Is Simon & Schuster a Bargain at $1.7 Billion? (publishersweekly.com)

*Net sales of $3.55 billion, down 8% compared to last year, inclusive of an estimated 1-point foreign exchange headwind and 2 percentage points of negative impact from the sale of Gap China. - Comparable sales were down 6%. *Gross margin of 37.6% increased 310 basis points versus last year's reported gross margin and increased 160 basis points versus last year's adjusted gross margin which excluded $58 million in inventory impairment charges. *Reported operating income was $106 million; reported operating margin of 3.0%. *The effective tax rate was negative 8.3%. During the quarter, the company recorded a tax benefit as a result of a transfer pricing settlement related to its sourcing activities. *Reported net income of $117 million; reported diluted earnings per share of $0.32.

Sears Canada Inc. plans to liquidate its remaining stores with the loss of about 12,000 jobs, unable to fend off the march to online shopping after operating in malls and towns across the country for 65 years. The Toronto-based chain will seek court approval for the filing on Friday and begin liquidation sales at its remaining 150 stores on Oct. 19 at the earliest, according to a statement Tuesday. The move follows a last-minute attempt by executive chairman Brandon Stranzl, backed by Blackstone Group LP, to put together an offer to save the retailer. But the company said it didn’t receive a viable bid to keep the stores operating as a going concern. Sears Canada filed for creditor protection in June with liabilities of C$1.1 billion ($880 million) and had been gradually closing its 225 stores. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Financial and Business Highlights •Record gross revenue was $288.4 million in the third quarter, an increase of 3% compared with $280.0 million in the third quarter of 2016. Year-to-date gross revenue was $835.3 million, a 2% increase compared with $820.3 million in the prior period. •Record gross profit (net revenue) was $72.5 million, or 25.1% of gross revenue in the third quarter, a 7% increase compared to $67.8 million, or 24.2% of gross revenue, in the same period of last year. Year-to-date gross profit (net revenue) was $207.0 million, or 24.8% of gross revenue, an increase of 6% compared to the prior-year period. •Net income was $7.5 million or $0.14 per diluted share in the third quarter, compared to net income of $4.3 million or $0.08 per share in the third quarter of 2016. Year-to-date net income was $17.5 million or $0.32 per diluted share, compared to net income (loss) of $(0.7) million or $(0.01) per diluted share in the same period of 2016. Click Read More below for additional information.