Online publisher survives clash with universities

Analysts had thought that a stand-off between universities in Germany and Sweden and online publisher RELX, which, among other things, publishes academic journals, could hit revenues but that proved not to be the case in the publisher’s half-year results, reports Proactive Investors.

Shares in the FTSE 100 group zipped higher last Thursday morning as its first-half results eased concerns that a stand-off with German and Swedish universities was hurting business.

The publisher has been at loggerheads with research institutions in the two countries for a while now, with some not renewing their subscriptions in protest at what they see as poor value for money. Analysts had thought that the dispute could hit revenues at Elsevier – RELX’s largest division and the one responsible for scientific, technical and medical publishing. But that part of the business saw revenues rise.
Full report on the Proactive Investors site