Revenues rose 27% to $179.8 million at IDG Books for the year ended September 30, 1999, while net income increased 24.5% to $12.7 million. The company said that revenues in its branded franchise group, which includes such lines as For Dummies, Cliffs Notes and the newly acquired Macmillan reference materials (which contributed $11.8 million in the fourth quarter), rose 20%, while sales in the technology group were up 17%. IDG Books chairman John Kilcullen said the company's plans for fiscal 2000 include aggressive promotion of its "how-to" brands and greater use of electronic delivery channels.