I bought into these on January 3rd for the dividend. Probably boring to a lot on investors, but with a yield of 9.3%, they are worth a look for income seekers.

The Smiths News Group operates in distinct but complementary markets; newspaper and magazine wholesaling, Smiths News, book wholesaling, Bertrams and education supplies, The Consortium.

Smiths News is the UK’s leading newspaper and magazine wholesaler. The company distributes newspapers and magazines on behalf of national publishers as well as a number of regional publishers. It serves approximately 30,000 retailers across England and Wales, supplying large general retailers as well as smaller independent newsagents.

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Smiths News Fundamentals

Contract Extension with Telegraph Media Group

Smiths News agrees five year contract extension with Telegraph Media Group
New contract secures c£137m of annual revenues


Smiths News PLC ('Smiths News'), the largest UK newspaper and magazine wholesaler, a leading UK book supplier and a leading distributor of consumable products to the education market, is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Telegraph Media Group to extend their newspaper wholesaling agreement until October 2019.

This new agreement secures 63% market share of Telegraph Media Group's newspaper distribution business for an additional five years.

The contract is valued at c£137m pa (at FY12 values) equating to 15% of the national newspaper distribution market. Telegraph Media Group publishes The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph. Smiths News has now secured revenues through to 2019 equating to 32% of total sales.

INTERIM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT AND CONTRACT RENEWALS

Smiths News PLC, the largest UK newspaper and magazine wholesaler, a leading UK book supplier and a leading specialist distributor of consumable products to the education market, is today issuing its Interim Management Statement covering the 44 week period to 6 July 2013.

The Group remains on track to deliver strong growth in profit before tax for the year to 31 August 2013, in line with market consensus.

The Group is also pleased to announce today it has reached agreement with Associated Newspapers Ltd to extend their newspaper wholesaling agreement until October 2021 and separately it has also reached agreement with COMAG to extend their magazine wholesaling agreement until December 2020.

These new agreements secure the current market share of both Associated Newspapers' newspaper distribution business and COMAG's magazine distribution business for an additional five years.

The Associated Newspapers Ltd contract is valued at c£213m pa (at FY12 values) equating to 23% of the national newspaper distribution market. Associated Newspapers publishes The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.

The COMAG contract is valued at c£109m pa (at FY12 values) equating to 19% of the national magazine distribution market. COMAG distributes magazines on behalf of many magazine publishers including Hearst Magazines UK and Conde Nast and publications including Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Glamour, Vogue and GQ.

Smiths News has now secured c£800m of revenues through to 2019 and beyond equating to 53% of total sales.

There has been no change in the financial condition of the Group since the half year ended 28 February 2013 and the Group continues to operate well within its bank facilities.

The Group will announce its preliminary results for the twelve months ending 31 August 2013 on 16 October 2013.


Total Group revenues increased 0.7% year on year, boosted by the contribution from the acquisition of The Consortium in April 2012.

The sales performance of each business unit is as follows;

· Smiths News total revenues declined by 3.2% and by 4.6% on a like for like basis which remains consistent with previous medium term projections.
Both newspaper and magazine performance is also in line with recent run rates and with expectations.

· Bertrams total revenues increased by 11.2% and by 2.0% on a like for like basis.
New additional revenue from the recently launched direct to consumer offer, Wordery, continue to grow, accounting for the majority of the positive total sales increase.

· The Consortium total revenues declined 1.5% and increased by 1.4% on a like for like basis.
Care sales continue to grow strongly off-set by a weak quarter in Education. The profit of the business unit remains in line with expectations.

· Due to the disposal of MMC on 30 April 2013, Media and Marketing total revenues declined by 6.9%. DMD continues to trade in line with expectations.

N+1 Singer Buy 166.63 156.00 185.00 185.00 Upgrades

Smiths News PLC ("the Group"), the largest UK newspaper and magazine wholesaler, a leading UK book supplier and a leading distributor of consumable products to the education market, will be announcing its Preliminary results for the year ended 31 August 2013 on Wednesday 16 October 2013.

I make that a new closing high today. More to come.

And with one mighty bound it was through the 200 level to a new closing high. Somebody out there must think the upcoming results are better than good.

Preliminary Results Announcement yr ended 31-8-13


2013 HIGHLIGHTS:
· Strong financial performance:
- Revenue growth despite challenging market conditions
- Underlying PBT £53.0m, up 11.6%
- Free cash flow £32.6m, up 19.8%
· Strategic targets progressing:
- Smiths News: 53% of revenues secured, £800m per annum,
£6.2bn total to 2019 and beyond
- Bertrams: diversifying sales mix, international sales +30.2%, digital sales +38.0%, Wordery annualised sales of £15m
- The Consortium: delivering above expected acquisition returns, pro forma(7) profits +15.3%, new management team in place
- Group: 29% of profits outside of newspaper and magazine wholesaling,
on track to achieve 50% by 2016
· Strong shareholder returns:
- Underlying EPS of 22.4p, up 12.6%
- Final dividend of 6.3p, making a full year dividend of 9.3p, up 8.1%

Liberum Capital Buy 194.00 194.00 203.00 220.00 Reiterates

A late break.

5yr contract extension with Trinity Mirror PLC

New contact secures c£143m of annual revenues

Smiths News PLC ('Smiths News'), the largest UK newspaper and magazine wholesaler, a leading UK book supplier and a leading distributor of consumable products to the education market, is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Trinity Mirror Newspapers to extend their newspaper wholesaling agreement until October 2019.

This new agreement secures 56% market share of Trinity Mirror's distribution business for an additional five years.

The contract is valued at c.£143m pa (at FY13 values) equating to 15% of the national newspaper distribution market. Trinity Mirror publishes The Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People along with Regional titles Newcastle Chronicle, Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo and Birmingham Mail. Smiths News has now secured c.£900m per annum of revenues through to 2019 equating to 63% of total sales.

I have finally parted company with my NWS. Happy to get out with a very good profit at 221.75p. There was something in the last update from MNZS that made me nervous - the read-across is obvious.

'Within Menzies Distribution poor trading conditions continue to prevail.
Magazine and newspaper volumes have tracked at the levels announced at the time
of our Interim Results. However, disappointing returns from ancillary revenues,
sticker collections and weaker than forecast seasonal sales within the
marketing services business are expected to impact the second half result.'

Interim Management Statement

The Group remains on track to deliver strong growth in underlying profit before tax for the year to 31 August 2014, in line with market expectations.

Total Group revenues decreased 0.4% year on year. The performance of each business unit is as follows;

· Smiths News total revenues declined by 2.0% and by 2.8% on a like for like basis.
Both newspaper and magazine performance is marginally above recent run rates, although full year expectations remain in line with last year's performance and prior guidance.

· Bertrams total revenues increased by 9.7% and decreased by 0.4% on a like for like basis.
Total revenues are being driven by recent acquisitions, with like for like revenues favourably impacted by the continued growth in Wordery, which is being offset by decreases in international and libraries revenues.

· The Consortium total revenues increased by 4.2% and by 4.2% on a like for like basis.
Education and Early years performed in line with expectations. Core revenues were up 6.0% benefitting from a strong peak performance in September.

· Media total revenues increased by 2.0% and by 0.2% on a like for like basis.

There has been no change in the underlying financial condition of the Group since the year ended 31 August 2013 and the Group continues to operate well within its bank facilities.

The Group will announce its interim results for the six months ending 28 February 2014 on 23 April 2014.

PRE CLOSE STATEMENT

Smiths News PLC ("the Group"), the largest UK newspaper and magazine wholesaler, a leading UK book supplier and a leading specialist distributor of consumable products to the education market, is today issuing its Pre close statement for the six months ended 28 February 2014.

· Smiths News newspaper and magazine revenue has continued to perform slightly above recent run rates, and we now expect the division to deliver profit marginally above last year's performance and our expectations.

· Bertrams total revenues continue to grow at c10% driven by growth in Wordery. However, the ongoing mix of lower margin categories, price competiveness and delays in realising the benefits from investments to drive long term growth will result in profits being below last year.

· The Consortium continues to perform in line with recent run rates and in line with expectations.

· Media continues to perform in line with expectations.

As a result underlying Group profit before tax for the first half is expected to be in line with the prior year.

There has been no change in the underlying financial condition of the Group since the year ended 31 August 2013 and the Group continues to operate well within its new bank facilities.

The Group will announce its interim results for the six months ended 28 February 2014 on 23 April 2014.

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I've bought in to these again this morning.

Looks to be a good time. Ex-divi mid June and a c6% div yield coupled with capital growth (hopefully).

JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight 153.63 - - Reiterates

Hmmm....that doesn't allow much scope for improvement.

Harry - that's misleading - they haven't quoted a target price - 153.63 is the price at the time of the rating.

They are reiterating their TP from 04th March (221p).

04 Mar 14 Smiths News PLC JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight 153.63 236.00 221.00 Reiterates

Joined you here skinny in @ 153.0