“Execution of our long-term growth strategies, customer demand for the unique value of our broad portfolio of solutions and healthy growth in the global economy are driving our performance,” said Frederick W. Smith, FedEx Corp. chairman and chief executive officer. “We expect strong operating performance in each of our transportation segments in the fourth quarter.” Operating results benefited from higher base rates, increased volume at FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight, and a favorable net impact from fuel. Results were negatively affected by significantly higher variable compensation accruals, increased peak-related costs at FedEx Express and the impact of adverse weather. Variable compensation increased in connection with the company’s pay actions that were announced following the passage of the TCJA. These variable compensation accruals include the year-to-date impact of the announced changes. TNT Express integration expenses were also higher. Click Read More below for additional information.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Athleta announced it has earned B Corp Certification from the nonprofit B Lab, becoming one of the largest apparel companies in the world to certify as B Corp. B Corp Certification requires a holistic review of a business’ social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency, and is based on a vision of creating a community of for-profit companies committed to redefining success in business. “We believe with Athleta’s growth, comes even greater responsibility to lead as a force for good,” said Athleta CEO and President Nancy Green. ”Athleta has been at the forefront of empowering and celebrating women for two decades; this B Corp Certification accelerates our course forward as a purpose-driven brand, honoring our mission to ignite a community of healthy, confident, active women and girls; and cementing our commitment to environmental sustainability.” Click Read More below for additional information.

UPS led consortium has deployed a radical new charging technology in London that overcomes the challenge of simultaneously recharging an entire fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) without the need for the expensive upgrade to the power supply grid. The breakthrough signals the beginning of the end of a reliance upon traditional combustion engine powered vehicles by allowing UPS to increase the number of EVs operating from its central London site from the current limit of 65 to all 170 trucks based there. This major advance – believed to be the first time these systems have been deployed at this scale anywhere in the world – is the result of the ‘Smart Electric Urban Logistics (SEUL)’ project with UK Power Networks and Cross River Partnership, with funding secured from the UK’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles. “UPS thinks this is a world first, right in the heart of a mega-city. We are using new technology to work around some big obstacles to electric vehicle deployment, heralding a new generation of sustainable urban delivery services both here in London and in other major cities around the world,” said Peter Harris, director of sustainability, UPS Europe. “Electric vehicles are an integral component within UPS’s alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet. Our collaboration with UK Power Networks and Cross River Partnership marks a major turning point in the cost effective deployment of electric vehicles which in turn will play a key role in ensuring the global trend toward urbanization is sustainable. We are applying new technology to make the charging process smarter and our delivery service cleaner.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Midland Paper, Packaging & Supplies, one of North America's largest independent distributors of media for business communications, is excited to feature Diamond Print Glitter at Dscoop 2018 in Dallas TX. Diamond Print Glitter is a brand new product developed by Harmony Paper that is unlike any other product on the market. Offering a tactile finish, the shimmer and shine you expect from traditional glitter paper, with none of the shedding, flaking or cracking, Diamond Print Glitter application opportunities are endless. The 3 Star RIT rated sheet is made using environmentally friendly materials and proprietary, patent pending coatings in a process that allows a wide variety of substrate versions. The Diamond Print Glitter product line will be available from Midland Paper in sizes for both series 3 and series 4 HP Indigo presses. Click Read More below for additional information.

Kohl’s Kitchen Products scored two of the top five most remembered print ads placed in culinary magazines in December, based on data from GfK MRI’s Starch Advertising Research. In the epicurean category, the highest noted ad score—that is, the percentage of readers of an issue who recalled noticing the advertisement—went to a two-page ad for the book “At the Southern Table with Paula Deen,” which appeared in the December issue of Cooking with Paula Deen. It scored a 90 percent. Two separate gatefold ads for Kohl’s Kitchen Products (Food Network Magazine) checked in at 89 and 82 percent, and KitchenAid Multi Major Appliances (Food & Wine) had a score of 85. Click Read More below for additional information.

Unit sales of print books in the week ended Mar. 12, 2018, inched ahead 1% over the comparable week in 2017, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. For the third consecutive week, the juvenile categories drove the sales gains. Unit sales in the juvenile nonfiction segment rose 8% over the week ended Mar. 11, 2017. Although children’s board books had a good week overall (unit sales were up 17%), two Chelsea Clinton titles helped lift sales in the category. She Persisted Around the World by Clinton and Alexandra Bolger sold more than 11,000 copies in its first week. The book is a follow-up to the pair’s She Persisted, which sold nearly 8,000 copies in the week, putting the titles in second and sixth place, respectively, on the category bestseller list. The release of the film A Wrinkle in Time pushed up two editions of the Madeleine L’Engle book into the first and sixth spots on the juvenile fiction bestseller list, helping raise unit sales in the segment 7%. Click Read More below for additional information.

For the Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2017 • Net sales increased 22.6% to $1,937.6 million compared to $1,580.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016. Excluding the impact of the 53rd week in fiscal 2017, net sales increased 15.7%; • Net sales in the 53rd week were $108.8 million and represented approximately $0.14 of diluted earnings per share; • Comparable sales (sales for stores open at least 14 months and e-commerce sales) increased 8.8% compared to an increase of 16.6% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016. The 8.8% comparable sales increase was driven by 6.2% transaction growth and 2.6% growth in average ticket; • Retail comparable sales increased 4.2%, including salon comparable sales growth of 3.2%; Click Read More below for additional information.

The streak of monthly bookstore sales declines reached six in January. According to preliminary estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, bookstore sales fell 9.1% in January 2018 compared to the first month of 2017. Sales fell from $1.42 billion last year to $1.30 billion. The January drop followed sales declines in the last five months of 2017 compared to the same period in 2016. For all of 2017, bookstore sales fell 3.6%. Click Read More below for additional information.

Operating income for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $4.1 million compared to an operating loss of $8.1 million in 2016. Fourth quarter results include non-cash pretax asset impairment charges of $3.2 million in 2017 compared to $1.2 million in 2016. Excluding these charges, adjusted operating income for the fourth quarter was $7.3 million, up $14.3 million from the adjusted operating loss of $7.0 million in 2016 (see Note 1). Net loss for the fourth quarter was $0.4 million or $0.01 per diluted share compared to a net loss of $4.9 million or $0.11 per diluted share in 2016. Click Read More below for additional information.

Steve Lacy greeted me in his office as if we were old friends. A top executive at the Meredith Corporation, he was a main driver of the company’s $2.8 billion acquisition of Time Inc. last November. With that deal, the 116-year-old Meredith Corporation became the largest magazine publisher in America. When he spoke, it was clear Mr. Lacy took pride in Meredith’s unassuming corporate culture, so far removed from the New York magazine scene. “In Des Moines, Iowa, we don’t have to prove anything to anybody about the Meredith Corporation,” Mr. Lacy said. “We don’t have drivers. We’d look silly, and it would be not in keeping with who we are.” He added, “I presume you know that if I want a black car, I can get one.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Apple announced that it will acquire digital magazine subscription service Texture, adding another service into its repertoire of monthly-billed entertainment. Texture offers subscribers unlimited access to over 200 magazines, including titles such as The New Yorker, ESPN Magazine, Time and National Geographic. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Having launched in 2010, as Next Issue, Texture was created in a collaborative effort by Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corp., Rogers Communications and Time Inc., to provide a place for readers to access stories and entire issues of familiar titles while also introducing them to new publications. Click Read More below for additional information.

Fourth Quarter 2017 Results: • Record gross revenue was $301.0 million in the fourth quarter, an increase of 11% compared with $270.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. • Gross profit (net revenue) was $71.3 million, or 23.7% of gross revenue, in the fourth quarter, an increase of 4% compared to $68.7 million, or 25.4% of revenue, in the same period of 2016. Full-Year 2017 Results and Recent Highlights: • Gross revenue was $1,136.3 million in 2017, an increase of 4% compared with $1,090.7 million in 2016. • Gross profit (net revenue) was $278.3 million, or 24.5% of gross revenue, in 2017, a 6% increase compared to $263.5 million, or 24.2% of revenue, in 2016. • Net income in 2017 was $19.0 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, compared to $4.4 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, in 2016. Click Read More below for additional information.

Seeking to preserve the Obama-era net neutrality rules, the mayors of 12 cities have signed a pledge stating that they will attempt to procure broadband service from companies that don't block or throttle traffic, and don't charge companies higher fees for prioritized delivery. The pledge -- written by Mayors Bill de Blasio of New York, Ted Wheeler of Portland and Steve Adler of Austin -- also includes a promise to encourage consumers to use Internet service providers that follow net neutrality principles. The city leaders created a website -- MayorsForNetNeutrality.org -- and are asking other mayors to publicly declare their support net neutrality. "Cities cannot allow private internet service providers to be the gatekeeper between our residents and the local government services on which they depend every day," the pledge states. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sales at the Hachette Book Group rose 2.7% last year, parent company Lagardere reported. The increase was attributed in part to contributions from Perseus (where You Are a Badass sold over 648,000 print copies) and its Nashville-based imprints (where The Shack had strong sales). HBG also benefited from a full year ownership of Perseus, which it acquired at the end of March in 2016. Earlier this year. Lagardere reported that total revenue in the publishing group was €2.29 billion, up 1.1% over 2016. In its release Thursday, the company said EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) rose 1.0%, to €210 million. Similar to the sales gain, Lagardere said the profit improvement was "mainly attributable to a strong performance in the United States," driven by "successful releases" as well as continued profitability gains from the consolidation of Perseus. Click Read More below for additional information.

Nordstrom announced that it's acquiring two leading retail technology companies: BevyUp, a digital selling tool, and MessageYes, a platform rooted in conversational commerce. More specifically, BevyUp is a platform that allows sales associates to communicate with each other on the back end, and encourages shoppers to share information with each other and browse items together online. Its digital selling platform will be incorporated into a new mobile app for Nordstrom's employees, rolling out next year, the companies said. MessageYes offers brands the opportunity to send shoppers more personalized notifications, with their consent, while they browse online. Shoppers can ultimately respond "Yes" to one of Nordstrom's messages to instantly buy products from their phones. Click Read More below for additional information.

L Brands, Inc. reported net sales of $853.9 million for the four-week period ended March 3, 2018, compared to net sales of $765.5 million for the four-week period ended Feb. 25, 2017. Comparable sales for the four weeks ended March 3, 2018, increased 3 percent compared to the four weeks ended March 4, 2017. The company has authorized a new $250 million share repurchase program, which includes the remaining $23.1 million outstanding under the previous program.

The study, released by the influential marketing analytics specialists, states that Advertisers should re-evaluate the use of traditional media such as radio, newspapers and magazines based on new research by the independent marketing and media consultancy. In the first report of its kind, Re-evaluating Media reveals radio, newspapers and magazines perform significantly better than they are perceived to for brand building campaigns. TV and radio are by far the strongest advertising media for brand-building followed by newspapers, magazines and out-of-home. Yet it discovered that industry decision-makers believe that online video and social media are the second and third most effective media after TV. Click Read More below for additional information.

Reported net income for the quarter was $701 million, or $1.59 per diluted share, compared to $515 million, or $1.17 per diluted share, last year. Earnings per share increased $0.17 due to a net income tax benefit of $74 million, as a result of the new tax laws. Excluding this benefit, net income grew 22%. Net income for the first 24 weeks of fiscal year 2018 was $1.34 billion, or $3.04 per diluted share, compared to $1.06 billion, or $2.41 per diluted share, last year. For the four-week reporting month of February, ended March 4, 2018, the Company reported net sales of $10.21 billion, an increase of 12.8 percent from $9.05 billion during the similar period last year. For the twenty-six week period ended March 4, 2018, net sales were $68.51 billion, an increase of 12.0 percent from $61.18 billion during the similar period last year. Click Read More below for additional information.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. announced net income of $1 million and $108 million for the three months and year ended January 31, 2018, respectively. Earnings per diluted share were $0.01 and $0.96 for the three months and year ended January 31, 2018, respectively. For the three months ended January 31, 2018, adjusted net income was $75 million and adjusted earnings per diluted share were $0.69. Total Company net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 increased 5.7% over the same period last year to a record $1.09 billion. Comparable Retail segment net sales increased 4%, driven by strong, double-digit growth in the digital channel partially offset by negative retail store sales. By brand, comparable Retail segment net sales increased 8% at Free People, 5% at the Anthropologie Group and 2% at Urban Outfitters. Wholesale segment net sales increased 6.3%. For the year ended January 31, 2018, total Company net sales increased to $3.6 billion or 2.0% over the prior year. Comparable Retail segment net sales were flat. Wholesale segment net sales increased 9.5%. Click Read More below for additional information.

•Net sales increased 15% for the quarter and 5% for the year, including the additional week •Comparable sales increased 9% for the quarter and 3% for the year, with Hollister up 11% and Abercrombie up 5% for the quarter •Operating income more than doubled to $140.3 million for the quarter and increased to $72.1 million for the year. Click Read More below for additional information.

Amazon.com, Inc. announced plans for the first Missouri fulfillment center to be located in St. Peters, creating more than 1,500 full-time jobs with benefits and opportunities to engage with Amazon Robotics in a highly technological workplace. Amazon currently operates a sortation center in Hazelwood, where it employs hundreds of associates. “We’re excited to continue growing our team with our first, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Missouri,” said Sanjay Shah, Amazon’s Vice President of North America Customer Fulfillment. “Our ability to expand in Missouri is the result of two things: incredible customers and an outstanding workforce. Amazon is committed to providing great opportunities for employment and creating a positive economic impact for the region.” Click Read More below for additional information.

S&P Global announced it has entered into a $1 billion accelerated share repurchase agreement with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2018. The Company is using available cash to fund the accelerated share repurchase transaction. Since the 50 million share repurchase authorization from the Board of Directors in 2013, S&P Global has repurchased 31.6 million shares. Click Read More below for additional information.

Nordstrom announced a partnership with Anthropologie to introduce more than 200 items from Anthropologie Home at select Nordstrom full-line stores and on Nordstrom.com, beginning March 19th. The Anthropologie Home collection will encompass categories including kitchen, dining and entertaining, bed and bath textiles, room décor, stationery and hardware. "We are thrilled to be launching the best of Anthropologie Home into 15 Nordstrom stores and on Nordstrom.com. Home is a category we continue to evolve and being Anthropologie's partner will allow us to introduce dynamic home product with a regular cadence," said Gemma Lionello, executive vice president and general merchandise manager, Nordstrom. "We look forward to providing our customers with another way to shop one of their favorite home brands." Click Read More below for additional information.

Target Corporation announced its fourth quarter and full-year 2017 results. The Company reported GAAP earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations of $2.02 in fourth quarter and $5.32 for full-year 2017, compared with $1.46 and $4.58 in 2016, respectively. Fourth quarter Adjusted EPS were $1.37, compared with $1.45 in 2016. Full-year Adjusted EPS were $4.71, compared with $5.01 in 2016. The attached tables provide a reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP measures. All earnings per share figures refer to diluted EPS. "Our fourth quarter results demonstrate the power of the significant investments we've made in our team and our business throughout 2017. Our team's outstanding execution of Target's strategic initiatives during the year delivered strong fourth quarter traffic growth in our stores and digital channels, which drove healthy comparable sales in every one of our five core merchandise categories," said Brian Cornell, chairman and chief executive officer of Target Corporation. Click Read More below for additional information.

Conventional retailers are working with industry groups to overturn a tax break that benefits e-commerce brands. On Monday, the Retail Industry Leaders Association public policy organization called Retail Litigation Center, along with more than 20 retail and wholesale trade associations, filed a document to overturn a rule that the Supreme Court adopted in the pre-Internet era. Specifically, the group hopes to influence the court to reverse special tax breaks given to online retailers. The brief highlights the pending Supreme Court case, South Dakota v. Wayfair, Overstock, and Newegg, which seeks to repeal the law that keeps states from collecting sales tax from online purchases unless those retailers have a physical presence within their state. Click Read More below for additional information.

After 51 years in print, Institutional Investor will scrap its paper edition and go digital-only after its April issue, the financial magazine announced this week. The decision comes as the result of “sustained and substantial growth in online reader traffic,” and increased demand among advertisers for digital marketing solutions, according to a statement. “Asset managers and allocators have an increased desire to consume content and market digitally, given the ease of access, efficient targeting, and generational change in the industry,” said Institutional Investor CEO Diane Alfano in the statement. “It’s exciting to watch the evolution of our business and the shift from print to community.” Click Read More below for additional information.

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. announced results for the third quarter ending January 31, 2018. • Third quarter revenue up 4% to $455.7 million, or down 1% at constant currency • Third quarter GAAP EPS up 45% to $1.19 primarily due to impact of the US Tax Act; Adjusted EPS down 14% at constant currency • Year-to-date revenue up 4% to $1,318.9 million, or up 1% at constant currency • Year-to-date GAAP EPS $2.39 compared to $1.15 in prior year; Adjusted EPS at constant currency up 1%. Click Read More below for additional information.

Meredith, now the nation’s largest magazine publisher, will slash magazine frequency and circulation levels and close print titles if a proposed 40 percent hike in postal rates over the next five years takes hold, its chief executive Thomas Harty said. The Postal Regulatory Commission is proposing price hikes from 34 to 41 percent for second-class mail, known as periodicals class. A vote is expected this spring. “The proposed increased for the periodical class will require Meredith to pursue magazine closures, circulation cuts, issue frequency reductions, conversions to digital-only formats and alternate delivery for some magazine subscription copies,” Harty said in testimony submitted to the PRC. Click Read More below for additional information.

This year, Amazon will celebrate its third year fulfilling customer orders out of Illinois and surpassing the milestone of 10,000 full-time employees in the state with job opportunities for people with all types of experience, education and skill levels—from human resources, engineers and facilities technicians, to those seeking entry-level positions and on-the-job training. We couldn’t be prouder to be part of the Illinois family. Our team in the Land of Lincoln has been instrumental in providing outstanding customer experiences, raising the bar on our operational excellence, and continuing to innovate on behalf of the customer. We feel fortunate to have been able to create more than 10,000 jobs in just three years and gratified by the amazing support we’ve received from the community,” said Sanjay Shah, Amazon’s Vice President of North America Customer Fulfillment. Click Read More below for additional information.

Four titles shared the rank of top print audience performers in November 2017, according to the latest GfK MRI’s issue Specific (IS) Readership Study. Forbes, Men’s Journal, New York Times Magazine and People received IS scores of 140. Forbes magazine’s Nov. 14 issue (IS audience: 9,115,000) featured an “exclusive interview” with Donald Trump, titled “Inside Trump’s Head.” Men’s Journal’s (3,645,000) Nov. 17 issue featured Thor star, Chris Hemsworth, and how he got “ripped” to play Marvel’s action hero while maintaining a “down-to-earth” persona. The Nov. 5 issue of New York Times Magazine (5,840,000) featured Barack Obama on their illusion cover that imitated a turning page and posed the simple headline question “Why Can’t Democrats Turn The Page?” Entertainment magazine People (53,061,000) featured their Sexiest Man Alive in the Nov. 27 issue, which announced Blake Shelton as the 2017 title holder. Click Read More below for additional information.

HarperCollins Publishers announced it has acquired the trade book assets of AMACOM from the American Management Association International (AMA). HarperCollins will take over all front list and backlist publication, sales, distribution, and licensing of the more than 600 books in AMACOM's catalog. AMACOM, which primarily focuses on personal and professional growth and business leadership, will be a sub-imprint of the recently launched HarperCollins Leadership (HCL) imprint, which is run out of the company's Nashville, TN offices. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. "Business, management and leadership are key growth areas for HarperCollins internationally," said Brian Murray, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers. "The purchase of AMACOM's trade publishing will allow us to broaden our catalog of books with potential in emerging markets, from Asia to South America. It is a natural fit for our expanding publishing programs." Click Read More below for additional information.

The company’s fourth quarter fiscal year 2017 comparable sales were up 5 percent compared with an increase of 2 percent last year. Comparable sales by global brand for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2017 were as follows: • Old Navy Global: positive 9 percent versus positive 5 percent last year • Gap Global: flat versus flat last year • Banana Republic Global: positive 1 percent versus negative 3 percent last year. For fiscal year 2017, the company’s comparable sales were up 3 percent compared with a decline of 2 percent last year. Comparable sales by global brand for fiscal year 2017 were as follows: • Old Navy Global: positive 6 percent versus positive 1 percent last year • Gap Global: negative 1 percent versus negative 3 percent last year • Banana Republic Global: negative 2 percent versus negative 7 percent last year. Click Read More below for additional information.

Nordstrom, Inc. reported fourth quarter earnings per diluted share for the fourth quarter ended February 3, 2018 of $0.89, which included impacts associated with corporate tax reform consisting of a $0.25 charge primarily related to its income tax provision and a one-time pretax investment in its employees of $16 million or $0.06. Net sales for the fourth quarter increased 8.4 percent, inclusive of approximately $220 million related to the 53rd week, and comparable sales increased 2.6 percent. For fiscal 2017, earnings per diluted share was $2.59, including corporate tax reform-related reductions of $0.31. Earnings were in-line with the Company's prior outlook of $2.90 to $2.95, which did not incorporate the impacts related to corporate tax reform. Net sales increased 4.4 percent and comparable sales increased 0.8 percent, slightly exceeding the Company's prior outlook for sales growth of approximately 4.2 percent and comparable sales increase of approximately 0.5 percent. Click Read More below for additional information.

Full Year 2017 Results: Total net sales decreased (0.3) % to $12.51 billion compared to $12.55 billion last year. Comparable sales increased 0.1 % for full year 2017. The slight decline in total net sales was primarily due to store closures in 2017, most of which closed in the first half of the year, and was partially offset by incremental sales for the 53rd week. Net loss was ($116) million, or ($0.37) per share, compared to net income of $1 million, or $0.00 per share last year. This reduction was driven primarily by restructuring charges associated with the fiscal 2017 store closures and voluntary early retirement program. Click Read More below for additional information.

Even as consumer time spent with media continues to expand -- inching up 0.3% last year -- the percentage of time consumers spend with ad-supported media continues to decline, according to the 2018 edition of an annual report tracking and forecasting consumer media usage. The study, which was previewed by Research Intelligencer, comes as a major industry futurist -- Publicis’ Rishad Tobaccowala -- predicts that ad-supported media exposure is about to experience a cliff effect, declining as much as 30% over the next five years as consumers shift their attention to non-ad-supported media. The good news is that the total amount of time Americans spent consuming media rose to 70.7 hours per week last year. The bad news for Madison Avenue is that the share of time spent with ad-supported media fell to 44.4%, its lowest point ever. Click Read More below for additional information.

Earnings per share for the 14-week fourth quarter ended Feb. 3, 2018, were $2.33 compared to $2.18 for the 13-week quarter ended Jan. 28, 2017. The extra week in 2017 represented approximately $0.10 per share. Fourth quarter operating income was $986.6 million compared to $987.6 million last year, and net income was $664.1 million compared to $631.7 million last year. Net sales were $4.823 billion for the 14-week fourth quarter ended Feb. 3, 2018, compared to $4.489 billion for the 13 weeks ended Jan. 28, 2017. Comparable sales for the 14-week fourth quarter ended Feb. 3, 2018, increased 2 percent compared to the 14 weeks ended Feb. 4, 2017. The extra week in 2017 represented approximately $160 million in sales. Click Read More below for additional information.

Best Buy Co., Inc. announced results for the 14-week fourth quarter (“Q4 FY18”) and 53-week year ended February 3, 2018 (“FY18”), as compared to the 13-week fourth quarter (“Q4 FY17”) and 52-week year ended January 28, 2017 (“FY17”). The company reported Q4 FY18 GAAP diluted earnings per share from continuing operations of $1.23, which included the negative impact from items related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“tax reform”) of approximately $1.17 in diluted earnings per share. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share from continuing operations for Q4 FY18 were $2.42, an increase of 25% from $1.93 in Q4 FY17. “We are excited to report strong results for the fourth quarter and the year,” said Hubert Joly, Best Buy chairman and CEO. “We are especially proud of our 9.0% comparable sales growth in the quarter, which brings our annual comparable sales growth to 5.6% for the year. Customers are responding very positively to our Best Buy 2020 strategy, and I want to enthusiastically thank all our associates for their great work in delivering these results. The level of energy and dedication to serving customers that I see across the company is truly inspiring.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Publishers saw increased revenues in October, up $251 million (+27.6%) for October 2017 vs October 2016. The strong month brings revenues for Jan. – Oct. 2017 to $12.44 billion, up +1.7% for the year-to-date. Every category saw an increase in revenues for Oct. 2017, which include sales to bookstores, wholesalers, direct to consumer, online retailers, etc.) Trade books are up +16.5% for Oct. 2017 vs Oct. 2016 and 1.6% year-to-date. The greatest growth in the trade category was adult books, which saw $123.5 million (+25.8%) revenue growth. Publishers report that the significant increase is due to several factors including the book debuts from well-known authors. Click Read More below for additional information.

Total sales for the third quarter were $1.2 billion, declining 5.3% as compared to the prior year. Comparable store sales decreased 5.8% for the quarter, primarily due to lower traffic. Comparable store sales trends did improve in January, declining 3.5%. The consolidated third quarter net loss was $63.5 million, or $0.87 per share, as compared to prior year net earnings of $70.3 million, or $0.96 per share. Third quarter results include a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $133.6 million, and a severance charge of $10.7 million associated with the Company's transition to a new labor model. Click Read More below for additional information.

Select Preliminary Unaudited Fourth Quarter 2017 Highlights • Gross revenue is expected to be between $303 million and $308 million in the fourth quarter, an increase of 12 to 14% compared with $270.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. • Gross profit (net revenue) is expected to be between $74 million and $75 million in the fourth quarter, an increase of 8 to 9% compared to $68.7 million in the same period of 2016. Select Preliminary Unaudited Full Year 2017 and Recent Highlights • Gross revenue is expected to be between $1,138 million and $1,143 million in 2017, an increase of 4 to 5% compared with $1,090.7 million in 2016. • Gross profit (net revenue) is expected to be between $281 million and $282 million, a 7% increase compared to $263.5 million in 2016. Click Read More below for additional information.

For the fourteen weeks ended February 3, 2018 ("the fourth quarter"), the Company reported net income of $28.0 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, compared to net income of $13.5 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, for the thirteen weeks ended January 28, 2017 ("last year's fourth quarter"). For the fourth quarter, gross margin was $221.6 million, or 37.7% of net sales, compared to $213.4 million, or 35.5% of net sales, in last year's fourth quarter. This 220 basis point increase primarily reflects a 170 basis point improvement in merchandise margin driven by lower average unit costs and a reduction in store occupancy costs. Click Read More below for additional information.

Total reported sales for the fourth quarter of 2017 were $2.6 billion compared to $2.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2016, a decrease of 5%. Sales for the full year 2017 were $10.2 billion, a decline of 7% compared to the prior year. Fourth quarter and full year 2016 results benefited from an additional 53rd week sales of approximately $143 million and have been removed from our adjusted sales change below. In the fourth quarter of 2017, Office Depot reported operating income of $59 million. The Company recognized a net loss from continuing operations in the fourth quarter of 2017 of $48 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, resulting from a net tax expense of approximately $68 million associated with changes to the Company’s U.S. deferred tax assets and tax valuation allowance due to recent tax law reform. Click Read More below for additional information.

Highlights for the fourth quarter: • Ended 2017 with $71.4 million of cash and cash equivalents as well as $9.1 million of restricted cash; Torstar has no bank indebtedness. • Cash provided by operating activities was $23.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2017 reflecting $31.6 million of cash generated by operating activities partially offset by an $8.1 million increase in working capital. • Our net income from continuing operations was $7.8 million ($0.10 per share) in the fourth quarter of 2017. This compares to net income of $0.7 million ($0.01 per share) in the fourth quarter of 2016. Click Read More below for additional information.

As you are most likely aware, the packaging industry and much of North America has faced significant shipping and logistics challenges over the past several months. Several factors such as demand for freight services outstripping the number of trucks on the road, inclement weather conditions, and the implementation of the new Electronic Logging Device (ELD) regulations in December 2017, have collectively compounded the issue of imbalance in the truck and driver supply. The ELD mandate will have an impact on freight costs. Most carriers that have implemented ELDs have reported productivity decreases of approximately 15% with fewer miles driven per day. It is also expected that some capacity may be taken out of the market due to the rising costs. The net result of all of this is high load to carrier ratios driving up freight rates which often change with little notice. Click Read More below for additional information.

Sales in the fourth quarter of 2017 totaled $8.666 billion, an increase of 1.8 percent, compared with sales of $8.515 billion in the fourth quarter of 2016. Comparable sales on an owned basis were up 1.3 percent in the fourth quarter and up 1.4 percent on an owned plus licensed basis. Total sales in the fourth quarter of 2017 reflect a 14th week of sales, whereas comparable sales are on the same 13-week basis as fiscal 2016. Sales in fiscal 2017 totaled $24.837 billion, down 3.7 percent from total sales of $25.778 billion in fiscal 2016. Comparable sales on an owned basis declined 2.2 percent in fiscal 2017. Macy's, Inc.'s operating income for the fourth quarter of 2017 totaled $1.213 billion, or 14.0 percent of sales, compared to $815 million, or 9.6 percent of sales, for the fourth quarter of 2016. Operating income for the fourth quarter of 2017 totaled $1.397 billion, or 16.1 percent of sales, excluding restructuring and other costs of $152 million and non-cash retirement plan settlement charges of $32 million. For fiscal 2017, Macy's, Inc.'s operating income totaled $1.807 billion, or 7.3 percent of sales, compared with operating income of $1.315 billion, or 5.1 percent of sales, for fiscal 2016. Click Read More below for additional information.

Meredith Corporation announced that it has entered into a binding agreement with Epiris Fund II, advised by Epiris LLP (a UK private equity firm), to sell Time Inc. UK. Formerly owned by Time Inc., Time Inc. UK was acquired by Meredith on January 31, 2018, as part of its acquisition of Time Inc., which had been in the process of selling Time Inc. UK. Time Inc. UK is one of the UK's leading media companies, creating quality content that entertains millions of UK consumers every day. With a heritage spanning 165 years, its portfolio encompasses more than 50 well-known brands, including Country Life, What's on TV, Woman's Weekly and Wallpaper*, and operates across multiple platforms – print, online, mobile, TV and experiences. Click Read More below for additional information.

Auto-renewal subscription programs are a great way for e-commerce businesses to build a constant revenue stream. And they benefit both the company and the consumer. Companies can sell their product or service consistently over a period of time, while the customer doesn’t have to be hassled with repurchasing the product or service every month or year. My daughter has a guinea pig, and we have set our Amazon account to send us her preferred guinea pig food each month, for which we get automatically charged the same amount each month. Little Trevor will never starve! Similarly, we subscribe to Netflix, and we pay a fee that is automatically charged to our credit card each month. Many subscription programs offer new customers the ability to try a service for free for a trial period. To take advantage of the free trial offer, customers have to provide a credit card that will be automatically charged at the end of the trial if the customer does not cancel in time. Click Read More below for additional information.

Highlights: Operating performance on track • 2017 adjusted operating profit of £576m is at the top end of our upwardly-revised October 2017 guidance range, adjusting for currency movements. • Adjusted earnings per share of 54.1p is above the October 2017 guidance range of 49.0p-52.0p reflecting strong profitability, a lower than expected tax rate of 11.1% and after a net interest charge of £79m. • Total underlying revenues declined 2%, in line with the performance in the nine-months, due to a decline of 4% in North America partly offset by stabilisation in Core and Growth. • Statutory operating profit for the year was £451m (2016: a loss of £2,497m). Click Read More below for additional information.

First quarter net revenue of $7.7 billion was up 11% from the prior year and up 9% when adjusted for currency. First quarter GAAP diluted net earnings per share (“EPS”) from continuing operations was $0.92, up from GAAP diluted net EPS from continuing operations of $0.15 in the prior-year period. First quarter non-GAAP diluted net EPS from continuing operations was $0.34, up from non-GAAP diluted net EPS from continuing operations of $0.28 in the prior-year period. “Our strong Q1 performance is proof that we have the right strategy and improved execution,” said Antonio Neri, President and CEO of HPE. “We had good revenue growth across every business segment, continued to execute HPE Next with no disruption to the business, and delivered strong shareholder return in the form of share repurchases and dividends.” Click Read More below for additional information.

Net Sales for the full year increased $35 million, or 2.5%, year over year. The net sales increase was driven by a $19 million increase in our Trade Publishing segment and a $16 million increase in our Education segment during the current period. Operating loss for the full year 2017 was $114 million, $197 million lower than the $311 million operating loss recorded in 2016. Net loss of $103 million for the full year 2017 was $182 million lower than the net loss of $285 million in 2016, due primarily to the same factors impacting operating loss offset by a $15 million unfavorable change in our income tax benefit in 2017, from an income tax benefit of $65 million for the same period in 2016 to an income tax benefit of $50 million in 2017. Click Read More below for additional information.