The big gains made by Sunday titles in the battle for ex-News of the World readers are slowly starting to fall away.
Latest ABC figures show sales at The Sunday Mirror and The People up 57.7% and 61.7% respectively year-on-year.
But the Trinity Mirror titles saw significant month-on-month losses, down 3.5% and 3.9%.
The Daily Star Sunday saw the most dramatic circulation spike after the closure of the NOTW and remains 98.9% ahead of last year, despite a fall of 0.7% during October.
Publishers of all three titles will be watching Wapping nervously amid growing speculation that News International is ready to launch a new Sunday paper.
The Sun and the mid-markets outperformed the rest of the dailies sector, thanks to a strong promotions campaign which included money off high street shopping.
Figures show sales of the Daily Mail are 6.5% below October 2010, compared to Daily Express, down 4.3%, and The Sun, which is 6.2% down on last year.
Quality dailies continue to struggle with the Independent down 19.5%, while the Daily Telegraph is 5.9% behind last year’s sales.
The Guardian’s decision to increase its cover price to £1.20 leaves it down 10.7% year-on-year.
In Scotland, sales of the Daily Record and Scottish Sun are down annually 8.7% and 5.7% respectively.
Full ABC figures for October 2011
compiled for Retail Newsagent’s 18 November edition
| TITLE | Core sales* | Monthly change (%) | Yearly change (%) | Estimated Retailer Margin (£)** | Total sales*** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Express | 583840 | 0.0 | -4.3% | 67.6 | 614534 |
| Daily Mail | 1766554 | 0.2 | -6.5% | 238.2 | 1998363 |
| Daily Mirror | 1073261 | -1.4 | -8.1% | 123.0 | 1118120 |
| Daily Record | 277099 | -1.3 | -9.0% | 34.7 | 293091 |
| Daily Star | 643607 | -2.2 | -17.2% | 53.2 | 658690 |
| Daily Telegraph | 585925 | -0.1 | -5.9% | 158.3 | 603901 |
| Financial Times | 72133 | -1.4 | -11.4% | 34.1 | 345077 |
| Guardian | 230541 | -0.9 | -10.7% | 65.3 | 230541 |
| Herald | 45813 | -2.1 | -13.3% | 12.2 | 45813 |
| I’ | 177144 | 0.6 | 9.6 | 211467 | |
| Independent | 76237 | -2.7 | -19.5% | 18.9 | 133449 |
| Scotsman | 35294 | -1.7 | -9.7% | 0.0 | 38787 |
| The Sun | 2671534 | 0.9 | -6.2% | 8.0 | 2715473 |
| Times | 393155 | -0.8 | -11.9% | 213.7 | 417197 |
| TOTAL | 8,632,137 | -0.2% | -6.1% | £105.0 | 9,424,503 |
Full ABC figures for October 2011
compiled for Retail Newsagent’s 18 November edition
| TITLE | Core sales* | Monthly change (%) | Yearly change (%) | Estimated Retailer Margin (£)** | Total sales*** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 8,104,077 | -1.10% | 17.70% | £2,518.20 | 8,571,684 |
| Daily Star Sun. | 668615 | -0.70% | 98.90% | 147.8 | 688058 |
| Ind. on Sunday | 75012 | -3.20% | 2.10% | 33.8 | 130942 |
| Mail on Sunday | 1792882 | 1.80% | -1.10% | 564.8 | 2000251 |
| Observer | 268355 | -1.70% | -8.90% | 147.6 | 268355 |
| People | 781981 | -3.90% | 61.70% | 171.1 | 804126 |
| Scotland on Sun. | 48564 | -1.10% | -5.00% | 20.6 | 48569 |
| Sun. Telegraph | 458106 | -1.80% | -4.50% | 208.4 | 471894 |
| Sunday Express | 644972 | 0.40% | 24.70% | 136.7 | 679265 |
| Sunday Herald | 28990 | -0.60% | -31.40% | 8.9 | 28990 |
| Sunday Mail | 377509 | -1.50% | 2.20% | 116.3 | 392775 |
| Sunday Mirror | 1730064 | -3.50% | 57.70% | 382.2 | 1773627 |
| Sunday Post | 311524 | -0.90% | -2.70% | 82.2 | 316842 |
| Sunday Times | 917503 | -0.50% | -9.10% | 474.3 | 967990 |
* Core sales are newstrade sales and pre-paid subscriptions in the UK & Ireland.
** ERM is the total income to retailers for one day’s sales, calculated using margin statistics.
*** Total sales includes foreign and bulk sales.
Chander Hingorani
06/01/2012
Here is a piece of News Re Smiths News PLC. Their share has been recommended by Investors Chroncile for 2012. The brokers reckon Smiths will pay a dividend of 9p. At the current share price, that equates to a stonking 11.7% yield-heady stuff in these zero interest times.
A good proportion of Smiths revenues are underpinned by long term contracts with the publishers and also the increase in cover price which provided Smiths a cushion. Smiths is also the market leader with 55% of the market.
So what about the hardworking Newagents who actually sell the News & mags which enable Smiths to pay this dividend. Any dividends for them?