Company October 31 November 29 % Change
With 13 companies posting higher stock prices in the month, the Publishers Weekly Stock Index rose 3.1% in November, a better performance than the 1.9% gain recorded in October, but a slower rate than the 5.9% increase in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Stock prices at eight companies fell in the month. The biggest gainer was Courier Corp., which had a 22.2% increase in the month and closed just off its 52-week high at the end of November. A strong quarterly report and optimistic outlook for fiscal 2003 helped spark the gain. A generally upbeat outlook for holiday online shopping contributed to a 21.5% increase at Amazon.com, while record October sales drove up Educational Development Corp.'s stock price 18.7%. A significant reduction in its earnings forecast for the fourth quarter was a major factor in driving down Hastings Entertainment's stock price 24.3% in November, the largest decline among the companies tracked on the PWSI.
Source: Reed Business Information
Winners
Courier Corporation 37.45 45.75 22.2%
Amazon.com 19.36 23.35 21.5
Educational Development Corp. 6.38 7.57 18.7
Barnes & Noble 21.10 23.67 12.2
Pearson 10.70 11.58 8.2
Losers
Hastings Entertainment 6.14 4.65 -24.3%
Advanced Marketing Services 17.45 15.60 -10.6
McGraw-Hill Cos. 64.50 59.29 -8.1
John Wiley 21.98 21.30 -3.1
Reed International 36.30 35.36 -2.6
Publishers Weekly
Stock Index 385.66 397.73 3.1%
Dow Jones Average 8,397.03 8,896.09 5.9%