Company August 30 September 30 % Change
The Publishers Weekly Stock Index held up much better than the Dow Jones Industrial Average in September, falling 4.9% in the month compared to a 12.4% dive posted by the Dow. Only four companies on the PWSI had an increase in their stock price in September, with the stock price of 17 companies declining. Amazon.com had the best month with a 6.6% price increase. Scholastic's optimistic forecast for fiscal 2003 earnings helped push its stock price up 5.9% in the month. The largest decline among companies whose stock price was selling for a minimum of $4 was Pearson, whose price fell 19.4%. The stock price of Thomas Nelson and Borders Group fell 17% and 16.2%, respectively. The most volatile stock this year, however, has been MediaBay. The company's stock price began the year at 62 cents per share, had run up to as high as $6.04 earlier this year, but closed at 78 cents at the end of September, a 70% decline in the month despite a decent second quarter report. In a filing with the SEC, Barnes & Noble.com disclosed that it granted Random House chairman Peter Olson 40,000 stock options priced at 79 cents. Olson joined the B&N.com board earlier this year following the resignation of Joel Klein.
Source: Reed Business Information
Winners
Amazon.com 14.94 15.93 6.6%
Scholastic 42.18 44.68 5.9
Advanced Marketing Services 13.55 13.79 1.8
Losers
Pearson 10.25 8.26 -19.4%
Thomas Nelson 10.60 8.80 -17.0
Borders Group 18.86 15.80 -16.2
R.R. Donnelley 26.38 23.51 -10.9
Reader's Digest 17.08 15.56 -8.9
Hastings Entertainment 5.47 5.00 -8.6
Publishers Weekly
Stock Index 398.39 378.64 -4.9%
Dow Jones Average 8,663.50 7,591.93 -12.4%