Much like the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Publishers Weekly Stock Index had a quiet August. The PWSI dipped 0.2% in the month compared to a 0.3% increase for the Dow. The stock prices fell at 12 companies on the PWSI in August, while prices rose at nine. Helped by a solid first quarter performance, Franklin Electronic Publishers had the biggest gain in the month, with its share price up 15.1%. The purchase of shares by some Marvel executives played a role in lifting the share price at the entertainment company by 12.4%. Scholastic's stock, which has been battered for several months, posted a 6.3% gain in August. Failure to hit its quarterly earnings target was the major factor behind the 13.7% decline in Hasting Entertainment's stock price. Investors apparently didn't like what they heard in Thomas Nelson's quarterly report, either, as the stock price fell 11.8%.
| COMPANY | JULY 30 | AUGUST 31 | % CHANGE |
| Source: Reed Business Information | |||
| Winners | |||
| Franklin Electronic Pub. | 3.50 | 4.03 | 15.1% |
| Marvel | 13.05 | 14.67 | 12.4 |
| Advanced Marketing Service | 11.33 | 12.43 | 9.7 |
| Scholastic | 27.51 | 29.25 | 6.3 |
| Borders Group | 22.87 | 23.90 | 4.5 |
| Losers | |||
| Hastings Entertainment | 7.30 | 6.30 | -13.7% |
| Thomas Nelson | 21.55 | 19.00 | -11.8 |
| Books-A-Million | 7.25 | 6.93 | -4.4 |
| R.R. Donnelley | 31.74 | 30.73 | -3.2 |
| Banta Corp. | 39.71 | 38.71 | -2.5 |
| Publishers Weekly | |||
| Stock Index | 500.56 | 499.53 | -0.2% |
| Dow Jones Average | 10,139.71 | 10,173.92 | 0.3% |
