Stickers offset print woes

"Difficult market conditions" in the print media market have continued in 2015, "with general demand for magazines and newspapers continuing to fall", according to accounts just filed at the Companies Office for EM News Distribution (Ireland).

Turnover at the company, a wholesale distributor of newspapers, magazines and books in both the Republic and Northern Ireland, declined €4.9 million or 5 per cent to €96.7 million in 2014.

The decline in its turnover from newspapers and magazines was 7 per cent and 6 per cent respectively, with this business partially offset by an uplift in revenues from its collectables business – in other words, World Cup sticker collections.

EM News Distribution, a joint venture between retailer Eason & Son and Menzies Distribution, made a net profit of about €988,000 last year, the accounts show. But although it continues to trade profitably into 2015, the directors' report is not brimming with optimism for the future of its business.

“The commercial environment in which the company operates is expected to remain competitive in the year ahead,” they note, citing “the continued slow decline in national newspaper and magazine volumes”. Some Euro 2016 collectables might help.