Commenting on its second quarter results for the period ended December 31, News Corp. said operating income at its HarperCollins subsidiary fell. News Corp. now reports HC as part of a much larger publishing segment and no figures for HC were available. In its 10-Q filing, News reported that second quarter sales at HC also declined due to fewer new titles and "lower licensing fees resulting from a settlement received at HarperCollins in the corresponding prior year periods." In the second quarter of fiscal 2010, HC had operating income of $65 million on sales of $381 million. In a statement, HC said it “had a good quarter, exceeding its plan.”
HC said the children’s division “did extremely well,” thanks to the Justin Bieber memoir, as well as two titles by Lauren Conrad, Sugar and Spice: An L.A. Candy Novel and Lauren Conrad Style. Worldwide e-book sales jumped 400% in the period.
