Courier Corp. Reports Sales, Income Up for First Quarter

The book manufacturing segment focuses on three markets: education, religion, and specialty trade. Sales to the education market were $28 million in the first quarter, up 14 percent from a year earlier, primarily due to increased sales of college textbooks, but with gains at the elementary and high school level as well. Sales to the religious market were up 14 percent to $19 million in the quarter, with sales to Courier’s largest religious customer up 8 percent, with some of the increase related to the timing of orders. Sales to this customer have often varied widely from quarter to quarter within a long-term pattern of single-digit growth. Sales to the specialty trade market were up 12 percent to $17 million, largely reflecting increased demand for digital printing and four-color books.