Industry Stocks: March Performances
by Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 4/4/2005
Industry Stocks: March Performances
Company
February 28
march 31
% Change
Winners
Marvel
17.62
20.00
13.5%
Leapfrog
10.50
11.35
8.1
Thomas Nelson
21.90
23.65
8.0
Scholastic
35.48
36.89
4.0
Reed, plc
40.25
41.62
3.4
Losers
Advanced Marketing Svc.
7.35
6.00
-18.4
Hastings Entertainment
7.30
6.67
-8.6
Audible
14.66
13.52
-7.8
McGraw Hill Cos.
91.85
87.25
-5.0
R.R. Donnelley
33.21
31.62
-4.8
Publishers Weekly
Stock Index
561.43
558.06
-0.5%
Dow Jones Average
10,766.23
10,503.76
-2.4%
Although winners outnumbered losers by a slim 12 to 10 in March, the Publishers Weekly Stock Index slipped 0.5% in the month. The biggest loser in the month was Advanced Marketing Services, whose stock price fell 18.4%. The company's most extensive financial report released in nearly two years showed a decline in sales and a big loss for fiscal 2005, and the prospect for a sales decline in fiscal 2006 (see p 7). A weak earnings report (page 12) hurt the stock price of Hastings Entertainment, which had a 8.6% decline in its stock price in March. Audible's stock slid for a second consecutive month, following its announcement that earnings for the year would be down. On the plus side, Marvel's stock rose 13.5% in March, helped by stronger than expected earnings in the fourth quarter.
Source: Reed Business Information
