Print Book Sales Could Grow by 2% This Year—Or by 8% (publishersweekly.com)

On June 2, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain will celebrate the 70th anniversary of her reign. To mark the occasion, the British government has commissioned the DK publishing house to produce an anniversary book. “Queen Elizabeth: A Platinum Jubilee Celebration” has a print run of more than 4.5 million copies and will be distributed free of charge to students at British primary schools from the middle of the month. For the first time in British history, a regent, Queen Elizabeth II, is celebrating the 70th anniversary of her reign, known as a Platinum Jubilee – and the whole country has been preparing for this extraordinary celebration for months. The Queen ascended the throne on June 2, 1952, and for this reason the government of the United Kingdom has proclaimed June 2 of this year, a Thursday, and the following Friday, a public holiday, giving Britons four full days, June 2 to 5, to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. Alongside the many festivities, the official book to accompany the occasion, “Queen Elizabeth: A Platinum Jubilee Celebration,” will be distributed free of charge to British elementary schools. The book was produced by the DK publishing house, which secured the prestigious contract with Britain’s Department for Education following a tendering process last year.

Second Quarter Highlights: • Total loans grew $6.1 billion (8%) from the prior year to $78.0 billion. • Credit card loans grew $4.6 billion (8%) to $61.8 billion and Discover card sales volume increased 5% from the prior year. • Total net charge-off rate excluding PCI loans increased 52 basis points from the prior year to 2.79% and the total delinquency rate over 30 days past due excluding PCI loans increased 33 basis points from the prior year to 1.93%. • Consumer deposits grew $3.6 billion (11%) from the prior year to $37.7 billion. Click Read More below for additional details.

Target Corporation and Ulta Beauty shared details about the highly anticipated Ulta Beauty at Target, slated to begin rolling out in more than 100 Target stores nationwide and online with more than 50 specially curated prestige brands this August. The differentiated retail concept pairs Ulta Beauty's industry authority with Target's beloved experience, bringing a one-of-a-kind beauty experience to millions of guests. The companies are planning for these experiential "shop-in-shops" to reach a total of 800 Target stores across the country in the coming years. "As the retail and beauty industries continue to evolve, we take pride in being leaders that continually redefine and elevate guest experiences. Ulta Beauty at Target reflects our commitment to drive the industry forward and keep our guests meaningfully engaged," said Kecia Steelman, chief operating officer, Ulta Beauty. "Our dynamic teams have worked together to create a disruptive, exciting way to discover prestige beauty with a thoughtfully curated assortment and knowledgeable, approachable experts to serve as beauty gurus."