S&P Global Reports Third Quarter Results

With the e-book market showing no signs of returning to robust growth, two of HarperCollins’s main priorities in fiscal 2018 are global expansion and broadening its distribution base in North America, HC’s CEO Brian Murray told PW after the release of the publisher’s financial results for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017. In the just-concluded year, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) was $199 million, 7.5% higher than in fiscal 2016, despite a decline of $10 million in sales. Several factors impacted HC’s sales performance: there was one fewer week in the fiscal 2017 than in fiscal 2016, which cost $19 million, and the company suffered from the negative impact of currency fluctuations. Murray said he was “thrilled” with fiscal 2017 from both a publishing and financial standpoint and that the continued decline in e-books isn’t a major concern at the moment. He noted that, in the North American market, gains in print book sales and digital audio made up for the drop in e-book sales and that HC’s print frontlist and backlist sales were almost strong enough to match the revenue generated in fiscal 2016 by Go Set a Watchman. Among the company’s top-selling titles in the year were Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines, and Jesus Calling and Jesus Always by Sarah Young. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Savvas Learning Company, a next-generation K-12 learning solutions leader, is pleased to announce that its Texas myView Literacy has been approved by the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) for inclusion on the state’s new list of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) for K-5 English language arts and reading and Spanish language arts and reading. Combining powerful Science of Reading-based instruction with engaging student-centered practice opportunities, Texas myView Literacy is a full-subject (core), evidence-based instructional program for grades K–5 designed to develop strong readers and writers. Savvas developed its Texas-specific myView Literacy, which is also available in Spanish as miVisión Lectura, to support educators and improve student academic outcomes while also aligning with all of the state’s educational standards, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) with phonics components included.

• Gross revenue was $279.5 million in the second quarter, an increase of 4% compared with $269.2 million in the second quarter of 2016. Year-to-date gross revenue was $546.9 million, a 1% increase compared with $540.3 million in the prior period. • Gross profit (net revenue) was a record $70.2 million, or 25.1% of gross revenue in the second quarter, an 8% increase compared to $65.1 million, or 24.2% of gross revenue, in the same period of last year. Year-to-date gross profit (net revenue) was $134.5 million, or 24.6% of gross revenue, an increase of 6% compared to the prior-year period. • Net income was $4.5 million or $0.08 per diluted share in the second quarter, compared to a net loss of $2.3 million or $0.04 per share in the second quarter of 2016. Year-to-date net income was $10.0 million or $0.18 per diluted share, compared to a loss of $5.0 million or $0.09 per diluted share in the same period of 2016. Click Read More below for additional detail.