette Book Group. He has served on the AAP Board since 2013. In addition, the Board elected Jeremy North, Managing Director for Books publishing at Taylor & Francis, to continue in the role of Treasurer. Rounding out the Board’s Executive Committee is Tim Bozik, President of Global Product and North American Courseware for Pearson, and AAP Chairman from 2019-2020.

Bauer Media UK has added a new monthly magazine to its real-life portfolio from the team behind best-selling women’s weekly, Take a Break. Following its success as a standalone title during 2020, Take a Break Pets today launches as a monthly* title. A must-read for animal lovers, Take a Break Pets is jam-packed with incredible real-life stories about all creatures great and small, top vet and trainer advice, puzzles and prizes. Readers will also enjoy fun quizzes, a pet-friendly recipe section, exclusive discounts, reader brainwaves, four-legged fashion, fiction, heart-warming photos and much more.

Most notably, the Commission: *Completed its review of the current system for regulating rates and classes for Market Dominant products and issued its final rule modifying the existing price cap system *Reviewed and approved the Postal Service’s planned rate adjustments for Market Dominant and Competitive products and new product proposals *Explored important issues in public inquiry dockets related to service performance, the value of the postal and mailbox monopolies, and city carrier costs *Published three reports that (1) reviewed the Postal Services compliance with pricing and service standards, (2) provided an in-depth analysis of the Postal Service’s finances, and (3) evaluated whether the Postal Service met its performance goals as required under the law *Presided over several rulemakings related to Commission processes and activities

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) today released its StatShot report for November 2020 reflecting reported revenue for all tracked categories, including Trade (Consumer Books), K-12 Instructional Materials, Higher Education Course Materials, Professional Publishing, and University Presses. Total revenues across all categories for November 2020 were up 24.5% as compared to November 2019, coming in at $1.2 billion. Year-to-date sales were flat, with an increase of 0.8% as compared to the first eleven months of 2019, with a total of $13.6 billion.

The Postal Regulatory Commission is pleased to announce that President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. has designated Commissioner Michael M. Kubayanda chairman of the Commission, succeeding Robert G. Taub. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as chairman and look forward to serving all Americans, working with my colleagues in the Commission and throughout the Federal government, and connecting with a wide spectrum of stakeholders,” said Chairman Kubayanda. “I would especially like to thank Chairman Taub for his exceptional leadership of the Commission for more than six years. I plan to continue his approach of bipartisanship and collegiality.” Regarding the appointment, former Chairman Taub said, “A hearty congratulations to Chairman Kubayanda upon his designation. Chairman Kubayanda brings a wealth of experience and an enormous skill set to the role of chair. I know he will lead this agency quite well, and he has a great team to support him. It has been a true honor and privilege to serve as the head of the Commission for more than six years. I am proud of the Commission’s accomplishments during this time, which could not have been achieved without our fantastic agency staff. I know the Commission will continue that excellent work under Chairman Kubayanda’s leadership.”

With all major categories posting huge gains, unit sales of print books jumped 22.7% for the week ended Jan. 16, 2021, over the comparable week in 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The biggest gains came in the YA categories, with fiction up 47.6% and nonfiction rising 46.9%. The release of Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas, which sold nearly 18,000 copies, helped to lift YA fiction. In YA nonfiction, Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi was the top title, selling more than 4,100 copies. Juvenile fiction sales rose 30.7% over the week ended Jan. 18, 2020, led by Little Blue Truck’s Valentine by Alice Schertle, which sold just over 28,000 copies, and Dav Pilkey’s Cat Kid Comic Club, which sold nearly 22,000 copies. Juvenile nonfiction sales rose 28.8% over 2020. Two educational titles led the way: Crystal Radke’s My First Learn-to-Write Workbook sold more than 7,000 copies, and Big Preschool Workbook sold 6,400 copies. Adult fiction unit sales rose almost 30% over 2020.

Nearly 700 dockworkers at the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have contracted COVID-19 and hundreds more are taking virus-related leaves, raising fears of a severe slowdown in the region’s multibillion-dollar logistics economy. A growing longshore worker infection rate, which parallels the surge of the virus across California, is exacerbating a massive snarl at the ports due to a pandemic-induced surge in imports. Port executives, union leaders and elected officials are mounting an urgent campaign to initiate dockworker vaccinations, fearing that a labor shortage could force terminal shutdowns. “We’ve got more cargo than we do skilled labor,” said Eugene Seroka, executive director of the Los Angeles port. “We are told 1,800 workers are not going on the job due to COVID right now. That can [include] those who are isolating through contact tracing or awaiting test results. Or maybe [those who] fear ... going on the job when a lot of people are sick.” more at source: https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-01-20/covid-surge-hits-la-ports-increasing-need-for-vaccines

FedEx Express announces proposals to resize its European workforce as it nears the completion of the network integration of TNT. These proposals are part of a wider, multi-year growth strategy that enables the European Express business to confidently build on the momentum created in recent years. FedEx acquired TNT in 2016 as part of its European expansion plans, connecting the world’s largest air express network with an unparalleled European road network and global suite of services. Since the acquisition, successful integration has taken place across IT systems and key parts of the air, road and ground networks, and investments have been made in technology and infrastructure. Plans to address the duplication resulting from operating two large European networks connecting similar geographies were presented to European employee representatives and team members today. These proposals will regrettably have a workforce impact of between 5500 - 6300 people across operational teams and back-office functions. In the course of these consultations, the full range of support measures for affected team members will be discussed with works council representatives from across the region. These measures differ by country and may include voluntary redundancy, reassignment to other roles and priority access to open positions. The consultation process will take place over an eighteen-month period in line with local country processes and regulations.

Key highlights for the 12 months: *Group sales declined by 10% and we expect to report adjusted operating profit in the range of £310m-£315m at an average USD:GBP exchange rate of 1.28; with portfolio changes, inflation and the trading impact of COVID-19 partially offset by restructuring savings. *Global Online Learning sales grew 18% due to strong enrolments in new and existing schools in Virtual Schools and good sales growth in Online Program Management (OPM), with growth in continuing programs partially offset by discontinued programs. *Global Assessment sales declined 14%, reflecting the impact of test centre closures during the lockdowns in H1 in Professional Certification, with pent up demand in the second half partly moderated by Q4 lockdowns. Cancellation of Spring testing impacted US Student Assessment and school closures impacted US Clinical Assessment. *North American Courseware declined 13% with US Higher Education Courseware revenue down 12%, with good growth in digital registrations and eBooks and a further decline of higher priced package and print sales. At the end of 2020, over 70% of US Higher Education Courseware revenue was digital. *International declined 19% due to school and test centre closures and the continuing impact of COVID-19 on public and private spending on courseware and assessments.

Key 2020 General Election Performance Statistics: *135 Million Ballots Processed and Delivered. The Postal Service delivered at least 135 million ballots, including both blank ballots delivered from election officials to voters and completed ballots returning from voters to election officials. i *99.89 Percent of Ballots Delivered to Election Officials Within a Week. Overall, 99.89 percent of identified ballots mailed after September 4 were delivered within seven days, consistent with the Postal Service’s recommendation to voters. The overwhelming majority of ballots were delivered in far less time than that. Specifically, based on internal processing scores, 97.9 percent of ballots mailed from voters to election officials were delivered within three days, and 99.7 percent were delivered within five days. click read more below for the rest of the story

“We are pleased to share that the fourth quarter ended with strong Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA performance,” said Michael Reed, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. “Revenue improvement was primarily driven by a continued rebound in our advertising trends, both print and digital. We also continued to see strong digital-only circulation pro forma revenue performance with an increase of approximately 46% year-over-year. The revenue improvement as well as continued expense management, led to stronger Adjusted EBITDA, and positions us for continued performance improvement in 2021. We reduced $654 million of our 11.5% term loan during the fourth quarter and an additional $30 million subsequent to year end, which brings our total term loan reduction to $684 million. These actions have allowed us to reduce debt outstanding to $1.545 billion, which is ahead of the originally outlined levels that we shared in connection with the acquisition of Gannett Media Corp. in 2019. The reduction of the term loan through debt paydown and refinancing of approximately $500 million into convertible notes has reduced our annual interest expense by $48 million. As we head into 2021, we firmly believe that we will be in a position to refinance the remaining term loan, which will further improve our balance sheet.”

Year-end book sales across Europe were slammed by December lockdowns after Covid-19 cases surged across the continent. Still, preliminary results in three major markets show declines for the full year were modest. In Germany, Europe’s single largest book market, sales were up 25% in the first two weeks of December over 2019, but they plummeted when a new lockdown was imposed on December 16. Overall sales for the year were down 2.3% compared with 2019, according to BUCH, a German book publishing trade group. Bookstores saw sales drop 8.7% for the year, but gains by online booksellers and platforms offset that decline. “It is true that books played an important role for people during the crisis,” said Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, head of the BDB, in a press release. “There was great enthusiasm for reading and demand for books was high for much of the year. But the shutdown in December thwarted the industry’s plans. The renewed store closings in the middle of the Christmas business stopped the race to catch up from lost sales due to the shutdown in spring.”

*Proposes Combination of Consumer-Focused Retail Operations of Office Depot and Staples as More Direct Path to Achieving Synergies for Shareholders of Both Companies, Without Raising Substantial Regulatory Risk *Process for Sale of CompuCom IT Services Business Already Underway as a Result of Strategic Review Announced in November *Reaffirms Focus on B2B Operations and Other Growth Initiatives to Accelerate Value Creation *Notes That Sycamore’s Proposal Does Not Adequately Address Regulatory Risk to Office Depot Shareholders

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and John Wiley & Sons Inc., a global leader in research and education, have expanded their publishing partnership to include EAACI’s official open access journal Clinical and Translational Allergy (CTA) alongside their other publications, Allergy and Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology, as of January 2021. CTA is a fully open access journal, edited by Prof. Jean Bousquet and Dr. Clive Grattan, and provides a dissemination of allergy research and reviews, as well as EAACI position papers, task force reports, and guidelines for an international scientific audience. “We are delighted to extend our collaboration with Wiley to include CTA in 2021. Having all three journals under the same publishing umbrella will allow them to benefit from Wiley's extensive expertise in the publishing process, while at the same time keeping up the high quality of EAACI's scientific content, including the most relevant progress and updates in the field." Tomàs Chivato, EAACI VP Science; Jean Bousquet, CTA Editor-in-Chief; Clive Grattan, CTA Editor-in-Chief.

John Wiley and Sons, Inc. and Iowa State University today announced the signing of a three-year transitional open access agreement, among the first-of-its-kind in the United States. The agreement will advance Iowa State University’s goal to increase open access publishing and expand its open access offerings, allowing peer-reviewed articles to be read and shared immediately, and making important research broadly available. The multi-year agreement, which will run from January 1, 2021 through 2023, will allow the University to accelerate the number of open access articles it publishes, by increasing its publishing funds toward open access articles in Wiley’s hybrid and gold open access journals. This agreement builds on the University’s current partnership with Wiley, which gives faculty, researchers, and students access to Wiley’s leading portfolio of journals.

National Popcorn Day is on January 19! The Popcorn Factory® and Moose Munch® Premium Popcorn are marking the occasion by sharing unique ideas for enjoying one of America’s favorite, go-to snacks. From popcorn aficionados seeking traditional or trendy flavors, to families looking for creative ways to relish the gourmet treat together at home, these brands offer something special for every palate: Ready to explore the world of popcorn flavors? The adventure begins with a broad selection of sweet and savory flavors including cookies & crème, chicken & waffles, bacon cheddar, milk chocolate and salted caramel. These one-of-a-kind, poppin’ flavors will step up everyone’s snacking game.

Unit sales of print books got off to a blazing start in 2021. Sales jumped 19.3% last week over the week ended January 2 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Moreover, units were up nearly 25% over the comparable week in 2020. With sales hitting 17.1 million, BookScan said it was the first time in the history of the service unit sales topped 17 million in the first week of January. Early January is always a good time for titles tied to renewal and self-improvement, and those categories did especially well compared to last year. In the nonfiction adult segment, double-digit gains were posted by body, mind, and spirit (up 63%), self-help (ahead 30%), cooking (+22%), and religion (+13%). The new year did not help the travel segment, however, with units tumbling 41%.

During the holiday season, Nordstrom continued to leverage its digital and physical assets to provide a unique breadth of merchandise selection across brands, price points and styles and convenient shopping experiences for customers: *December sales across the Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack brands reflected sequential improvement from November with momentum continuing into January. *Digital sales grew 23 percent over last year and represented 54 percent of total sales compared with 34 percent from the same period in fiscal 2019. *Approximately 11 percent of Nordstrom.com orders were picked up in-store, which accelerated to more than 20 percent during the week preceding Christmas. *Approximately 9 percent of Nordstromrack.com orders were picked up in-store, which was enabled by the integration of Nordstrom Rack store and online inventory in October. *More than 30 percent of online orders were fulfilled from Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores. *As a result of expanded gifting selection, gifting items made up 67 percent of sales, an increase of 600 basis points from the prior year.

Total Company net sales for the two months ended December 31, 2020, decreased 8.4% over the same period last year. Comparable Retail segment net sales decreased 9% due to negative retail store net sales as stronger conversion rates could not offset the reduced store traffic as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions. Lower store net sales were partially offset by strong double-digit growth in digital channel sales. By brand, comparable Retail segment net sales increased 1% at Free People and decreased 8% at Urban Outfitters and 12% at the Anthropologie Group. Wholesale segment net sales decreased 1%. For the eleven months ended December 31, 2020, total Company net sales decreased 14.3% over the same period last year. Comparable Retail segment net sales decreased 12%, driven by negative retail store net sales due to mandated store closures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and lower store productivity once opened, partially offset by strong double-digit growth in the digital channel. Wholesale segment net sales decreased 42%. On a personnel note, URBN today announced Trish Donnelly, Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Outfitters Group, will be leaving the Company as of January 31, 2021, to pursue a new career opportunity. We are pleased to announce that Sheila Harrington will become Chief Executive Officer for both Urban Outfitters Group and Free People Group. Additionally, Gabrielle Conforti, currently the Chief Merchandising Officer for the Urban Outfitters brand, has been promoted to President, Urban Outfitters North America, and Emma Wisden will continue as Managing Director, Urban Outfitters Europe, and will lead the Urban Outfitters brand Wholesale business. Both Gabrielle and Emma will report to Sheila.

For the November/December period compared with last year: *Comparable sales grew 17.2 percent, reflecting comparable store sales growth of 4.2 percent and comparable digital sales growth of 102 percent. *Traffic increased 4.3 percent and average ticket increased 12.3 percent. *The company continued to gain market share in all five of its core merchandise categories. Sales growth was strongest in Home and Hardlines. *Sales on same-day services (Order Pick Up, Drive Up and Shipt) grew 193 percent. *Drive Up grew more than 500 percent. *Shipt grew more than 300 percent. *Approximately 95 percent of Target's sales were fulfilled by its stores.

Outsourced marketing execution provider HH Global today announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Marketing Services division of GBG. The agreement will further strengthen the interactive capabilities of HH Global, following the acquisition of Blueberry Wave in 2019. Existing GBG Marketing Services customers will benefit from the extensive specialist capabilities that HH Global provides. Steve Mattey, Managing Director, Interactive said: “This acquisition strengthens our interactive solutions, supporting our clients’ growing needs for smarter and more advanced marketing execution. We are delighted at the additional marketing technologies and tools this acquisition brings us, as well as the highly skilled team from GBG.” Existing GBG Marketing Services customers will immediately benefit from the extensive specialist capabilities that HH Global provides, across end-to-end marketing execution services.

The ODP Corporation confirmed that it has received a proposal to acquire the Company from USR Parent, Inc., the parent company of Staples and a portfolio company of Sycamore Partners. Consistent with its fiduciary duties, ODP’s Board of Directors is carefully reviewing the proposal in consultation with its financial and legal advisors to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. As part of its review, the Board is evaluating various components of the proposal, including potential antitrust and other regulatory challenges given USR Parent’s ownership of Staples and past regulatory decisions blocking the combination of the two companies, purchase price, and closing conditionality. The Company noted that, according to its letter to ODP, USR Parent expects the regulatory process to take at least six months.

Bauer Media UK is to add two new magazines to its successful Puzzles portfolio. The company, which already publishes a number of Take a Break puzzles magazines, today launches Bella Puzzles Train Your Brain – a brand extension to Bella, one of the nation’s most popular women’s weekly titles. The monthly title, priced at £2.50, offers 84 pages of challenging puzzles to help train the brain as well as features on mindfulness, well-being and health that will feel familiar to Bella readers. A second standalone title, Bigger Better Puzzles, hits newsstands on Thursday (14 January) and marks Bauer Media UK’s first dedicated large-print mixed puzzle magazine.

Enthusiast magazines Rock and Ice and Climbing, which have been rivals for 36 years, are now one entity. The future merger was announced when Big Stone Publishing was acquired by Pocket Outdoor Media in October 2020. The new combined publication, called Climbing, debuts this spring — but it will be written by the editorial staffs of both magazines. To date, there has been no mention of staff reductions. The future Climbing will include art makeovers and upgrades, as well as more content and higher production values. Editors describe the alliance as “having a partner to help solve an elusive crux, rather than trying to unlock it yourself.”

North Island Media has joined Two Sides North America, the non-profit organization that promotes and encourages the responsible production, use, and sustainability of print, paper, and paper-based packaging. “Two Sides North America welcomes North Island Media as a new member and we look forward to working with them to expand our reach within the Canadian printing industry. Two Sides materials and content cover the sustainability aspects of print and paper in both the US and Canadian markets and are available to member companies in both countries,” said Phil Riebel, Two Sides North America President.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. provided an update to its fiscal fourth quarter 2020 plan. The company expects: *Net sales to decline in the 5% to 7% range versus plan of down 5% to down 10%, reflecting ongoing digital momentum offset by store closures and capacity restrictions in North America and EMEA. *Gross profit rate to be up at least 130 basis points to last year’s 58.2% versus plan of flat to up slightly, benefiting from reduced depth and breadth of promotions and markdowns relative to plan and to last year. *Operating expense, excluding other operating income, to be down at least 2% from fiscal 2019 adjusted non-GAAP operating expense of $566 million, reflecting savings in store expenses due to closures and the recognition of rent abatements. This compares to plan of up 1% to 2%.

*Total net sales of $148.7 million increased by 3.3% for the 2020 holiday period compared to $143.9 million for last year’s comparable nine-week holiday period ended January 4, 2020 (the “2019 holiday period”). *Total comparable net sales, including both physical stores and e-commerce, increased by 2.7% for the 2020 holiday period compared to a decrease of 2.0% for the 2019 holiday period. Comparable net sales of Footwear, Womens and Mens increased compared to the 2019 holiday period, partially offset by decreases in Boys, Accessories and Girls. *Comparable net sales in physical stores decreased by 12.4% for the 2020 holiday period compared to a decrease of 2.7% during the 2019 holiday period. Comparable net sales in physical stores decreased in all geographic markets during the 2020 holiday period compared to the 2019 holiday period. Net sales in physical stores represented 69.0% of total net sales for the 2020 holiday period compared to 80.5% of total net sales during the 2019 holiday period. *E-commerce net sales increased by 65.2% for the 2020 holiday period compared to an increase of 1.0% during the 2019 holiday period. E-commerce net sales increased across all 50 states during the 2020 holiday period compared to the 2019 holiday period. E-commerce net sales represented 31.0% of total net sales for the 2020 holiday period compared to 19.5% of total net sales during the 2019 holiday period.

With all major categories posting increases, unit sales of print books rose 8.2% in 2020 over 2019 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. For the year ended January 2, 2021, units hit 750.9 million, up from 693.7 million a year ago. While the book industry was concerned that sales would collapse when pandemic-induced store lockdowns were imposed in the spring, sales never saw a serious decline despite the other effects of Covid-19 on the business. Online sales and sales through non-bookstore outlets more than offset declines at physical retailers.

Torstar Corporation announced today it has joined with Golf Town Limited to create a new partnership to acquire SCOREGolf Magazine, including all SCOREGolf content and related assets. SCOREGolf, which started in 1980, is a Canadian media brand that includes SCOREGolf Magazine, the largest circulated golf publication in Canada, as well as SCOREGolf.com, television and video content production, and the ranking of Canada’s Top 59 public golf courses and Top 100 golf courses.

L Brands, Inc. reported net sales of $3.836 billion for the nine weeks ended Jan. 2, 2021, compared to net sales of $3.906 billion for the nine weeks ended Jan. 4, 2020. Comparable sales increased 5 percent for the nine weeks ended Jan. 2, 2021, compared to the nine weeks ended Jan. 4, 2020. At Bath & Body Works, comparable sales increased 17 percent for the nine weeks ended Jan. 2, 2021, including a comparable sales increase of 5 percent in stores and 64 percent sales growth in the direct channel. The merchandise margin rate for the quarter-to-date period increased significantly. At Victoria’s Secret, comparable sales decreased 9 percent for the nine weeks ended Jan. 2, 2021, including a comparable sales decrease of 23 percent in stores and 24 percent sales growth in the direct channel. The merchandise margin rate for the quarter-to-date period increased significantly.

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $19.14 billion for the retail month of December, the five weeks ended January 3, 2021, an increase of 12.3 percent from $17.04 billion last year. For the 18 weeks ended January 3, 2021, the Company reported net sales of $65.47 billion, an increase of 14.9 percent from $56.99 billion during the similar period last year.

First quarter results, year-over-year: *Sales increased 5.7 percent to $36.3 billion, up 5.2 percent on a constant currency basis *Loss per share was $0.36, compared to EPS of $0.95 in the year-ago quarter, including a $1.73 per share charge from the company's equity earnings in AmerisourceBergen; Adjusted EPS decreased 11.2 percent to $1.22, down 11.6 percent on a constant currency basis, reflecting an estimated adverse COVID-19 impact of $0.26 to $0.30 per share *Net cash provided by operating activities was $1.2 billion, an increase of $134 million; Free cash flow was $763 million, an increase of $90 million, or 13 percent

Amazon announced its first-ever purchase of eleven Boeing 767-300 aircraft, expanding its fleet to continue to serve customers. The purchases include seven aircraft from Delta and four aircraft from WestJet, which will join the network by 2022. Amazon Air’s fleet expansion comes at a time when customers are relying on fast, free shipping more than ever. “Our goal is to continue delivering for customers across the U.S. in the way that they expect from Amazon, and purchasing our own aircraft is a natural next step toward that goal,” said Sarah Rhoads, Vice President of Amazon Global Air. “Having a mix of both leased and owned aircraft in our growing fleet allows us to better manage our operations, which in turn helps us to keep pace in meeting our customer promises.”

Wyndham Destinations and Meredith Corporation announced that Wyndham Destinations has acquired the Travel + Leisure brand and all related assets from Meredith Corporation, combining the travel company’s portfolio of resort, membership, and lifestyle travel brands with the world’s most trusted travel lifestyle content curator and its travel clubs. “We acquired Travel + Leisure, including access to its global audience of 35 million loyal followers across multiple platforms and nearly 60,000 club members, because it matches our passion and purpose to put the world on vacation. Over the past 18 months, we have laid the foundation to expand our footprint beyond our core vacation ownership business, and today we add one of the most trusted and influential brands in travel through the acquisition of Travel + Leisure,” said Michael D. Brown, president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Destinations. “This iconic brand, along with its authoritative content and wide audience, will help accelerate and amplify the growth of new capital-light travel businesses and services, as we take the next step in expanding our reach within the global leisure travel industry.”

AmerisourceBergen Corporation and Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. announced strategic agreements under which AmerisourceBergen will acquire the majority of Walgreens Boots Alliance’s Alliance Healthcare businesses for approximately $6.5 billion, comprised of $6.275 billion in cash and 2 million shares of AmerisourceBergen common stock. AmerisourceBergen’s acquisition of Alliance Healthcare will provide even stronger support for pharmacies and pharmacists across the globe and integrated solutions for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Walgreens Boots Alliance will be able to increase its focus on expanding its core retail pharmacy businesses, bringing even greater healthcare offerings to patients and customers and further accelerating its progress on its clear set of strategic priorities.

Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) Chairman Robert G. Taub announced that Commissioner Ashley E. Poling has been unanimously elected as Vice Chairwoman of the Commission, succeeding Vice Chairman Michael Kubayanda. PRC regulations state that the Commission elect a member to serve as Vice Chairman for a term of one year. Chairman Taub said he is elated Commissioner Poling has agreed to serve in the capacity of Vice Chairwoman. “She has a unique understanding of the challenges at hand and understands the importance of the regulators' role as we navigate the complexities involved in making sure we have a vibrant postal system for years to come.”

In the last full shopping week before Christmas, unit sales of print books fell 3.5%, compared to the similar week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Sales were down in the four biggest segments, with juvenile nonfiction units falling the most, dropping 9.2%, compared to the week ended Dec. 21, 2019. The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook by Dinah Bucholz was #1 on the category list, selling over 35,000 copies. Last year at this time, the title sold more than 37,000 copies and was in third place, topped by Raina Telgemeier’s Guts (about 43,000 copies sold) and The Try Not to Laugh Challenge by Crazy Corey, which sold about 39,000 copies. The juvenile fiction category had a 4.4% decline in the week, with Cat Kid Comic Club by Dav Pilkey at #1, selling over 88,000 copies.

The move to increase the minimum wage gained significant ground in 2020 on the state level. Twenty-five states will raise the minimum wage in 2021, with 21 of those states enacting the increases on January 1, according to payroll experts at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. The firm noted that some of the hikes in states such as California, Colorado, Maine, Washington are the result of previously approved incremental increases to reach a specific amount that is considered to be a "living wage." Other states' increases reflect an annual cost-of-living adjustment, which accounts for the changes in states like Alaska, Florida, Minnesota, and Montana.

JCPenney’s new ownership group, consisting of Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management, along with strategic partner Authentic Brands Group, have launched a search for a Chief Executive Officer to replace Jill Soltau, who will be exiting the company effective December 31, 2020. The search will seek to identify a leader that is focused on modern retail, the consumer experience, and the goal of creating a sustainable and enduring JCPenney. With a successful track record of turning around retailers and brands and restoring them to profitability, JCPenney’s new ownership group will establish a temporary office of the CEO to include key members of JCPenney’s current leadership team. Stanley Shashoua, Simon Property Group’s Chief Investment Officer, will be appointed interim CEO effective January 1, 2021.

The number of new print magazines launched in the US dropped by more than half in 2020 to 60, compared to 139 a year earlier. But in a surprise move, the pace of new launches accelerated in the second half of the year with food, home and fitness titles proving the most popular. The data comes from Professor Samir Husni, founder of the University of Mississippi’s Magazine Innovation Center at the School of Journalism and New Media, who bills himself as “Mr. Magazine,” and has been tracking the number of new US magazine launches since 1978.

Thomson Reuters Corporation announced that it has received approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange for the annual renewal of its normal course issuer bid. Under the renewed NCIB, up to 5 million common shares (which represents approximately 1% of Thomson Reuters issued and outstanding common shares) may be repurchased between January 4, 2021 and January 3, 2022. Thomson Reuters has set a target to maintain approximately 500 million common shares outstanding by using share repurchases to offset dilution associated with its dividend reinvestment and equity incentive plans. On December 24, 2020, there were 497,117,528 Thomson Reuters common shares outstanding. For its NCIB that began on August 19, 2019 and expired on August 18, 2020, Thomson Reuters previously received approval from the TSX to repurchase up to 25 million common shares. Of this amount, Thomson Reuters repurchased approximately 6.9 million common shares for a total cost of approximately US$500 million, representing an average price of US$72.61 per share.

In the last full shopping week before Christmas, unit sales of print books rose 5.2% over the week ended December 12 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. But unlike many weeks in 2020, unit sales fell compared to 2019, with unit sales down 3.5% from the week ended December 21, 2019. The adult segments led the gain over the week ended December 12. Unit sales of adult nonfiction increased 10.3% over the prior week as Barack Obama’s A Promised Land remained the top-seller, selling more than 327,000 copies. Since its release November 17, the memoir has been the #1 selling book in the country every week and has sold over 2,254,000 copies at outlets that report to BookScan.

Even before work became WFH and social interaction turned completely digital, people have been longing for tangible elements in our hyper online landscape. Now, the search for sensory engagement beyond what our screens can offer is even more meaningful. And that could mean now is the right time to focus on print in your brand strategy. “Engaging sensory experiences have become even more meaningful during this time of uncertainty,” writes Cecile Jordan in Beyond Definition. “Think about how refreshing it is to take a walk outside. Or open a piece of mail. Not an email or another utility bill. I mean actual snail mail perhaps from a friend or maybe a magazine.” Jordan echoes what many brands are finding; that direct mail and printed marketing is more welcome — and more successful — when our audiences are digitally maxed out.

Facebook says more than 5,700 publishers began using or rejoined its Instant Articles feature this year. That includes Reuters, Salon and The Daily Dot. The top 100 publishers in the U.S. and Canada using Instant Articles experienced RPM (revenue per thousand article reads) growth of 48% year over year. Globally, the top 500 publishers saw RPM growth of 27% year over year.

Meredith Corporation's EatingWell, the ultimate source for people passionate about food and wellness, announces that its December issue advertising revenue is up 38% from last year, with its total fourth quarter 2020 print advertising revenue up 10% year-over-year. The EatingWell website posted a 26% increase in unique visitors between November 2019 and November 2020 to 4.4 million from 3.5 million,* and its total followers across its social channels has increased by 16% year over year as of November, led by a follower increase of 85% on Instagram. Tiffany Ehasz, Publisher of EatingWell said, "As we reach the finale of EatingWell's 30th year, this trusted brand is more relevant than ever. It's exciting to see how our content is resonating with consumers as they seek out recipes and information in areas we know so well—food, wellness, sustainability, giving back and beyond—particularly during these times. In fact, according to a recent Meredith Data Studio survey, seven in ten women were motivated to improve the way they eat during the pandemic. Lastly, I'd like to send a big thank you to our advertising partners. I'm very grateful to everyone who has supported us this past year and looking forward to a fruitful 2021."

Guitar Center expects to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy by Dec. 31 after recently winning approval in federal bankruptcy court for its reorganization plan, the company said in a press release. According to the musical instrument retailer, the plan allows it to shed more than $800 million in debt. At the same time, Guitar Center has raised $350 million in new secured notes and expects to have a new asset-based facility worth up to $375 million, as well as $165 million in new equity investments.

Patagonia’s used clothing program is beginning to take off. The company has been gradually building out its own resale platform, Worn Wear. Now, the four-year-old service, which allows customers to sell their own Patagonia items and buy authenticated used ones, is having a “record year” in sales, according to the company. Worn Wear has also seen “record sales months” for its up-cycled collection, called ReCrafted, which launched in November 2019, according to the company. It’s been quite the year for used and second hand marketplaces. Resale platforms — including Poshmark, ThredUP and Mercari — reported major uptick in growth. But Patagonia opted to build its own service to be able to buy back inventory, authenticate and resell it to enthusiastic customers.

Dear Industry Member: Hopefully, you attended ACMA’s Postal Nightmare web event this week (though if you did not, I encourage you to click here to view the replay) and you better understand the grave implications of the PRC’s recent Order on the 10-Year Review. Our discussion clearly illustrated the challenges all users of the mail are experiencing right now. We also laid out the concrete steps we can take to forestall, ameliorate, reduce or manage the steep climb of mailing costs we are facing. This truly needs a widespread industry response now; otherwise, 2021 will surely begin the death spiral for mail. It is stunning that officials in Washington have demonstrated such disregard for the realities of our operating businesses, seeking only more money from business mailers to sop up the rapidly-expanding costs for the benefit of the nation. view the replay at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhCCZ6muo3M . Click Read More for additional key information

A new scientific report is in, affirming what most teachers can probably already tell you: Print is vital for effective education. “The argument that reading on paper results in deeper comprehension and retention, concentration, vocabulary building and memory has been given immense weight by a groundbreaking new study,” notes this article from Two Sides NA. “The research examined the results of 54 studies with a total of over 170,000 participants from 19 countries,” the article continues, “and found overwhelming evidence that comprehension of text is much stronger when reading from paper as opposed to a screen, particularly when the reader is under time pressure.” We’ve shared previous research on this topic — studies have shown that reading on paper is better for comprehension and overall learning — but there was a new twist to this study, named E-READ. The four-year study aimed to discover if students learning from digital devices progressed as rapidly as those learning by reading on paper. The results are clear. “Students learning from digital devices only progressed one third as much as they would have done had they been reading on paper,” the article notes.

With gains across all categories, unit sales of print books rose 16.9% last week over the week ended December 5. Adult nonfiction and juvenile nonfiction led the way with increases of 19.7% and 19.5%, respectively. Barack Obama’s A Promised Land remained the top seller in the week, selling nearly 325,000 copies at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Two newly released titles also contributed to the increase in adult nonfiction sales—Bag Man by Rachel Maddow sold over 46,000 copies and The Last Days of John Lennon by James Patterson sold more than 36,000 copies.

Gannett Co., Inc. announced that from the beginning of the fourth quarter through the end of this week, the Company will have repaid approximately $647 million of its 11.5% term loan, reducing the outstanding balance to $1.082 billion. The sources of funds for the $647 million of repayment are: $497 million of proceeds from the Company’s issuance of 6% senior secured convertible notes due 2027; Approximately $135 million of real estate and other non-core asset sales; and Approximately $15 million of excess cash sweeps. “We are pleased to be closing the year having made significant progress to improve our capital structure. The actions we have taken to date have lowered our interest payments by $45 million annually. Our asset sales have accelerated our debt repayment expectations and have increased our confidence in our ability to refinance the remaining term loan during the first half of 2021,” said Michael Reed, Gannett Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Additionally, revenue trends have continued to improve, which we expect will drive strong fourth quarter results and set us up to start the year with strong momentum. Our real estate sales pipeline and amortization payments are expected to further reduce debt by approximately $100 million by early 2021.”

Bookstore sales fell 27.8% in October compared to 2019, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales were $446 million, down from $618 million in October 2019. The October decline was nearly identical to the drop reported in September, when bookstore sales fell 27.7% compared to the previous year—suggesting that, for the moment, bookstore sales appeared to have stabilized, albeit at a rate far below normal levels.

The Association of American Publishers released its StatShot report for October 2020 reflecting reported revenue for all tracked categories, including Trade (Consumer Books), K-12 Instructional Materials, Higher Education Course Materials, Professional Publishing, and University Presses. Total revenues across all categories for October 2020 were up 7.3% as compared to October 2019, coming in at $1.2 billion. Year-to-date sales were down 1.0% as compared to the first ten months of 2019, with a total of $12.4 billion. Trade (Consumer Books) sales were up 2.4% year-over-year, coming in at $960.6 million. Year-to-date (January-October 2020) Trade sales were up 6.9% as compared to the same period last year, coming in at $6.9 billion. In terms of physical paper format revenues during the month of October, in the Trade (Consumer Books) category, Hardback revenues were down 1.8%, coming in at $456.8 million; Paperbacks were down 0.7%, with $246.3 million in revenue; Mass Market was down 2.7% to $19.8 million; and Board Books were up 19.7%, with $27.0 million in revenue.

McGraw Hill announced that it has entered into a transaction support agreement to address its near-term debt maturities. The contemplated transaction will extend all material debt maturities through late 2024. “Following a strong performance in the critically important back-to-school period, we are pleased to announce a comprehensive refinancing that addresses all near-term debt maturities”, said Garet Guthrie, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. ”The comprehensive refinancing is underpinned by the confidence that lenders and investors have in our business and will allow us to continue to execute on our digital growth strategy and to unlock the potential of learners around the world.”

Condé Nast has made changes to its global content strategy, leadership and structure. It will appoint global leadership teams to its brands to oversee international and U.S. markets. “This new strategic approach to content creation brings an emphasized focus, across the company’s worldwide portfolio of brands, on quality and reach,” reads a company statement. It calls the changes a “complete redesign and investment in editorial operations.” Anna Wintour is now the first global Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast. She will also serve as global editorial director of Vogue, while continuing her oversight of Vogue U.S.

This October, the adult and children’s/young adult segments had polar opposite results—sales of adult books rose 10.2% in the month over 2019, while sales in the children’s/YA category fell 10.2% for publishers that report results to AAP’s StatShot program. Gains in the adult segment were led by an 18.2% increase in sales of trade paperbacks, and both digital formats saw double digit increases as e-book sales rose 13% and downloadable audio sales increased 12% over 2019. Overall, in the first 10 months of 2020, adult trade book sales rose 9.1% over the comparable period in 2019 at publishers who reported sales to AAP.

(subscription required) Holiday book buying kicked into high gear last week, with unit sales of print books jumping 44.3% over the week ended November 29, 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The smallest gain in the week came in young adult fiction, where sales increased 31.2%, whereas the biggest jump was in young adult nonfiction, which had an 86.8% increase. In general, the sales boost came from higher sales of existing titles. For example, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, last year's Barnes & Noble book of the year, saw sales skyrocket to about 138,000 copies last week from just over 14,000 copies in the previous week. Holiday favorite How the Grinch Stole Christmas had a 77% sales jump in the week, with sales nearing 52,000 copies sold.

It seemed impossible that the acquisition of Simon & Schuster by Penguin Random House the day before Thanksgiving could be overshadowed by a bigger industry event, but that is what happened when book publishing’s long-running trade show and convention, most recently known as BookExpo, was canceled. As the buzz about the end of BookExpo has cooled down, industry members continue to digest the news of PRH’s pending purchase of S&S, the nation’s largest and third-largest trade book publishers, respectively. When the acquisition was announced, the Authors Guild, the American Booksellers Association, and the Association of American Literary Agents (formerly the AAR) all issued statements that were critical of the deal. While each organization had a particular take, all shared one thing in common: they were concerned about the increasing consolidation within trade publishing. The Authors Guild, which called the 2012 Random House–Penguin merger “unsettling,” took a tougher stance in PRH’s S&S purchase, saying that, for authors, the reduction of the Big Five to Big Four would leave “fewer competing bidders for their manuscripts, which would inevitably drive down advances offered.”

To collectively fight against climate change and advance equity in the industry, REI Co-op is engaging its more than 1,000 brand partners to advance more sustainable and inclusive business practices. The REI Product Impact Standards include the co-op’s expectations for how brands are addressing carbon reduction, inclusive marketing practices and cultural designs in the products they make and sell to REI. The standards first launched in 2018 as a way for REI to advance sustainability across the industry and have expanded to include additional areas of impact. The standards also include voluntary product certifications, known as preferred attributes, which includes recognition for products that are certified to Climate Neutral, bluesign, or other leading standards supporting organic ingredients, recycled materials or fair trade. REI is committing that, by 2030, all products on its shelves will have a preferred attribute so that every purchase at REI supports a healthier, cleaner, more equitable planet. “The products we carry represent our values and one of our greatest opportunities to support better ways of doing business in our industry,” said Chris Speyer, REI vice president of product. “We want our members and customers to shop with confidence, knowing that the products they purchase at REI are helping build a better future for the people and places they love.”

The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) has come to us requesting specific company information about how our members have been impacted since the Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair in June 2018. This study will go to Members of Congress and will help make the case for legislative relief from the punishing complexity, cost and liabilities being imposed on remote sellers. So far, several members of ACMA's Tax Committee have stepped up with their case studies, showing in detail the kind of financial hardship the Wayfair decision has had on their businesses. Please help with our goal being to get Federal legislation passed so you don't have more than dozens of states chasing after you for back taxes, audits, and other liabilities. Our help in this crucial GAO report will go a long way toward reaching this vital goal. Click read more below for important directions to share your input.

PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, two independent colors that highlight how different elements come together to support one another, best express the mood for Pantone Color of the Year 2021. Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, the union of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is one of strength and positivity. It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly. A message of happiness supported by fortitude, the combination of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is aspirational and gives us hope. We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter – this is essential to the human spirit.

Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year 2020 Financial Highlights: *Adobe achieved record quarterly revenue of $3.42 billion in its fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020, which represents 14 percent year-over-year growth. Diluted earnings per share was $4.64 on a GAAP basis, and $2.81 on a non-GAAP basis. *GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter was $1.22 billion, and non-GAAP operating income was $1.54 billion. GAAP net income was $2.25 billion, and non-GAAP net income was $1.36 billion. *Cash flows from operations were a record $1.78 billion. *Adobe repurchased approximately 1.6 million shares during the quarter.

Costco Wholesale Corporation announced its operating results for the first quarter (twelve weeks) of fiscal 2021, ended November 22, 2020. Net sales for the first quarter increased 16.9 percent, to $42.35 billion from $36.24 billion last year. Net income for the quarter was $1,166 million, or $2.62 per diluted share, compared to $844 million, or $1.90 per diluted share, last year. This year’s first quarter included tax benefits of $145 million or $0.33 per diluted share, $0.16 of which was due to the deductibility of the $10 per share special cash dividend, to the extent received by the Company’s 401(k) plan participants; and $0.17 cents related to stock-based compensation. Last year’s first quarter included a $77 million or $0.17 per diluted share tax benefit related to stock-based compensation. This year’s results reflect an expense for COVID-19 premium wages of $212 million pre-tax or $0.35 per diluted share.

Paper and the holidays go together like marshmallows and hot cocoa. From greeting cards and paper crafts to special stories and letters to Santa, much of the holiday magic and wonder we enjoy comes from the paper products we use each year. This year, while many people are forgoing parties and family gatherings out of health concerns, paper traditions can take on even greater importance. Check out these creative ways to make holiday magic with paper. Holiday Cards; Paper Packaging; Gift Wrap; Holiday Crafts. How will you use paper to create holiday magic this year? Find us on social media @DomtarEveryday and share your favorite paper-based holiday traditions.

The 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. Valentine’s Day Look Book is here, helping gift-givers find the perfect expression of love for all the sweethearts in their lives. This annual guide includes thoughtful, playful, and romantic gift ideas, such as one-of-a-kind floral arrangements and preserved roses from 1-800-Flowers.com®, customized keepsakes for everyone (including pets!) from PersonalizationMall.com®, prepared gourmet meals and indulgent desserts from Harry & David®, plus chocolate truffles, baked goods and buttercream frosted treats from Simply Chocolate®, Wolferman’s Bakery®, and Cheryl’s Cookies®. With suggestions for planning the ultimate date night at home, gifts for the littlest loves, and perfect presents for him, the company’s family of brands have everything needed to make a lasting impression this Valentine’s Day.

Amazon announced 26 new utility-scale wind and solar energy projects totaling 3.4 gigawatts (GW) of electricity production capacity, bringing its total investment in renewable energy in 2020 to 35 projects and more than 4 GW of capacity — the largest corporate investment in renewable energy in a single year. These new projects will make Amazon the largest-ever corporate purchaser of renewable energy. Amazon has now invested in 6.5 GW of wind and solar projects that will enable the company to supply its operations with more than 18 million megawatt hours (MWh) of renewable energy annually. This is enough to power 1.7 million U.S. homes for one year. These projects will supply renewable energy for Amazon’s corporate offices, fulfillment centers, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers that support millions of customers globally. They will also help advance Amazon’s goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions across its business by 2040. Part of that commitment is powering Amazon’s infrastructure with 100% renewable energy, and the company is now on a path to achieve this milestone by 2025, five years ahead of the initial 2030 target.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) gave an early Christmas present to debt collectors, at the expense of the very consumers they are mandated to protect. Ignoring a mountain of public comments from citizens, cyber security experts and consumer advocacy groups including Keep Me Posted (KMP) detailing the multitude of harms and risks unleashed by its proposed rules, the Bureau plowed ahead and finalized a sweeping deregulation that will subject society to an unwelcome digital deluge of menace and fraud. Under the guise of so-called modernization, the CFPB will give the green light to 3rd-party debt collectors to exploit Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter messaging — as well as emails and text messaging — in their bounty hunting efforts. The new rules would further allow for an unlimited quantity of such unsolicited digital contacting — while simultaneously expanding the frequency of phone calls to 7 times per week per alleged debt. Meanwhile, the safe, secure and discreet practice of mailing paper letters will remain an option for professional firms seeking reliable communications options. To be clear, America’s consumers did not ask for this. And they will not even be given the option to opt-in to any such digital communications they might prefer.

Simon & Schuster president and CEO Jonathan Karp has acquired a new book to be written by veteran investigative reporter and bestselling author Bob Woodward and fellow Washington Post political reporter Robert Costa. The book will examine the last days of the Trump presidency and the beginning of the Biden administration. Woodward and Costa were represented by Robert Barnett, who negotiated the deal with Karp. S&S acquired world, audio, and first series rights to the book. Karp will also edit the book, which is untitled and has no publication date.

Second Quarter Summary: *GAAP Results: Revenue of $491 million (+5%) and EPS of $1.22 (+54%) *Research Publishing & Platforms (at constant currency): Revenue +5% and Adjusted EBITDA +14% on strong double-digit growth in Open Access *Academic & Professional Learning: Revenue for Education Publishing marginally ahead of prior year as accelerated growth in digital content and courseware more than offset decline in print books *Education Services: Second Quarter and First Half Adjusted EBITDA margin of 21% and 17%, trending ahead of FY22 target of 15%

JCPenney announced that it has completed its previously announced sale, under which Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. have acquired substantially all of JCPenney’s retail and operating assets. The Company’s asset purchase agreement with Simon, Brookfield and the Company’s DIP and First Lien Lenders, supported by the Unsecured Creditors Committee, had previously been approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on November 9, 2020. “Today is an exciting day for our company, as we have accomplished our goal of putting JCPenney on a secure path for the future as a private company so that we can continue to serve our loyal customers,” said Jill Soltau, Chief Executive Officer of JCPenney.

For the US Postal Service, 2020 has hardly ever been a dull moment. As if the stormy tenure of new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the controversial service changes and their impact on mail-in voting, the barrage of Covid-fueled package volume, and the plunge in letter and flat mail volume weren't all enough, on Nov. 30th, the Postal Regulatory Commission issued its final review in its 10-year review of postal rate-making. As we've been warning, it's potentially catastrophic news for catalog mailers, as future postage rates for flats could skyrocket. That potentially game-changing news came less than two weeks after the USPS announced a significant shake-up in its executive ranks. And all of this comes on the eve of another postal rate hike taking effect in late January. In a 60-minute web meeting on Tuesday, December 15th at 1:00 pm EST, the ACMA will host a panel of experts to not only dig into what's taking place but also what you as a merchant can do going forward. Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtd-2uqDIqH90u-NsYNBS7_KqUq6SOL7OX Moderated by ACMA President & Executive Director Hamilton Davison (below left), the panel will also include Matthew Field (center). A partner with Venable LLP, Mr. Field is a knowledgeable regulatory counselor and skilled litigator who represents clients in highly regulated industries with extensive experience in postal and energy regulation. He'll be joined by ACMA's Postal Economist Robert Mitchell (right). Mr. Mitchell's career in postal affairs dates back more than 45 years. He had a lengthy tenure as principal economist with the USPS, then become special assistant to the Commission at the then-Postal Rate Commission. Over the past 18 years, he has served as a postal consultant, the last 12 advising the ACMA. Members of ACMA's Postal Committee will also be on hand. There are a limited number of spots available for this webinar (via Zoom meeting) so register soon. All ACMA members are welcome. Non-members are eligible, but pending demand levels, some registrations may be declined in favor of members and will be taken in order received so register now.

Double-digit gains in the adult categories helped boost print unit sales 8.7% in the week ended Nov. 28, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Print unit sales jumped 22.2% over the week ended Nov. 30, 2019, in the adult nonfiction category, led by Barack Obama’s A Promised Land, which sold about 410,000 copies in its second week. The top new title in the category was Modern Warriors by Pete Hegseth, which sold more than 30,000 copies. Three new releases contributed to the 13.5% increase in unit sales in the adult fiction category: Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline was #1, selling 99,000 copies; next was Deadly Cross by James Patterson, which sold more than 42,000 copies, followed by The Awakening by Nora Roberts, which sold a little more than 27,000 copies. Print units increased 29.1% over 2019 in the YA category.

Meredith Corporation's Southern Living reports that its December issue ad revenue is up 51% from last year, its monthly year-to-date audience across digital, print and online has averaged 25.5 million, up 2% from 2019 (AAM, Sept. 2020) and its website experienced its highest trafficked November in its history with nearly 19 million visits, up 23% year over year. The December issue, on newsstands now, marks the 25th year of the brand's popular annual holiday white cake cover and feature story. Continuing to advance the brand's momentum, Southern Living will introduce enhanced paper stock, along with a refreshed design, beginning with the January/February 2021 issue. A new front-of-book section called "In Season" will debut to reflect readers' passionate interest in seasonal moments, experiences and celebrations, and a range of new columns will roll out in various issues throughout the year covering topics ranging from home and cooking to travel and beauty. Doug Olson, President of Meredith Magazines, said, "Southern Living's success underscores the brand's resonance with people across the South and beyond. The brand's rich heritage coupled with its modern take on the Southern lifestyle continues to appeal to marketers seeking the right environment to reach engaged consumers across the country. With our investment in improved paper, we're excited to provide an even better reader experience."

For the Third Quarter of Fiscal 2020 *Net sales decreased 7.8% to $1.6 billion compared to $1.7 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2019 due to the impact of COVID-19. *Comparable sales (sales for stores open at least 14 months, including stores temporarily closed due to COVID-19, and e-commerce sales) decreased 8.9% compared to an increase of 3.2% in the third quarter of fiscal 2019. In the third quarter of fiscal 2020, transactions declined 15.4% and average ticket increased 7.6%. *Gross profit decreased 12.5% to $545.5 million compared to $623.4 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2019. *Tax rate increased to 25.1% compared to 23.1% in the third quarter of fiscal 2019. The higher effective tax rate is primarily due to less investment tax credits received. *Net income was $74.8 million compared to $129.7 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2019. Adjusted net income was $92.5 million compared to $128.6 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2019. For the First Nine Months of Fiscal 2020 *Net sales decreased 22.4% to $4.0 billion compared to $5.1 billion in first nine months of fiscal 2019 due to the impact of COVID-19.*Comparable sales decreased 23.8% compared to an increase of 5.4% in the first nine months of fiscal 2019. During the first nine months of fiscal 2020, transactions declined 30.1% and average ticket increased 9.0%. *Gross profit decreased to $1.2 billion compared to $1.9 billion in the first nine months of fiscal 2019. *Net income was $4.3 million compared to $483.2 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2019.

*Total net sales were $140.3 million, a decrease of $14.5 million or 9.4%, compared to $154.8 million last year. -Net sales from physical stores were $104.6 million, a decrease of $27.5 million or 20.8%, compared to $132.1 million last year. -Net sales from e-commerce were $35.7 million, an increase of $13.0 million or 57.3% compared to approximately $22.7 million last year. *Gross profit was $40.7 million, or 29.0% of net sales, compared to $47.2 million, or 30.5% of net sales last year. *Net income was $2.1 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, compared to $6.4 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, last year.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. announced the promotion of Melanie Marein-Efron, the Company’s Executive Director of Corporate Development and Finance, to Chief Financial Officer, effective December 2, 2020. “I am pleased to announce Melanie’s promotion to be our new Chief Financial Officer, and I welcome her to our Executive Leadership Team,” said Richard A. Hayne, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “I am confident Melanie will approach her new role with the same energy, dedication and thoroughness she has displayed since joining URBN eight years ago,” finished Mr. Hayne.

FedEx Corp. announced that it has agreed to acquire ShopRunner, the e-commerce platform that directly connects brands and merchants with online shoppers. ShopRunner’s capabilities will complement and expand the FedEx e-commerce portfolio and are expected to create increased value for brands, merchants, and consumers. The parties anticipate the acquisition to close by the end of the calendar year, and it is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval. ShopRunner connects more than 100 brands and merchants to millions of consumers and offers a seamless shopping experience from inspiration through delivery. Members enjoy benefits including free two-day shipping, free returns, member-exclusive discounts, and seamless checkout. ShopRunner’s data-driven marketing and omnichannel enablement capabilities also help brands and merchants acquire high-value customers and accelerate their digital innovation by using ShopRunner’s e-commerce platform.

The all-important post-Thanksgiving holiday sales period got off to a subdued start at bookstores around the country this year. As expected, foot traffic was light. The National Retail Federation reported the number of in-store shoppers fell 37% on Black Friday compared with last year while the number of customers who shopped only online through the weekend and on Cyber Monday rose by 44% over 2019. Bookshop.org sold some approximately $2.3 million in books over the period from Friday through Monday, according to Andy Hunter, CEO of Bookshop.org. Unsurprisingly, Amazon.com reported it had its best period ever in the company’s history and noted on a blog post that among its bestselling items were several books, including Barack Obama’s A Promised Land (Crown) and The Deep End (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #15) by Jeff Kinney (Abrams/Amulet); both titles were also cited by nearly all the bookstores surveyed by PW. Other bestsellers at Amazon included Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (Crown), A Time for Mercy by John Grisham (Doubleday), The Sentinel by Lee Child (Delacorte), and Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson (Tor), among adult books, as well as Grime and Punishment (Dog Man #9) by Dav Pilkey (Scholastic/Grafix) in the children’s category.

Pearson announced that Mike Howells will become its new Chief Strategy Officer to further strengthen its focus on building a direct, lifetime relationship with learners around the world and to enhance its partnerships with learning institutions globally. Mike will further strengthen Pearson’s global corporate and educational partnerships as the company aims to expand and enhance its direct-to-consumer offering. He will be based in London and will work with the executive team and Board to shape and execute the plan for the business, reporting to Andy Bird, Chief Executive.

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $15.67 billion for the retail month of November, the four weeks ended November 29, 2020, an increase of 15.1 percent from $13.62 billion last year. For the twelve-week first quarter ended November 22, 2020, the Company reported net sales of $42.35 billion, an increase of 16.9 percent from $36.24 billion last year. For the thirteen weeks ended November 29, 2020, the Company reported net sales of $46.33 billion, an increase of 16.0 percent from $39.95 billion during the similar period last year.

Meredith Corporation announced that Catherine Levene has been named National Media Group (NMG) President, effective immediately. Meredith's National Media Group reaches nearly 95 percent of all U.S. women and more than 190 million unduplicated American consumers every month through iconic brands such as PEOPLE, Better Homes & Gardens, Allrecipes, Southern Living, and REAL SIMPLE. Meredith's premium digital network reaches more than 150 million consumers each month. The company is the No. 1 U.S. magazine operator with 36 million subscribers and the No. 2 global licensor with robust brand licensing activities that include a Better Homes & Gardens partnership with Walmart. Levene, 50, currently serves as the NMG's Chief Digital Officer. In her new role, she will oversee all NMG activities, including its Digital, Magazine (led by Doug Olson), and Consumer Products (led by Tom Witschi) businesses. Levene will report to Meredith Chairman and CEO Tom Harty.

Kohl’s and Sephora announced a long-term strategic partnership to create a new era of elevated Beauty at Kohl's, marrying Kohl's expansive customer reach and omnichannel convenience with Sephora's prestige service, product selection and exceptional beauty experience. "Sephora at Kohl's" will be a fully-immersive, premium beauty destination, designed within a 2,500 square foot space and prominently located at the front of the store. When the first 200 locations open in Fall 2021, the Kohls.com online beauty selection will also convert to exclusively showcase an expanded assortment of Sephora's prestige product offerings. The partnership will expand into at least 850 stores by 2023, offering an expansive footprint, a wide-reaching customer base and unmatched visibility for Sephora’s brand partners within the prestige environment in which they thrive. Sephora has 500 of its 2,600 stores in the Americas and Kohl's has more than 1,150 locations in 49 states, serving 65 million customers, with very limited overlap between the two store networks.

U.S. book publishing’s biggest trade show is being “retired,” show organizer ReedPop announced today. BookExpo, along with BookCon and Unbound, will not be held in 2021 after being canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. ReedPop, the pop culture event–focused subdivision of Reed Exhibitions, said that, given the “continued uncertainty surrounding in-person events at this time,” the company has decided “that the best way forward is to retire the current iteration of events as they explore new ways to meet the community’s needs through a fusion of in-person and virtual events.”

Beginning Dec. 4, Walmart is expanding the benefit list of Walmart+. Just in time for the holidays, Walmart is removing the $35 shipping minimum for Walmart.com orders for its members. This new benefit paired with free unlimited deliveries of groceries and more from Walmart stores makes the retailer’s membership program even more comprehensive. “It feels like a life hack is needed now more than ever, and Walmart+ is here to help,” said Janey Whiteside, chief customer officer, Walmart. “No other membership allows customers across the country to get everything from gingerbread cookies and eggnog to holiday decorations and toys delivered for free as soon as the same day. Walmart+ is designed to make life easier – giving customers an option to not have to sacrifice on cost or convenience.” Walmart+ members will receive free next-day and two-day shipping on items shipped by Walmart no matter the basket total.

Hearst UK recently announced that women’s lifestyle magazine Prima would increase its print edition from 12 to 13 issues a year, following a 68% surge in subscriptions this year. This week, we talk to Prima’s Editor Jo Checkley about what factors led to the decision to increase the frequency of the magazine, how their content has encouraged a community feel among their readers, and what lessons they’ll be taking from producing magazines in lockdown. Jo also outlines what she’s done to keep her magazines thriving during her career despite tough market conditions for women’s titles. In the news roundup the team discusses Future Plc’s resurgent fortunes and purchase of GoCompare, the UK government’s attempts to create a competition regime to tackle the ‘fundamental imbalance of power’ between platforms and publishers, and Spotify launching a Stories copy. Esther is a meerkat.

Everyone’s favorite scrumptious holiday, National Cookie Day, is on December 4 and Cheryl’s Cookies® and Harry & David® are celebrating in delicious ways. From seasonal flavors and festive gift ideas, to creative ways to enjoy these gourmet delights in the comfort of home – cookies are the ultimate sweet treat. *Everyone can savor the season with holiday favorites from cocoa sugar and black cherry chocolate to gingerbread and dark chocolate-covered peppermint – these cookies will excite taste buds all around. *The countdown to Christmas begins with the brand new and exclusive Advent Calendar Cookie Box – the tastiest way for families to connect with one another and be merry. *The magic of cookies can be delivered right to loved ones’ doorsteps with endless delicious gift ideas. For the little ones, send a buttercream frosted cut-out cookie card or elevate reading time with a big book of Christmas cookies. Big kids can also enjoy a sweet surprise with a ceramic station wagon cookie jar and a tower of cookies. *Cookie artisans can reinvent the traditional cookie platter by crafting an Instagram and Pinterest-worthy holiday cookie board. Using gourmet cookies as the foundation, this dessert tray can be personalized with a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

In Order No. 4257, which examined the current ratemaking system, the Commission identified three principal areas of the PAEA system that encapsulate the nine objectives: (1) the structure of the ratemaking system; (2) the financial health of the Postal Service; and (3) service. The Commission concluded that the system had achieved some of the goals of these areas, but the overall system had not achieved the objectives taking into account the factors of the PAEA. In brief, the Commission’s findings were as follows: *The system was largely successful in achieving the goals related to the structure of the ratemaking system. However, the Commission concluded that the ratemaking system had not increased pricing efficiency. *The system had not maintained the financial health of the Postal Service as intended by the PAEA. While the Postal Service had generally achieved short-term financial stability, both medium-term and long-term financial stability measures had not been achieved. *High-quality service standards had not been maintained during the 10 years following the enactment of the PAEA.

J. C. Penney Company, Inc. announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas has confirmed the Company’s Plan of Reorganization to create separate property holding companies comprising 160 of the Company’s real estate assets and all of its owned distribution centers, which will be owned and operated by JCPenney’s DIP and First Lien Lenders. The PropCos are expected to complete the Court-supervised restructuring process and emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the first half of 2021. The Plan is pursuant to the Company’s asset purchase agreement with Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. and the Company’s DIP and First Lien Lenders, supported by the Unsecured Creditors Committee. The APA also provides that Simon and Brookfield are acquiring JCPenney’s retail and operating assets. The PropCos and OpCo will enter into master leases with respect to the properties and distribution centers moved into the PropCos.

German media giant Bertelsmann said Wednesday that its Penguin Random House division is buying rival Simon & Schuster in a megadeal that would reshape the U.S. publishing industry. Penguin Random House, already the largest American publisher, will buy the New York-based Simon & Schuster, whose authors include Stephen King, Hillary Clinton and John Irving, from TV and film company ViacomCBS for $2.17 billion in cash. “Simon & Schuster strengthens Bertelsmann’s footprint globally, and (particularly) in the U.S., its second-largest market,” the Guetersloh, Germany-based company said in a statement. The purchase of Simon & Schuster would reduce the so-called Big Five of American publishing — which also includes HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group and Macmillan — to four.

The ACMA jointly filed comments with MPA - The Association of Magazine Media, and PostCom supporting the US Postal Service's proposal for estimating the volume variability of labor costs associated with the automated distribution of letters and flats. In the comments, the groups contend that it's time "to abandon the assumption that most mail processing activities are nearly 100-percent volume variable. That assumption lacks empirical support." Calling for the Postal Regulatory Commission to approve the USPS's costing proposal, the groups also urge the Commission to look beyond it and to hold the Postal Service accountable for rightsizing its flats sorting operations in response to volume declines.

Rolland President Philip Rundle speaks with Ivy Life & Style Media, whose niche publications and properties serve Virginia’s Charlottesville-Albemarle region and the nearby wine country. Jennifer Bryerton, co-publisher of Ivy and editor-in-chief of its Wine & Country Life magazine, talks about publishing in a local market, contributing to a sustainable community, and creating a cookbook that will feed businesses, farmers and people in a time of need. Ivy Life & Style Media is a lively small busines • Located in Ivy, Virginia, near Charlottesville, with a team of employees who create print and digital publications, provide media services, and run a boutique. • Publisher of community-oriented magazines and books under three popular brands: CharlottesvilleFamily, Charlottesville Welcome Book and Wine & Country. • Wine & Country Life, a 150-page magazine published twice a year, covers the lifestyle and culture in Virginia’s beautiful wine country. • Ivy Life & Style Media is a Virginia certified SWAM (small women-owned and minority-owned) business as well as a Certified Virginia Green Travel Partner.

Nordstrom, Inc. reported third quarter results, which reflected sequential improvement in sales and earnings relative to the prior quarter. The Company generated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of more than $100 million, supported by improved merchandise margin trends and benefits from resetting its cost structure. Earnings per diluted share of $0.34 included an income tax benefit of $0.12 related to the CARES Act. For the third quarter ended October 31, 2020, net sales decreased 16 percent from last year and included a positive impact of approximately 10-percentage points due to the shift of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale from the second quarter to the third quarter this year. Digital sales of $1.6 billion accounted for 54 percent of Nordstrom's business.

Net sales were flat year-over-year, reflecting a 61% increase in online sales, offset by a 20% decline in store sales. Notably, 40% of the company’s sales were online in the third quarter. As noted during the company’s Investor Meeting, held in October 2020, the company aspires to achieve 50% of its sales from online by the end of 2023. Third quarter fiscal year 2020 comparable sales were up 5%, driven by the strength of Gap Inc.’s scaled ecommerce business, which added over 3.4 million new customers during the quarter. The comparable sales calculation reflects online sales and comparable sales days in stores that were open. Gross margin was 40.6%, a 160 basis point improvement versus last year. This improvement is consistent with the strategic focus outlined in last month’s Power Plan 2023 discussion of opening highly-profitable Old Navy and Athleta stores, while also closing select unprofitable Gap and Banana Republic stores, yielding significant rent and occupancy savings. In addition, a lower level of promotions contributed to higher product margins in the quarter. The benefits of lower rent and occupancy and higher product margin were partially offset by higher shipping expenses associated with the company’s growth in online sales. Operating income was $175 million or 4.4% of net sales.

Kohl’s is proud to have been named to the 2020 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America by S&P Global. This marks the third year in a row the company has received the designation for its sustainability performance and environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments. “The DJSI’s continued recognition of Kohl’s serves as a reliable indicator of the strength of our ESG stewardship initiatives,” said Steve Thomas, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer for Kohl’s. “We believe that incorporating sustainable solutions into the way Kohl’s conducts business will help to build better futures for our customers, our associates, and their families and we are pleased to be acknowledged for these efforts.”

Urban Outfitters, Inc. announced net income of $77 million and record earnings per diluted share of $0.78 for the three months ended October 31, 2020. For the nine months ended October 31, 2020, net loss was $27 million and loss per diluted share was $0.28. Total Company net sales for the three months ended October 31, 2020, decreased 1.8% over the same period last year to $970 million. Comparable Retail segment net sales were flat as a result of negative retail store sales driven by lower store productivity due to reduced store traffic, offset by strong double-digit growth in the digital channel. By brand, comparable Retail segment net sales increased 17% at Free People and 4% at Urban Outfitters and decreased 9% at the Anthropologie Group. Wholesale segment net sales decreased 24%. For the three months ended October 31, 2020, the gross profit rate increased by 79 basis points versus the prior year’s comparable period. Gross profit dollars increased 0.6% to $322.9 million from $321.1 million. For the nine months ended October 31, 2020, the gross profit rate decreased to 24.3% from 32.2% in the prior year’s comparable period. Net income for the three months ended October 31, 2020, was $77 million and earnings per diluted share was $0.78. Net loss for the nine months ended October 31, 2020, was $27 million and loss per diluted share was $0.28.

Recent highlights include: -Chico's FAS continued its evolution to a digital-first company, fast tracking several investments in innovative digital technology, leading to higher customer engagement and improved sales. -For the third quarter, total sales improved 14.8% from the thirteen weeks ended August 1, 2020 (the "second quarter"), driven by robust digital performance and rebounding store revenues. -Third quarter digital sales grew by double digits for the second quarter in a row. Year-over-year digital sales grew in all three brands, and Soma led the way with 67% growth compared to the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2019 ("last year's third quarter"). -Soma achieved a 10.5% total comparable sales growth for the third quarter compared to last year's third quarter. -Total third quarter gross margin rate was up 740 basis points compared to the second quarter, reflecting a higher percentage of full-price selling on leaner inventory, reduced inventory write-offs and leverage of fixed occupancy costs.

Domestic Segment Q3 FY21 Results: Domestic revenue of $10.85 billion increased 21.0% versus last year. The increase was primarily driven by comparable sales growth of 22.6%, which was partially offset by the loss of revenue from permanent store closures in the past year. Domestic online revenue of $3.82 billion increased 173.7% on a comparable basis, and as a percentage of total Domestic revenue, online revenue increased to approximately 35.2% versus 15.6% last year. Domestic gross profit rate was 24.0% versus 24.3% last year. The gross profit rate decrease of approximately 30 basis points was primarily driven by higher supply chain costs as a result of the increased mix of online revenue and lower profit-sharing revenue from the company’s private-label and co-branded credit card arrangement. These pressures were partially offset by a more favorable promotional environment. International Segment Q3 FY21 Results: International revenue of $1.0 billion increased 25.4% versus last year. This increase was primarily driven by comparable salesgrowth of 27.3%, which was partially offset by the impact of approximately 140 basis points of negative foreign currency exchange rates. International GAAP gross profit rate was 19.0% versus 22.5% last year.

A summary of results for the third quarter ended October 31, 2020 as compared to the third quarter ended November 2, 2019: -Net sales of $820 million, down 5% as compared to last year, reflecting the adverse impact of COVID-19 on store sales. -Digital net sales increased 43% to $382 million reflecting robust growth in every month of the quarter. -Gross profit rate improved 390 basis points to 64.0% on higher average unit retail and lower average unit cost, benefiting from inventory shrink favorability of approximately 100 basis points and changes in foreign currency exchange rates of approximately 90 basis points. -Operating income improved to $59 million and $65 million on a reported and adjusted non-GAAP basis, respectively, as compared to $14 million and $25 million last year, on a reported and adjusted non-GAAP basis, respectively. -Generated positive operating cash flows of $63 million during the third quarter ended October 31, 2020, ending the quarter with $813 million of cash and equivalents and liquidity of approximately $1.2 billion.

Walmart is continuing to strengthen its in-house capability to deliver online orders. The discount giant is purchasing the talent, technology platform, and intellectual property of JoyRun, a Silicon Valley-based startup. JoyRun operates a peer-to-peer last-mile delivery platform which enables users to pick up and deliver items for friends and neighbors. JoyRun has built a network of more than 540 official retail partners, and more than 30,000 people have served as drivers or “runners” since the compny launched in 2015. According to Walmart, this acquisition allows it to further augment its delivery team and support ongoing efforts to explore more ways to deliver online orders in the future. In a LinkedIn post announcing the acquisition, Srini Venkatesan, executive VP of Walmart Global Tech, said that JoyRun runners could complement Walmart’s Spark program for independent delivery contractors, as well as third-party delivery providers such as Instacart.

The detail that has most captured industry members’ attention in the New York Times report that HarperCollins and Penguin Random House are the favorites to acquire Simon & Schuster is the news that the purchase price is expected to be at least $1.7 billion. That figure is at the top end of original estimates of $1.2 billion–$1.7 billion for the price of the country’s third-largest trade publisher. The sale of S&S will be the largest acquisition in North American trade publishing since HarperCollins bought Harlequin in 2014. It will also be one of the few recent transactions in which the revenue of the target company is public and the purchase price may also become public.

The Postal Service is pleased to announce that the 2021 Mailing Promotions Calendar has also been approved. As in prior years, promotions provide incentives and discounts to commercial mailers who use specific techniques and technologies in their mailings that can increase customer engagement and drive response rates. The techniques highlighted in the promotions include the use dynamic color, new print techniques, mobile technology, omnichannel experiences and the integration of emerging technologies. The 2021 Promotions are as follows: *Tactile, Sensory & Integrative Mailpiece Engagement; *Emerging and Advanced Technology; *Mobile Shopping; *Earned Value Reply Mail; *Personalized Color Transpromo; *Informed Delivery. The 2021 promotion calendar is posted on the PostalPro website at: https://postalpro.usps.com/promotions. All promotion requirements and further information are expected to be posted by the end of next week. Questions can be directed to the Mailing Services Program Office at mailingpromotions@usps.gov.

With all categories posting gains of at least 11%, unit sales of print books jumped 19.5% in the week ended Nov. 14, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. There were no new books that made a big splash in the week, with the overall increase due to strength in both backlist and frontlist titles. The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be by Joanna Gaines was the top new title, selling more than 43,000 copies and helping to lift unit sales in the adult nonfiction category by 11.9%. Unit sales rose 22.5% in adult fiction over the week ended Nov. 16, 2019. Michael Connelly’s The Law of Innocence was #1 in the category, selling more than 43,000 copies in its first week.

The Postal Regulatory Commission approved the price adjustments for the market dominant mail categories, including First Class, Marketing Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and Special Services Products and related classifications. The new rates take effect on January 24, 2021. As we reported to the membership previously, the rate increase contains a provision for catalog postage costs to increase at 2% more than the Marketing Mail Class average. Since we have now exhausted our remedies with the PRC, we are left only with an attempt to appeal directly to Members of Congress about this ruling and seek interest in pushing for a review of this nonsensical demand. It is not curing the problem, and is in fact making it worse by driving more mail out of the system without addressing the root cause. ACMA is desperately seeking any company with employees or operations in any of the following zip codes: 20069 20070 20109 20110 20112 20119 20120 20121 20122 20124 20136 20137 20155 20156 20168 20169 20171 20181 20182 22003 22009 22015 22027 22030 22031 22032 22033 22035 22038 22039 22044 22060 22079 22081 22082 22102 22116 22118 22119 22120 22121 22124 22125 22150 22151 22152 22153 22156 22158 22159 22160 22161 22180 22181 22182 22183 22185 22191 22192 22193 22194 22195 22199 22308 22309 22312 Please search your contacts, customers, and prospects to see if you can give us the name(s) of companies in one of these zip codes. Rep. Gerry Connolly, from Virginia’s 11th District, which includes Fairfax County, Prince William County, and the City of Fairfax in Northern Virginia, and who is also Chairman of the subcommittee with postal oversight, has demonstrated interest in this matter. If we can find one or more constituents in Mr. Connolly's district, they will be of great help in getting Congressional visibility on the plight of catalog mailers and the poor management of the category by postal policy makers. ACMA will continue to work with USPS managers on flats cost reduction but increasing the pressure from Congress will help motivate officials to faster action. Send an email to action@catalogmailers.org to let us know if you identify any catalog interests in Mr. Connolly’s district.

Amazon announced 2020’s Best Books of the Year, selecting Brittany K. Barnett’s “A Knock at Midnight” as the top pick. The inspiring true story is a brilliant memoir of Barnett’s own journey navigating the criminal justice system, which also chronicles the stories of three of her clients. Their lives—including their crimes, their families, and their jail time—are rendered with such care and compassion that the Amazon Books Editors found it impossible to put down. The process of choosing the Best Books of the Year begins the year prior, as the Amazon Books Editors begin debating the list for January’s Best Books of the Month. The editors collectively read thousands of books each year in service of creating an editorially curated list and reviews each month. These monthly lists culminate in the Best Books of the Year, which includes an overall Top 100 for 2020 as well as top lists for individual genres like literature & fiction, mystery and thriller, children’s books, cookbooks, food & wine, and young adult—all to help customers find their next favorite book or thoughtful holiday gift pick.

The U.S. Postal Service made several leadership announcements, including the retirement of a top executive, the promotion of several other key leaders, and a series of functional alignments that aim to better position the organization to achieve operational excellence and financial stability. The changes include the announcement that David E. Williams, chief logistics and processing operations officer, intends to retire next year, capping a postal career that has spanned more than three decades. Other leadership appointments and structural modifications announced today include: *Isaac Cronkhite, who currently serves as chief human resources officer, will succeed Williams as chief logistics and processing operations officer. *Doug Tulino, labor relations vice president, will become chief human resources officer. *Katherine Attridge, collective bargaining and arbitration manager, will become labor relations vice president. *Tom Foti, product management executive director, will become product solutions vice president and report to Steve Monteith, who will become chief customer and marketing officer. *Marc McCrery, information technology vice president, will become technology applications vice president, and Bill Koetz, will serve as acting network and compute technology vice president. *Gary Reblin, product innovation vice president, will become innovative business technology vice president and report to Scott Bombaugh, who will become chief technology officer. *Linda Malone has been named engineering systems vice president after serving in the position in an acting basis since the summer. She will report to Bombaugh. *Simon Storey, employee resource management vice president, will become human resources vice president, and Jenny Utterback, human resources technology and innovation senior director, will become organization development vice president. *Jeff Adams has been named corporate communications vice president, a role he has served in an acting basis since the summer.

Whether it’s celebrating life’s special moments, showing how much we care for someone or ensuring our wishes are fulfilled, the importance of paper is felt in our lives in many ways. Beyond being part of our normal routine, paper has also played a pivotal role in changing the world. Here are some examples that demonstrate the importance of paper to civilizations throughout world history. 1. Gutenberg Bible; 2. The Federalist Papers; 3. The Gettysburg Address; 4. Anne Frank’s Diary; 5. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter From Birmingham Jail. click read more for details

Pearson, the world's leading learning company, today announces the creation of a new direct-to-consumer division as it looks to further strengthen its focus on building a direct relationship with learners around the world. The new division will be co-led by two senior executives: Ishantha Lokuge joined Pearson from Shutterfly last year and now steps up to the role of Chief Global Product Officer and Co-President, Direct-to-Consumer. Lynne Frank, most recently President of International Marketing and Worldwide Planning and Operations at Warner Bros. Pictures, joins Pearson as Chief Marketing Officer and Co-President – Direct-to-Consumer. Together, Ishantha and Lynne will lead the new division focused on direct-to-consumer products and channels, and will report to Andy Bird, Chief Executive.

The company reported earnings per share of $1.17 for the third quarter ended Oct. 31, 2020, compared to a loss per share of $0.91 for the quarter ended Nov. 2, 2019. Third quarter operating income was $580.6 million compared to an operating loss of $151.2 million last year, and net income was $330.6 million compared to a net loss of $252.0 million last year.

Third Quarter Highlights: *Positive EBITDA one quarter sooner than expected. *Strong liquidity position with approximately $1.6 billion in cash and approximately $3 billion of untapped capacity in the company’s asset-based credit facility. *Digital sales grew 27% over third quarter 2019. Digital sales penetrated at 38% of total owned comparable sales. *Comparable sales down 21.0% on an owned basis and down 20.2% on an owned plus licensed basis, due to continued stores recovery and continued growth of digital business. *Inventory down 29% from third quarter 2019. The company exited the quarter in a clean inventory position. *Gross margin of 35.6% compared to 23.6% in the second quarter of 2020, an improvement of approximately 12 percentage points. The improvement was driven by disciplined inventory management, better sell through of both full-price and clearance merchandise and lower clearance markdowns.

*Third quarter sales and earnings exceed company expectations, with significant improvement from the second quarter *Strengthened financial position during the quarter by fully repaying revolver and ending with $1.9 billion in cash *Strong operating cash flow year-to-date of $910 million *Third quarter comparable sales decrease 13.3% *Third quarter loss per share of ($0.08)

Gannett Co., Inc. announced that it has refinanced approximately $500 million of its 11.5% term loan, maturing in 2024, with 6.0% convertible notes due in 2027. The refinancing reduces the outstanding term loan to $1.118 billion. “We are pleased to announce the refinancing, which we believe has three key benefits,” said Michael Reed, Gannett Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “First, it generates significant savings, reducing our annual interest expense by approximately $28 million per year. These savings will be used to accelerate repayment of our term loan. Second, we believe that this refinancing paves the way for a refinancing of the remaining term loan by reducing the outstanding balance. And third, it extends the maturity of approximately $500 million of debt by three years. Since putting the term loan in place in November 2019, we have repaid over $175 million to date, and we expect to repay an additional $100 million in the coming months. Pro forma for these repayments, the outstanding term loan will be approximately $1 billion, which we believe we can refinance on attractive terms by the end of the first half of 2021. As we improve the Company’s capital structure, we are also seeing continued improvement in our revenue trends, which we expect will drive strong fourth quarter results.”

The United States Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) today of price changes to take effect Jan. 24, 2021. The proposed prices, approved by the Postal Service Governors, would raise Shipping Services product prices approximately 3.5 percent for Priority Mail service, and 1.2 percent for Priority Mail Express service. Shipping Services price increases vary by product. Although Mailing Services price increases are based on the consumer price index, Shipping Services prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions. The Governors believe these new rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with needed revenue. The complete Postal Service price filings with prices for all products can be found on the PRC site under the Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily. For the Shipping Services filing, see Docket No. CP2021-28. The price change tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Pearson have announced a new collaboration to create educational products and services that will equip people with the necessary skills to thrive in an ever-changing global economy. Over the past decade, digitalisation, automation and artificial intelligence have reshaped industries and created new skillset requirements for workforces everywhere. These changing conditions have only accelerated in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, where necessary public lockdowns and workplace closures have transformed the nature of work, education, and daily life. In this context, ICC and Pearson will work together to co-create educational programmes that will reskill workers in a rapidly developing global economy. At the same time, the partnership aims to empower companies to retrain and retain their employees and offer workers the opportunity to have their skills formally recognised through certificate programmes.

The Home Depot® reported sales of $33.5 billion for the third quarter of fiscal 2020, an increase of $6.3 billion, or 23.2 percent from the third quarter of fiscal 2019. Comparable sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2020 were positive 24.1 percent, and comparable sales in the U.S. were positive 24.6 percent. Net earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2020 were $3.4 billion, or $3.18 per diluted share, compared with net earnings of $2.8 billion, or $2.53 per diluted share, in the same period of fiscal 2019. For the third quarter of fiscal 2020, diluted earnings per share increased 25.7 percent from the same period in the prior year.

Walmart U.S. Q3 comp sales1 grew 6.4% and Walmart U.S. eCommerce sales grew 79%, Q3 FY21 GAAP EPS of $1.80; Adjusted EPS2 of $1.34, Company incurs incremental costs related to COVID-19 of $0.6 billion

The Home Depot® announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire HD Supply Holdings, Inc., a leading national distributor of maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products in the multifamily and hospitality end markets. The acquisition is expected to position The Home Depot as a premier provider in the MRO marketplace. "The MRO customer is highly valued by The Home Depot, and this acquisition will position the company to accelerate sales growth by better serving both existing and new customers in a highly fragmented $55 billion marketplace," said Craig Menear, chairman and CEO of The Home Depot. "HD Supply complements our existing MRO business with a robust product offering and value-added service capabilities, an experienced salesforce that enhances the strong team we have in place, as well as an extensive, MRO-specific distribution network throughout the U.S. and Canada."

Meredith Corporation's Martha Stewart Living marks the 30th anniversary of the legendary brand's magazine with its December issue featuring fresh new ideas to get into the holiday spirit with advice on entertaining, decorating, cooking, gift giving, beauty and more, as well as a look back at Martha Stewart Living's start, its most iconic moments over the last three decades, editors' all-time favorite recipes from the archives and some of its most popular magazine covers. Martha Stewart Living launched in 1990 with a mission to teach and inspire readers eager to learn from Martha and her team, who shared their expertise in everything from decorating, gardening, crafting, and organizing to cooking, baking, entertaining, and beyond. The magazine offered a pioneering personality-driven editorial approach marked by careful attention to detail, visual glossaries, thoughtful instruction, and boundless creative insights that has proven timeless and continues to resonate with its audience today. As Martha wrote in the first issue of Martha Stewart Living, "Our families and our homes are the centers of our lives. This magazine will always be filled with ways to make those homes more beautiful, more comfortable, and more full of life and light and joy for those we love."

Montgomery Public Schools has partnered with learning technology company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to implement Amira Learning™, the first intelligent reading assistant that listens to, assesses and tutors learners to bolster early literacy for its students. Amira’s state of the art speech recognition and enhanced AI software offers 1:1 reading practice for young learners and administers both an oral reading fluency assessment and a dyslexia screener. Launching in Montgomery’s Brewbaker Primary School (BPS), which serves the largest elementary population in Montgomery County, Amira will provide teachers with a high-quality 1:1 reading instruction, practice and tutoring solution as it seeks to build the foundational literacy skills of its 600+ diverse students and deliver marked improvement in reading foundations among English Language Learners. Amira, which can be utilized in both virtual and face-to-face learning environments, will help BPS keep students engaged and on track and safe as it shifts to a hybrid learning model in response to of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the third quarter of 2020, Bertelsmann again achieved slight organic growth, further stabilizing its business during the Corona pandemic. This has significantly slowed the revenue decline in the year to date. The Group continues to benefit from the broad positioning of its corporate portfolio and high proportion of digital business models. Book publishing, the music business, Arvato’s services, and the education business once again proved to be particularly robust. The advertising markets also recovered in the third quarter. Bertelsmann’s revenues softened by 6.3 percent to €12.0 billion (previous year: €12.8 billion) in the period from January to September. Adjusted for portfolio and exchange rate effects, the decline in revenues was 4.8 percent. At the end of the first half of 2020, revenues had declined by 8.9 percent (organic: 7.9 percent). In the third quarter, the company recorded organic revenues growth of 1.6 percent.

Debi Chirichella has been named president of Hearst Magazines. The announcement was made by Hearst President and CEO Steven R. Swartz. The appointment is effective immediately. Chirichella was named acting president of Hearst Magazines in July and was previously executive vice president and chief financial officer, overseeing strategic financial planning and reporting and international operations. She joined the company in 2011 as senior vice president and chief financial officer. “Debi has been a key part of our Magazine company leadership team for almost a decade and has a very strong command of all aspects of this business,” said Swartz. “She has expertly led the division over the past several months, and we are confident in the future as Debi and her team continue to build on the legacy of our great brands around the world.”

Macmillan has pushed back the official reopening of its New York City offices for its trade group from January 11 to July 6. Similar to many New York City publishers, Macmillan’s workforce has largely been working remotely since March following the spread of the coronavirus throughout the metropolitan region. In making the announcement, Macmillan said that it has created a voluntary program that “allows limited access to the office space for employees to work and/or access their work space.” Macmillan first started the program in August at the suggestion of employees, and, the publisher said, “the program has evolved to include access to mailing options and other office services for use by employees both onsite and working remotely.”

Health Media Network and Meredith Corporation announced a first-to-market strategic alliance that brings Meredith's trusted content to doctors' offices throughout the country. The new Meredith Health Media Network Alliance enables advertisers to engage healthcare focused consumers across all Meredith assets as well as HMN's fully addressable video networks which includes Women's and Men's Health, Kids and Family Network, and the one of a kind PetCare TV. Through this alliance, Meredith gains a new distribution channel for its essential and inspiring lifestyle and entertainment video content bringing brands such as PEOPLE, Better Homes & Gardens, SHAPE, EatingWell, PARENTS, Allrecipes, FOOD & WINE, Southern Living, Health and Travel + Leisure, among others, to a wider audience while programming against key lifestyle themes such as healthy living, fitness travel, cooking and pop culture. Combined with Health Media Network's wellness and healthcare focus, this alliance provides an unprecedented opportunity for advertisers to engage target-rich audiences in a 360-brand approach.

Meredith Corporation's PARENTS released the 12th annual list of Best Children's Books, recognizing the 30 top new reads for every child in 2020. Selected by the editors and kid-approved, the list of winners is available now on PARENTS.com/BestBooks and in the December issue of PARENTS magazine, available now. "Our editorial team—as well as our exclusive panel of librarians and voracious young readers—has been reviewing books since January to come up with this prestigious list of winners. PARENTS celebrates children's books in every issue, but there is nothing like this annual list to fill our readers' personal libraries and help raise the next generation of book lovers." Click read more below for the lists.

J. C. Penney Company, Inc. announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas has approved the previously announced asset purchase agreement with Brookfield Asset Management, Inc., Simon Property Group and the Company’s DIP and First Lien Lenders, which is supported by the Unsecured Creditors Committee. Pursuant to the APA, Brookfield and Simon will acquire substantially all of JCPenney’s retail and operating assets through a combination of cash and new term loan debt.

Meredith Corporation's Allrecipes announces its support for finding a cure for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases by teaming up with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for its 2020 Thanks and Giving® campaign. This holiday season Allrecipes will shine a spotlight on this important cause through a wide range of content and promotional offerings across its digital, print, and social channels with the goal of helping kids and families at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® as part of the annual tradition that raises funds to directly support the St. Jude mission: Finding cures. Saving children.® This is the first time that Allrecipes has participated in the St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign, which unites world-class brands and their customers around a common goal – to build awareness and raise funds to support vital research and treatment. Because of generous supporters, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

Wiley Education Services announced a new partnership with University of Wyoming (UW) to help bring the school’s courses online quickly and effectively for the spring 2021 semester. One of Wiley's largest fee-for-service agreements to date, the partnership will provide UW with instructional design and faculty support, as well as development and training services for their faculty as they look to convert in-person classes to online modalities. The current landscape, amid COVID-19, has accelerated institutional focus on course design and faculty development. While 45% of faculty report an overall improved perception of online learning since the beginning of the pandemic, educators are still navigating the transition, according to Every Learner Everywhere and Tyton Partners. Wiley has been supporting its partners by meeting their immediate needs as it relates to course and faculty development, market research, and on-campus support, while also helping them plan for the long-term.

Target Corporation and Ulta Beauty announced a strategic, long-term partnership to transform the beauty landscape with Ulta Beauty at Target. The “shop-in-shop” concept will offer established and emerging prestige brands online and in select Target locations nationwide beginning next year. Target and Ulta Beauty, two trusted retail leaders that excel in curation, omnichannel engagement and guest-centric experiences, will together create a new way for beauty enthusiasts to discover exciting prestige brands. The partnership brings Ulta Beauty’s best-in-class beauty authority to millions of guests who love the ease and convenience of Target’s one-stop shopping experience. It also provides beauty brands an opportunity to expand and grow in a new, industry-leading omnichannel retail experience.

Pearson announces the disposal of its interests in Pearson Institute of Higher Education (PIHE) in South Africa to a consortium of Stellenbosch Graduate Institute (SGI) and EXEO Capital. Stellenbosch Graduate Institute (SGI) is an established provider of innovative education programmes from a digital platform. EXEO Capital is a pan-African alternative investment firm. This is in line with the strategic direction Pearson has taken in recent years to shift away from physical, large-scale direct delivery services and focus on strategic opportunities. The disposal is expected to close in the first half of 2021 subject to the necessary regulatory approvals being obtained.

With sales up in all categories, unit sales of print books rose 9.5% in the week ended Oct. 31, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The top-selling book was The Deep End (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #15) by Jeff Kinney, which sold more than 171,000 copies and helped to drive up sales in the juvenile fiction category by 15.5%. A second new release that landed high on the category list was Jimmy Fallon’s 5 More Sleeps ’til Christmas, which sold more than 21,000 copies. For most categories, sales increases over the week ended Nov. 2, 2019, weren’t driven by hot new bestsellers but by solid sales overall. The #1 title in the juvenile nonfiction category, for example, was Big Preschool Workbook, which sold a modest 7,200 copes. The YA fiction category, which had a 25.7% increase, was once again led by Stephenie Meyer’s Midnight Sun, which sold more than 17,000 copies.

As support for Two Sides’ consumer-focused Love Paper campaign continues to grow, we are pleased to announced that the Love Paper logo is now available for on-product use! Any company that uses print, paper and paper-based packaging, including brands, retailers, marketing agencies, printers, and paper and paper-based packaging manufacturers, can use the Love Paper® on-product logo to enhance their own sustainability messages. The Love Paper® logo is a simple, eye-catching way to tell customers that you care about the environment and use products from an inherently sustainable industry. The logo’s subtle design and color variations are an effective yet unintrusive addition to any paper product, from printed catalogs and books to direct mail and product packaging.

Hygiene is a key factor in modern society today. Good health, together with an improved quality of life, is directly related to good hygiene. Our latest fact sheet examines the research and looks at which is the most hygienic way to dry hands, paper towels or electric hand dryers? We are pleased to present the Two Sides Q3 Campaign Update. The report covers all of our latest results and successes. Product packaging around the world is currently going through a transformation, with companies keen to move from single-use to more sustainable solutions. Read more at: https://twosides.info/documents/factsheets/6-What's-More-Hygienic.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TSUK%20Nov%201&utm_content=TSUK%20Nov%201+CID_058a839741026ebda51b4eec13bfca33&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Read%20more

The New York Times Company announced third-quarter 2020 diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $.20 compared with $.10 in the same period of 2019. Adjusted diluted earnings per share from continuing operations (defined below) was $.22 in the third quarter of 2020 compared with $.12 in the third quarter of 2019. Operating profit increased to $39.6 million in the third quarter of 2020 from $25.1 million in the same period of 2019 and adjusted operating profit (defined below) increased to $56.5 million from $44.1 million in the prior year, as higher digital-only subscription revenues and lower costs more than offset lower advertising revenues. Subscription revenues in the third quarter of 2020 rose due to growth in the number of subscriptions to the Company’s digital-only products, which include our news product, as well as our Cooking, Games (previously Crossword) and audio products. Revenue from digital-only products increased 34.0 percent, to $155.3 million. Print subscription revenues decreased 3.8 percent to $145.7 million largely due to lower retail newsstand revenue, while revenue from our domestic home delivery subscription products grew 2.5 percent.

Fiscal 2021 First Quarter Key Financial Highlights: *Revenues were $2.12 billion, a 10% decline compared to $2.34 billion in the prior year, primarily driven by the sale of News America Marketing *Net income of $47 million compared to a net loss of $(211) million in the prior year, which included non-cash impairment charges of $273 million *Total Segment EBITDA was $268 million compared to $221 million in the prior year *Reported EPS were $0.06 compared to $(0.39) in the prior year – Adjusted EPS were $0.08 compared to $0.04 in the prior year *Segment EBITDA at Digital Real Estate Services grew 45%, with record revenue and profit contribution by Move, operator of realtor.com®, led by its referral model *Segment EBITDA at Dow Jones grew 47%, driven by record average consumer product subscriptions of 3.88 million, led by 29% growth in digital-only subscriptions *Book Publishing saw 13% and 45% growth in revenues and Segment EBITDA, respectively, benefiting from continued strong performance in digital sales

Average student spending on college textbooks and course materials continued to decline during the fall semester of 2020, dropping 7% compared to the same term last year, according to a special preview of the latest data from independent research firm Student Monitor. A high-level version of Student Monitor’s Fall 2020 report is due out in November, followed by the full report in December. “We are pleased to once again partner with Student Monitor to offer a sneak peek of its Fall 2020 report, which reaffirms the incredible array of options that students and college administrators have today to access course materials and improve learning outcomes,” said Kelly L. Denson, Vice President of Education Policy and Programs at the Association of American Publishers. “The consistent decline in student spending on textbooks and other learning materials is a clear illustration of education publishers’ longstanding commitment to affordability initiatives that put students and educators first.”

Fiscal 2021 first quarter revenues were $694 million, down 4 percent from the prior-year period. Declines due to COVID-19 and previously announced magazine portfolio adjustments were partially offset by record first quarter revenue performance for National Media Group digital advertising and Local Media Group political revenues. Fiscal 2021 first quarter earnings from continuing operations more than tripled to $42 million from $12 million in the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA grew 17 percent to $143 million due primarily to digital advertising and political revenue growth. Fiscal 2021 first quarter cash flow from operations was $79 million, compared to a use of $14 million in the prior-year period, and free cash flow was $70 million, compared to a use of $29 million in the prior-year period, as Meredith benefited from political revenues, effective working capital improvements, lower compensation-related items, and lower restructuring payments.

At its meeting today, the Bertelsmann Supervisory Board appointed Rolf Hellermann as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the international media, services and education company. Rolf Hellermann, currently CEO of the Bertelsmann subsidiary Arvato Financial Solutions and a member of Bertelsmann’s Group Management Committee, will take up his position as CFO and member of the Bertelsmann Executive Board with effect from January 1, 2021. He succeeds Bernd Hirsch, who is leaving the company at his own request to pursue new professional challenges. Bernd Hirsch had previously asked the Supervisory Board to release him from his position on the Board of Management with effect from the end of the year 2020. The Supervisory Board has complied with this request. Christoph Mohn, Chairman of the Bertelsmann Supervisory Board, said: “I am very pleased that Rolf Hellermann has agreed to serve as CFO of Bertelsmann. He is optimally qualified for this position, has a profound analytical mind, and takes a strategic perspective. He most recently demonstrated his entrepreneurial skills as CEO of Bertelsmann’s fast-growing subsidiary Arvato Financial Solutions. I am convinced that Rolf Hellermann is an ideal choice as a new member of the Executive Board. On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I wish him every success in his new position.”

Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $13.82 billion for the retail month of October, the four weeks ended November 1, 2020, an increase of 15.9 percent from $11.92 billion last year. For the nine weeks ended November 1, 2020, the Company reported net sales of $30.66 billion, an increase of 16.4 percent from $26.33 billion last year.

Q3 2020 Headlines: *While the COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact third quarter net sales and billings performance, HMH’s continued virtual learning support for customers and decisive cost and liquidity actions helped mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its profitability and cash flow, and resulted in strong cash generation in the seasonally important third quarter of 2020. *Net sales declined 32% to $387 million in the third quarter, and declined 28% to $828 million on a year-to-date basis *Billings1 declined 32% to $506 million in the third quarter, and declined 33% to $934 million on a year-to-date basis *HMH concluded the Texas Literature adoption with a 34% share of the opportunity *Significant growth in digital platform usage with a 388% increase in student assignments over the last twelve months as schools continue to adjust to remote learning environment *Continued acceleration of SaaS billings growth to 147% for the last twelve months *Net cash provided by operating activities of $264 million in the third quarter, and $75 million on a year-to-date basis *Strong free cash flow2 of $237 million in the third quarter, and nearing break-even at $(11) million on a year-to-date basis

Third Quarter 2020 Summary(1) *Total reported sales of $2.5 Billion, down 9% versus last year and up 18% sequentially compared to the second quarter of 2020. Sequential sales performance represents an 800 basis points trend improvement when comparing year-over-year revenue performance *GAAP operating income of $102 million and net income of $57 million, or $1.04 per share, each down approximately 5% year-over-year *Improved working capital conversion resulted in operating cash flow of $309 million and adjusted free cash flow of $312 million, versus $212 and $209 million, respectively in prior year *$1.7 billion of total available liquidity including $743 million in cash

Under Armour has joined a growing list of major consumer brands that are making big changes to their wholesale strategies. The athletic brand, which saw some progress in its turnaround during the third quarter, said it will begin to exit 2,000 to 3,000 stores in North America, its largest market. By the end of 2022, it expects to be in about 10,000 doors, executives said in a conference call. As it overhauls wholesale, Under Armour is also upping its focus on direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) channels, where it plans to offer fewer promotions and discounts to fuel healthier margins. Total Retail's Take: Considering the upheaval we've seen in the brick-and-mortar arena in 2020, and its uncertain future moving into 2021, it's not surprising that leading brands such as Under Armour are taking a long, hard look at their wholesale operations.

Revenues increased 2% as growth in both recurring and transactions revenues was partly offset by a decline in Global Print revenues and a negative impact from foreign currency that reduced revenues by $6 million (approximately 1%). *As expected, organic revenues increased 2%, driven by 4% growth in both recurring revenues, which comprised 80% of total revenues, and transactions revenues. *The company’s “Big 3” segments (Legal Professionals, Corporates and Tax & Accounting Professionals), which collectively comprised 79% of total revenues, reported organic revenue growth of 5%. Operating profit increased primarily due to lower costs and higher revenues. Lower costs reflected the completion of the repositioning of the company in 2019 following the separation from the Financial & Risk (F&R) business and lower expenses from the company’s COVID-19-related efforts to mitigate 2020 annual costs by $100 million. Lower costs were partly offset by higher depreciation and amortization and a lower benefit from the revaluation of warrants that the company holds in Refinitiv relating to the proposed sale of Refinitiv to London Stock Exchange Group plc (LSEG), which is discussed later in this news release.

After wresting the crown from longtime #1 Pearson in 2018, STM, business, and legal publisher RELX Group (formerly Reed Elsevier) remained the world’s largest publisher last year, with revenue of $5.64 billion, according to Livres Hebdo and Publishers Weekly’s annual ranking. The only change in the top 10 in 2019 was in the second and third spots, where Thomson Reuters, with a 3% increase in revenue to $5.28 billion, overtook Pearson and moved into second place. Sluggish higher education sales and restructuring efforts aimed at making the company more streamlined resulted in another year of revenue decline at Pearson, but it managed to hold on to third place, with sales of $5.09 billion. The other top 10 publishers in 2019 are in the same positions they held in 2018’s global ranking. Companies focused on the professional and educational markets took six of the top 10 spots, with the more trade-oriented publishers occupying the other four slots. Revenue last year was basically flat in Bertelsmann’s book publishing segments, which include both the world’s largest trade publisher, Penguin Random House, and the company’s small but growing education division. Bertelsmann was the #4 publisher in 2019.

• Third quarter revenues of $814.5 million rose 116.3% as compared to the prior year, reflecting the acquisition of Legacy Gannett. *Same store pro forma revenues (as defined and reconciled below) decreased 19.6%, due to unfavorable impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and general trends adversely impacting the publishing industry. • Digital advertising and marketing services revenues were $197.2 million in the third quarter, or 24.2% of total revenues. • Over $218 million in annualized synergy measures were implemented by the end of the third quarter, with approximately $54.5 million in savings recognized in the quarter. • GAAP net loss attributable to Gannett of $31.3 million in the third quarter reflects $61.4 million of depreciation and amortization.

Chico's FAS, Inc. announced the closing of its amended and extended $300 million Senior Secured Credit Facility (the "Credit Facility"), consisting of a $285 million asset-based revolving credit agreement ("Revolver") and a $15 million "first-in last-out" term loan ("FILO"), with Wells Fargo & Company as the lead lender. The Revolver and FILO have a five-year term maturing on October 30, 2025. "We are pleased to announce that the Company has significantly strengthened our liquidity and enhanced our financial stability for the foreseeable future. As well, this new Credit Facility demonstrates the confidence our lenders have in Chico's FAS and the sustainable, long-term success of our brands," said Molly Langenstein, Chief Executive Officer and President. "We also are continuing to benefit from the aggressive measures we initiated earlier this year to streamline the organization and reduce operating and occupancy costs. These substantial ongoing cost savings initiatives are expected to benefit future years and reflect a cultural shift in how we manage our business."

Strong gains in all categories led to a 13% increase in unit sales of print books in the week ended Oct. 24, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The double-digit increase came despite only a few new books making a splash. Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights was the #1 title in the week, selling about 78,000 copies and boosting sales in the adult nonfiction category 6.2% over the week ended Oct. 26, 2019. Another new nonfiction release, America Under Assault, Vol. 3 by Tom Fitton, sold about 40,000 copies, putting it in fourth place on the overall bestseller list. The juvenile and YA categories all had gains of at least 20% in the week, led by a combination of older frontlist and backlist books. The 20.8% increase in juvenile fiction was led by sales of Dav Pilkey’s Grime and Punishment (Dog Man #9), which sold approximately 45,000 copies in the week and more than 743,000 copies since its release on September 1.

The Association of American Publishers released its StatShot report for September 2020 reflecting reported revenue for all tracked categories, including Trade (Consumer Books), K-12 Instructional Materials, Higher Education Course Materials, Professional Publishing, and University Presses. Total revenues across all categories for September 2020 were up 14.6% as compared to September 2019, coming in at $1.8 billion. Year-to-date sales were down 1.8% as compared to the first nine months of 2019, with a total of $11.2 billion.

Walgreens Boots Alliance and McKesson Corporation announced the completion of their previously announced agreement to create a joint venture combining their respective pharmaceutical wholesale businesses in Germany, Alliance Healthcare Deutschland (AHD) and GEHE Pharma Handel (GEHE). WBA holds a 70 percent controlling equity interest in the joint venture and McKesson holds the remaining 30 percent interest. “At Walgreens Boots Alliance, we all look forward to working together with McKesson Corporation on this joint venture,” said Ornella Barra, co-chief operating officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance. “It is a very exciting step for our Pharmaceutical Wholesale Division and a unique chance for us to further develop innovative services to manufacturers and pharmacists in Germany.”

Sixty people have been charged in a magazine fraud scheme that took advantage of seniors. According to a report by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the federal government says the telemarketing scam defrauded 183,000 people across the U.S. for more than $335 million over a 20-year-period. Many victims were elderly. Fourteen defendants are described as owners of companies involved in phony magazine sales. Another 16 were call-center managers, 10 were telemarketers and four served as lead brokers, who sold lists of consumers to call.

With less than one week until the November election, new U.S. Postal Service data show an exceedingly high-volume of mail moving through the system and a focus on delivery of ballots. Key Facts: *2.5 Days Average Delivery Time. Since October 1, the average time of delivery for First-Class Mail, including ballots, was 2.5 days with 97.5 percent of all measured First-Class Mail delivered within five days across the country. *4.5 Billion Political and Election Mail Mailpieces. Total mail volume surpassed 4.5 billion mailpieces for both Political Mail and Election Mail tracked, representing an increase of 114 percent compared to the 2016 election cycle. *122 Million Ballots Processed and Delivered. Since Sept. 4, the Postal Service has processed and delivered more than 122 million ballots, including both blank ballots delivered from election officials to voters and completed ballots from voters to election officials.1

John Wiley & Sons Inc. continues to innovate its publishing business, announcing today two technologies that advance how scientific research is published, delivering greater value to researchers. First, the company’s publishing platform provider and subsidiary, Atypon, has successfully piloted its interactive figures technology in the International Journal of Quantum Chemistry, publishing the first scientific articles designed exclusively to leverage the multimedia nature of the web.

Total consolidated revenues increased 51.5 percent to $283.8 million, compared with total consolidated revenues of $187.3 million in the prior year period, reflecting strong growth in the Company’s three business segments along with contributions from PersonalizationMall.com (“PMall”), which the Company acquired in August 2020. Excluding the contribution from PMall, total net revenues increased 40.6 percent compared with the prior year period. Gross profit margin for the quarter was 40.7 percent, unchanged compared with the prior year period. Operating expenses as a percent of total revenues improved 630 basis points to 45.4 percent of total sales, compared with 51.7 percent of total sales in the prior year period. Excluding the impacts of the Company’s non-qualified deferred 401k compensation plan and one-time costs primarily associated with its acquisition of PersonalizationMall.com, operating expenses, as a percentage of total revenues improved 820 basis points to 43.5% in the quarter. This reflected the strong revenue growth in the quarter combined with the Company’s ability to leverage its operating platform.

J. C. Penney Company, Inc. announced that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Brookfield Asset Management, Inc, Simon Property Group and a majority of the Company’s DIP and First Lien Lenders. Key terms of the APA are as follows: *Brookfield and Simon will acquire substantially all of JCPenney’s retail and operating assets (“OpCo”) through a combination of cash and new term loan debt. *The formation of separate property holding companies (“PropCos”), comprising 160 of the Company’s real estate assets and all of its owned distribution centers, which will be owned by the Company’s DIP and First Lien Lenders. *The OpCo and PropCos will enter into master leases with respect to the properties and distribution centers moved into the PropCos (the “Master Lease Agreement”). JCPenney, Simon and Brookfield, and the Majority Lender Group have reached agreement on all outstanding business points in the Master Lease Agreement.

Carter’s is permanently shutting down hundreds of stores. The children’s apparel and accessories retailer announced that it plans to close 25 percent of its brick-and-mortar fleet, or about 200 locations, as the leases of those units expire. Speaking to analysts, Carter's CEO Michael Casey said that nearly 60 percent of those outposts will likely be shuttered by the end of next year and 80 percent will shut down by the end of 2022. Carter’s currently operates about 850 stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico under its namesake banner and OshKosh B’Gosh brand.

Total Billings $1.1 billion (-9% y/y); Total Digital Billings $0.6 billion (+17% y/y excluding K-12); Total Adj. EBITDA $439 million (+1% y/y); Free Cash Flo $254 million (-$16 million y/y).

UPS announced third-quarter 2020 consolidated revenue of $21.2 billion, a 15.9% increase over the third quarter of 2019. Consolidated average daily volume increased 13.5% year over year. Net income was $2.0 billion for the quarter, 11.8% above the same period in 2019, or 10.7% on an adjusted basis. Operating profit was $2.4 billion, up 11.0% compared to last year’s third quarter, or 9.9% on an adjusted basis. Diluted earnings per share was $2.24 and adjusted diluted earnings per share was $2.28, up 10.1% from the same period last year. GAAP results include a pre-tax transformation charge of $44 million, equivalent to $0.04 per share. In the prior year period, GAAP results included a pre-tax charge for transformation costs of $63 million, equivalent to $0.06 per diluted share.

Wiley Education Services announced the signing of several new university partnerships this year including Calvin University, La Trobe University, Methodist University and University of New Haven, to support more than 45 undergraduate and graduate online programs across a variety of high-demand disciplines from healthcare to counseling and cybersecurity. “We are continuing to see an increased, proactive commitment to strategic online learning programs from universities, not for emergency support amid COVID-19, but to promote long-term success,” said Todd Zipper, President of Wiley Education Services. “We look forward to serving as a trusted partner to each university, delivering top-quality faculty training and career-focused education in subject areas that are critically needed now and will surely be essential to post-pandemic recovery.”

Office Depot announced that over $3.5 million worth of educational supplies were recently provided to students, teachers and Title I schools across the country as a result of Office Depot’s charitable programs and the generosity of Office Depot and OfficeMax customers. Students at more than 25 Title I elementary schools received brand-new backpacks filled with traditional school supplies, with a total value at over $1.5 million, through Office Depot’s Start Proud!® national community investment initiative. The donated supplies, which included notebooks, composition books, highlighters, pens, pencils and more, were distributed to students during celebratory drive-thru and walk-up socially distanced celebrations at the start of the school year to help set them up for success. School administrators, teachers and Office Depot associates teamed up to host these events, which served as a fun kick-off to this unique new school year, filled with masked smiles and air high fives.

Commenting on the results, Nigel Newton, Chief Executive, said: “Bloomsbury experienced excellent trading in the first half with year-on-year profit growth of 60% to £4.0 million. This has delivered our highest first half earnings since 2008 and exceeded the Board’s expectations. Online book sales and e-book revenues were significantly higher. The Consumer division had an excellent performance with 17% revenue growth and a £2.1 million increase in profit before tax and highlighted items to £2.7 million. Stand-out bestsellers during the period included Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race, Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood, White Rage, Humankind and Such A Fun Age. In the Non-Consumer division, our strategy of developing online academic resources, conceived five years ago, meant we were well placed to benefit from the accelerated shift by academic institutions to digital products to support remote learning. We saw 47% growth in sales of Bloomsbury Digital Resources as a result.

S&P Global today reported third quarter 2020 results with revenue of $1,846 million, an increase of 9% compared to the same period last year. Net income decreased 26% to $455 million and diluted earnings per share decreased 25% to $1.88 primarily due to the debt tender premium and fees associated with the recent senior notes tender offer. "S&P Global has a collection of strong and resilient businesses that continued to perform well in the current environment. The demand for our ratings, benchmarks, research, data, and analytics is greater than ever during uncertain and volatile markets," said Douglas L. Peterson, President and Chief Executive Officer of S&P Global. "Two years ago, we established a number of growth initiatives. It is very encouraging to see so many of these investments result in new products that we have launched this year. This is particularly true with our ESG investments and the traction that our new ESG products are gaining in the marketplace."

Unit sales of print books increased 13.4% in the week ended Oct. 10, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, with three new titles topping the bestseller list. The two biggest bestsellers were in adult nonfiction, helping to lift unit sales 10.9% over the week ended Oct. 12, 2019. Ina Gartner’s Modern Comfort Food sold more than 130,000 copies in its first week, while Humans by Brandon Stanton followed, selling almost 103,000 copies. Juvenile fiction sales rose 17.1%, led by The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan, which sold about 49,000 copies in its first week. YA nonfiction sales jumped 71.4% in the week. Three new titles in the Complete Guide in Ten Easy Lessons line from Simon & Schuster’s Portable imprint drove the gains: Engineering Made Simple, Science Made Simple, and Math Made Simple each sold more than 6,000 copies in its first week. Five new titles took the second through sixth spots in adult fiction, where sales rose 9.2%.

Gap Inc., which was for decades a fixture at shopping malls around the country, said Thursday that it will be closing 220 of its namesake Gap stores — or one-third of its store base — by early 2024. That will result in 80 percent of its remaining Gap stores being in off-mall locations. As part of its restructuring, Gap Inc. said it also plans to close 130 of its Banana Republic stores in North America in three years. The retail organization detailed a three-year plan that calls for closing what amounts to 30 percent of the company’s Gap and Banana Republic stores in North America and focusing on outlets and its e-commerce business.