Industry Stocks: February Performers

Both the Publishers Weekly Stock Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounded in February after being down in January. With 11 of the 14 stocks on the PWSI posting a gain in February, the index rose 4.3% in the month, just slightly above the 4% gain of the Dow. Barnes & Noble’s share price had the biggest gain in the month, jumping 42.1%. Investors were encouraged by B&N’s profit in the third quarter of fiscal 2014, despite continued problems with its Nook division. And although B&N executives dismissed a proposal to acquire a 51% stake in the company as not a serious offer, the proposal seemed to give investors the idea that another company may make a run at B&N. The biggest losers in February were Pearson and Chegg, companies that also had the biggest losses in January. Pearson had the biggest decline in its share price as disappointing fourth-quarter results and company warnings that profits will fall in 2014 put downward pressure on the stock price.

Source: Publishers Weekly