With seven losers and seven winners, the Publishers Weekly Stock Index rose a modest 0.7% in July, just below the 1.0% gain recorded by the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Scholastic posted the biggest gain in the month with its stock price rising steadily after the company reported a record fiscal 2012, which was enough to offset an outlook that calls for a decline in results in fiscal 2013. Books-A-Million’s stock price fell 26.8% in the month following the announcement of the decision by the Anderson family to drop its offer to acquire the shares in the retailer it doesn’t already own for $3.05 per share. Investors have been hot and cold about Barnes & Noble all year and the July sentiment turned cool, dropping its stock price 19.4%. A soft fiscal third quarter dropped Courier Corp.’s stock price by 16.1%.
Winners
| Company | June. 30 | July. 31 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scholastic | 28.14 | 30.13 | 7.1% |
| Reed Elsevier | 32.03 | 33.69 | 5.2 |
| McGraw-Hill Cos. | 45.00 | 46.96 | 4.3 |
| R.R. Donnelley | 11.77 | 12.12 | 3.0 |
| Amazon | 228.35 | 233.30 | 2.2 |
Losers
| Company | June. 30 | July. 31 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books-A-Million | 3.22 | 2.36 | -26.8 |
| Barnes & Noble | 16.46 | 13.27 | -19.4 |
| Courier Corp. | 13.25 | 11.12 | -16.1 |
| Pearson | 19.85 | 18.78 | -5.4 |
| John Wiley | 48.99 | 47.65 | -2.7 |
| Publishers Weekly | |||
| Stock Index | 534.36 | 537.99 | 0.7 |
| Dow Jones Aver. | 12,880.09 | 13,008.68 | 1.0 |
