Total sales at Thomas Nelson rose 2.7% in the second quarter ended September 30, to $63.8 million, and net income jumped 61%, to $6.6 million. Company chairman Sam Moore told analysts in a conference call that while Nelson's recovery "is still under way, our results are on an ascending track."
Moore said he was particularly pleased with sales in the general book market, where Nelson's more diversified publishing program is gaining greater acceptance. He noted that Nelson's second bestselling book in the quarter was the financial title Total Money Makeover and that Nelson has done well with its inspirational fiction and self-help titles. (The company's top seller in the quarter was Max Lucado's Next Door Savior.) Nelson's conservative imprint, WND Books, has also done well in the trade market, led by Michael Savage's Savage Nation; a new title by Savage, The Enemy Within, is due out in December.
Moore did acknowledge a couple of weak spots. The company's children's imprint, Tommy Nelson, has suffered from "competitive pressures," and its results have been below expectations. Sales through mass merchandisers were flat in the quarter, despite more available products. "People are doing more looking than buying in our product categories," Moore said.
Still, he said, "I feel good about the last quarter," and added that he expects a solid holiday season. Lee Gessner, executive v-p, noted that Nelson has heard from a number of retailers that business is improving, and that Nelson's orders have been good.
