2024

Mondadori Group: publication of the half-year financial report at 30 June 2024

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. hereby informs that the Half-Year Financial Report at 30 June 2024, comprising the Independent Auditors’ report, is now available at the Company’s registered office, at the authorized storage mechanism 1info (www.1info.it) and on the website www.gruppomondadori.it (Investors section).

Board of Directors approves results as at 30 June 2024

Significant growth in revenue and Adjusted EBITDA from first six months

  • Consolidated net revenue from first half of 2024 at € 387.2 million versus € 362.4 million in the same period of 2023 (+6.8%) 
  • Adjusted EBITDA at € 40.9 million compared to € 38.2 million in first half of 2023 (+7%)
  • Group adjusted net profit at 30 June 2024 € 9 million versus € 8.5 million at 30 June 2023
  • Solid cash generation confirmed with LTM Ordinary Cash Flow of around € 67 million
  • IFRS 16 net financial position of € -293.3 million, from € -285.5 million at 30 June 2023
  • Outlook for 2024 confirmed, with reference to operating and financial figures, despite higher investments planned in FY 2024

Today, the meeting of the Board of Directors of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A., chaired by Marina Berlusconi, reviewed and approved the Half-Year Report at 30 June 2024 presented by CEO Antonio Porro.

“The first half of 2024 ended with solid operating and financial performance, which allows us to confirm our forecasts for FY 2024. The growth recorded by the Trade Books and Retail business units was higher than that of the Book market, with a consequent increase in the market shares in the respective areas. We also continued to develop our core businesses, focusing in particular on consolidating the Mondadori Group’s leadership in book publishing, thanks to the finalisation of the acquisition of 51% of Star Shop and the conclusion of the acquisition of 100% of Chelsea Green Publishing, which strengthens our presence in the United States and the United Kingdom”, commented Antonio Porro, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Mondadori Group. “During the period, the Group also launched the PLAI, the start-up accelerator with which we aim to play a leading role in the ecosystem of generative artificial intelligence in the publishing industry”, concluded Porro.

Performance at 30 June 2024

Net consolidated revenue in the first half of 2024 amounted to € 387.2 million and showed growth of 6.8% compared to € 362.4 million in the first half of 2023. Net of the change in consolidation scope between the two periods under review, resulting from the consolidation of the company Star Shop (from 1 February 2024) and of Chelsea Green Publishing (from 1 May 2024), organic revenue growth was 3.8%.

Adjusted EBITDA for the first half of 2024 was € 40.9 million, up 7% compared to € 38.2 million in the first half of 2023, mainly thanks to the Trade Books, Retail and Media areas.

EBITDA in the first half of 2024 amounted to € 42.4 million, compared to € 40.3 million in the first half of 2023, which had benefited from the net capital gain (€ 2.9 million) linked to the sale of the brands Grazia and Icon. The improvement shown of around € 2.1 million is attributable to the favourable trend in the operating components and the recognition in the current year, in the Media area, of the release of certain provisions for risk allocated to cover liabilities that did not ultimately arise.

The Mondadori Group’s EBIT for the first half of 2024 was positive for € 12.7 million, a slight decrease (€ -1.2 million) compared to the same period in 2023, caused by higher amortisation and depreciation recorded in the period in question, for approximately € 3 million.

Neutralising extraordinary items and the impact of the Purchase Price Allocation (PPA) process, the adjusted EBIT for the period was € 15.4 million, up by approximately 5% compared to € 14.7 million in the first half of the previous year.

Financial charges recorded an overall increase of € 0.2 million, despite a reduction in bank expenses, caused by higher IFRS 16 debt.

The consolidated result before tax in the first half of FY 2024 was positive for € 9.4 million, compared to € 12.3 million in the corresponding period of 2023. The decrease of approximately € 3 million is attributable to the above dynamics, as well as the lower contribution – approximately € 1.6 million – from the earnings of associates, which in the first half of 2023 had benefited from the fair value revaluation (€ 1.3 million) of the investment in the company A.L.I. and the net capital gain (€ 0.4 million) arising from the sale of the investment in SEE (publisher of il Giornale).

The Group’s net profit in the first half of 2024, after minority interests, was positive for € 7.1 million, down by approximately € 5 million compared to the € 12.2 million in the first half of 2023. This decrease is attributable for approximately € 3 million to the non-ordinary dynamics described previously and, for the remaining € 2 million, to a greater share of the profit attributable to minority interests (€ +0.7 million) and higher tax expense.

The tax component for the first half of 2024 amounted to € -1.4 million compared to € +0.1 million in the same period of 2023: the result from the first half of 2023 had benefited from the recognition of non-taxable income or income subject to reduced taxation such as the capital gains arising from the sales of magazines and of the investment in SEE, as well as the contributions in the Media area (in FY 2023 not subject to taxation).

The Adjusted Net Profit, having neutralised extraordinary items (including capital gains) and the impacts deriving from the PPA process, was € 9 million, approximately 6% higher than € 8.5 million in the first half of 2023.

Net Financial Position excluding IFRS 16 at 30 June 2024 was € -211.9 million (net debt), an improvement of approximately € 3 million compared to € -215.2 million in the first half of 2023, due to significant cash generation by the business and despite the recognition of about € 31 million in dividends – of which 50% has already been distributed – and the cash-out for the acquisitions of Star Shop and Chelsea Green Publishing.

Net Financial Position gross of IFRS 16 at 30 June 2024 stood at € -293.3 million (net debt), from € -285.5 million at 30 June 2023, due to an IFRS 16 debt component of € -81.4 million, up by approximately € 11 million due to the renovation and development of the network of directly-managed bookshops in the Retail area, as well as acquisitions (particularly with reference to the Star Shop comic shops) finalised in 2024.

Cash flow from ordinary operations (after cash-out for financial expense and tax) in the twelve months prior to 30 June 2024 amounted to approximately € 67 million and allows the Group to continue to strengthen its financial structure.

At 30 June 2024, extraordinary cash flow was negative by approximately € 28 million, mainly due to net cash-outs related to merger & acquisition activities (around € 15 million), restructuring costs (around € 6 million) and the renovation of the Segrate headquarters (approximately € 3 million).

Free Cash Flow LTM at 30 June 2024, positive for € 39 million, confirmed the ongoing efficiency of the Group’s structures and resulting capacity of the Group to finance its growth policy by external lines.

Outlook for the year

In light of the results achieved in the first six months, the outlook for 2024 remains confirmed.

Income Statement

  • low single-digit revenue growth;
  • mid single-digit growth in the Adjusted EBITDA, with margins expected to remain stable at around 17%, thanks to targeted pricing policies and the further reduction of paper and printing costs.

Financial data

In the financial year 2024, the Group is expected to confirm the significant cash generation capacity and therefore an Ordinary Cash Flow of around € 70 million, despite higher investments for approximately € 4 million allocated to the renovation and energy efficiency measures of a printing facility of the Group, including from a sustainable perspective.

Performance of Business Areas

Trade BOOKS Area

The first six months showed a substantially stable trend on the book market in terms of value compared to the previous year (-0.1%): following the drop in the first part of the year, attributable to the comparison with 2023 which had benefited from the publication of “Spare. Il minore” (Spare) (Mondadori), the second quarter of 2024 recorded 4.1% growth in terms of value.

In this context, the publishing houses of the Mondadori Group recorded, in the second quarter, growth of 7.6%, nearly twice as much as the reference market: thanks to this performance, the Group reported growth across the entire six months of 1% and strengthened its national leadership with a market share in June 2024 of 27.7% (27.4% in June 2023).

As proof of the quality of the publishing plan and its catalogue, during the first six months of the year, the Mondadori Group was able to place 6 titles in the classification of the top ten bestsellers. We also note that in July the Mondadori Group, through Einaudi, won the 78th edition of the Strega Prize with “L’età fragile” by Donatella Di Pietrantonio.

Revenue in the first half of 2024 in the Trade BOOKS area amounted to € 188.5 million, recording growth compared to the previous year of approximately 9% (+3.4% on a like-for-like basis).

Adjusted EBITDA in the first six months of FY 2024 stood at € 27.7 million, an increase of € 1.5 million (+5.6%) compared to the first six months of 2023, largely due to the improved profitability of the publishing houses, deriving in particular from higher digital revenues and lower industrial costs (primarily paper).

Education BOOKS Area

School textbook publishing experiences a typical seasonal performance that sees sales squeezed into the second half of the year following the adoption campaign: as a result, the relating market shares for 2024 are unavailable at this time.

In the first six months of 2024, the school textbooks business reported overall revenue of € 61.1 million (€ 57.9 million in the corresponding period of 2023), increasing by 5.7% due to the advance on supplies to top accounts.

Adjusted EBITDA in the Education BOOKS area in the first half of 2024 stood at € 1.9 million, down on the € 2.3 million recorded in the first half of 2023, mainly due to the advanced production of the new textbooks made available to the sales network to support their promotion.

RETAIL Area

The RETAIL area showed 2.3% growth in the sell-out of the Book product in the first half of 2024, outperforming the market; as a result, the market share of Mondadori Retail rose to 12.7% (+0.3% compared to 30 June 2023), driven by an excellent performance of the direct and franchised retail outlets and a good performance of the online channel.

The renovation and development of the network of direct bookshops continued, numbering 47 units at the end of June 2024. For the franchised stores the progressive focus on the Bookstore format continued – with medium-sized bookshops offering considerable turnover – as did and the opening of new shops and the refitting of existing ones.

In the first six months of the year, the RETAIL area recorded revenue for € 91.4 million, with an 8.9% increase (€ +7.5 million), which is 3.6% net of the revenue of the Star Shop comic shops, consolidated from 1 February 2024. The organic growth would have been 4.9%, without the negative effect of the temporary closure of the Bookstore in Marcianise (CE) – subject to renovations, but already reopened by mid-July – which accounted for over € 1 million in lost sales in the first half of the current year.

An analysis of sales by channel in the first six months of 2024 shows a further increase in revenue from directly managed bookstores (+6.6% compared to the same period in the previous year) and from franchised bookstores (+4% compared to the first half of 2023) and, at the same time, a substantial stability in the online channel.

The Book area, which is the Mondadori Group’s core business, was the main component of product revenue (more than 80% of the total), up comprehensively by 3.9% on the first half of 2023.

The RETAIL area posted a positive Adjusted EBITDA for € 5.3 million, + 25.5% compared to the first half of 2023.

MEDIA Area

The advertising market (excluding searches, social networks, classified and OTT) in the first five months of 2024 showed an increase of 4.5% compared to the previous year. The magazine circulation market dropped by 6% and the add-ons market by 12.3%.

In the first half of 2024, revenue in the MEDIA area amounted to € 72 million, and posted an increase of 5% since the previous year, stemming from the strong growth in the digital component, which, for the first time, more than offset the structural downturn of the component linked to traditional activities.

Digital activities, which account for approximately 43% of the area’s total revenue, showed a 26.5% growth in advertising revenues, resulting in particular from the positive performance of the MarTech segment and the excellent results of the agencies and Webboh, operations for which began at the start of 2023; the traditional print business declined by 7%, mainly due to the structural drop during the six months in add-on sales and readership, which nevertheless showed an improvement in the second quarter compared to the trend of the first quarter.

The Adjusted EBITDA for the MEDIA area in the first half of 2024 amounted to € 10.1 million and showed approximately 12% growth compared to the corresponding period in 2023 attributable to the segment of digital activities. The EBITDA margin for the area rose from 13.1% to 14.1%.

The presentation of the results at 30 June 2024, approved today by the Board of Directors, is available on www.1info.it and on www.mondadorigroup.com (Investors section). A Q&A session will be held in conference call mode at 4.00 pm for the financial community, attended by the CEO of the Mondadori Group, Antonio Porro, and the CFO, Alessandro Franzosi. Journalists will be able to follow the meeting in listening mode only, by connecting to the following phone number +39.02.8020927 or via web at: https://hditalia.choruscall.com/?calltype=2&info=company

The Financial Reporting Manager – Alessandro Franzosi – hereby declares, pursuant to Article 154 bis, paragraph 2, of the Consolidated Finance Law, that the accounting information contained herein corresponds to the Company’s records, books and accounting entries. 

Annexes (in the complete pdf): 

  1. Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
  2. Consolidated Income Statement
  3. Consolidated income statement – II quarter
  4. Group cash flow
  5. Glossary of terms and alternative performance measures used

 

Changes in the reports were calculated on amounts expressed in Euro thousands

 

New opening for Mondadori Bookstore | MA in Sardinia in the heart of the Galleria Tanit Shopping Centre in Sassari

Mondadori Bookstore | MA, the eco-sustainable bookstore concept, will open its doors to the public on Sunday, 28 July at 4 p.m. inside the Tanit Shopping Centre in Sassari, taking a new step in its development path in the area.

The bookstore’s “young, green and smart” format is inspired by the Japanese philosophical concept of MA (), “an undefined space between heaven and earth where man can empty his mind and nourish his soul”, as described by Antonio Serpe, Chief Retail Officer of the Mondadori Bookstore | MA Italia bookstores. “It’s a place dedicated to oneself, where you can feel free from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and focus on the well-being of the mind, representing a whole new way of making and spreading culture”, Serpe concluded.

The new bookstore opening in Sestu, which expands Mondadori Bookstore | MA presence in Sardinia, has an eco-friendly vibe, from the materials used for its construction — marine poplar, recycled iron and sustainable water-based paints — to the design itself — tall, curved furniture reminiscent of tree trunks, bonsai trees and sansevieria that personalises the 250 m² space. Another important aspect of the young & smart concept can’t be overlooked: thanks to the presence of multimedia and interactive totems, readers can interact on social media and answer questions about the current hottest titles. The store also has self-checkout, click&collect and Trovalibro services, which allows customers to find the title they’re after from those available in the store. There is also a free coworking and reading hub dedicated to readers and a forum, ready to host events, presentations and signings. Finally, there is a space used as a photo gallery for exhibitions and shows, which will host “Il Ricamo Delle Mani” by artist Roberta Uras for the opening.

The new Mondadori Bookstore | MA offers future readers a choice of more than 49,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers – including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous – with areas reserved for the youngest readers – We are Junior – featuring interactive books, educational games and illustrated fairy tales to stimulate their imagination and curiosity. Finally, there is the Just Comics department, dedicated to manga and comics, with a nod to Gen Z readers.

MONDADORI | MA expresses an innovative, young, smart, eco-friendly bookstore concept for Gen Z and beyond. The philosophy is expressed through architectural choices and the materials used to create them, and in publishing ideas and initiatives. The eco-sustainable cultural concept grew out of the entrepreneurial background of the Neapolitan-minded creators and Mondadori Retail, the managing company of the largest network of bookstores in Italy, Mondadori Store. Mondadori Bookstores can be found throughout Italy with 13 stores in Udine, Gravellona, Milan, Turin, Arma Di Taggia, Reggio Emilia, Grosseto, Rome, Salerno, Sassari, Sestu and Catania. Further openings are planned in major Italian cities in 2024, including Naples (Galleria Umberto I).

MONDADORI | MA
Galleria Tanit Shopping Centre
Address: Via Caniga 1, 07100 Sassari (SS)
Hours: Mon–Sun 09:00–20:30
Telephone: 079.6764704
Email address: sassari@mabooks.it
IG: choose_ma-TikTok: mondadori_ma
https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi

Benedetta Serpe
mondadorima.social@gmail.com
Tel: +39 333.9008660

Mondadori Group Press Office
pressoffice@mondadori.it
Tel. +39 02.75423159

Webboh Fest in Rimini on 3 August

Gen Z idols on stage for an unmissable event

The second stop of the most anticipated music tour of the summer with an exclusive line-up: Sarah Toscano, Aka 7even, Pucho, Matteo Robert, Ditonellapiaga and many others.

Lots of music, entertainment and challenges. Custom gadgets and exclusive backstage access for the luckiest too!

From 8 p.m. with free admission

After the success of the first leg in Giulianova (with more than 5 thousand viewers), young people’s idols will be in Rimini on Saturday, 3 August, in Piazzale Federico Fellini, for the second stop of Webboh Fest, the summer music event organised by Webboh, the first Italian community dedicated to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, with more than 4 million followers on social networks.

An evening of music and entertainment, where many artists will take turns on stage from 8 p.m., including Sarah Toscano, winner of the last edition of ‘Amici di Maria De Filippi’, who is establishing herself as the new pop star on the Italian scene. Also, from the world of ‘Amici’ are Cricca and, straight from Malta, Emma Muscat. Then there’ll be Aka 7even, one of the most promising talents of the new Italian urban-pop singer-songwriting scene with 280 million audio and video streams, and Ditonellapiaga who’ll get the audience dancing to the rhythm of her most recent hits. There’ll also be some of the younger people’s idols, like Pucho, Il Fubbe, Luk3 and Ascanio, Lorenz Simonetti, and Michelle Cavallaro, who’ll have the audience singing along to their viral social media hits.
And it’s not only music: during the evening of Webboh Fest, Webboh will also entertain the audience with challenges and lots of fun (free admission).

Andrea Prada will be the host of this unmissable stage, with help from Sara Esposito, a creator and YouTuber with millions of followers. Both on-stage and backstage will also be hosted by young people’s favourite creators, like Arienne Makeup, a creator with over 4.7 million followers from the Power Talent Agency roster, Giorgia and Alice Mordenti. At the end of the evening, viewers can continue the fun with a DJ set by Matteo Robert, one of the most famous Gen Z TikTokers in Italy.

The backstage will be hosted by creator Alberto Tozzi, star of Webboh Backstage Secrets Summer Tour, the format created from the collaboration between Webboh and DeAKids (Sky Channel 601), who will interview the stars of the event and narrate a tour with exclusive content available on the TV channel’s social networks.

From the afternoon you’ll be able to get numbered gadgets, which will allow you to take part in a special draw that will give you access to Webboh Fest backstage where you’ll be able to follow the entire event from a special location: the backstage area. Radio Bruno, a partner for the festival, will follow Webboh on its tour, revealing on stage in Rimini what the most popular songs of Summer 2024 are.

The event’s sponsor is essence, the famous cosmetics brand from cosnova Italia, which will showcase the products of the Spring-Summer 2024 collection together with popular creator, Arienne Makeup. In the square, as part of the event which was also coordinated with the collaboration of Brand On Solution, Mediamond’s design area, a totem station equipped with a mirror has been installed, where it will be possible to take ‘a selfie for a summer full of kisses’ and receive the iconic Juicy Bomb lipstick, one of the most popular products among the very young.

Webboh Fest: to be continued…

After the first two stops in Giulianova and Rimini, the most entertaining music tour of the summer will end on 6 September in Mirandola (MO). Numerous unmissable events are also planned for this occasion: lots of surprise guests, with unmissable performances, music and shows, thanks to Webboh, which is always working alongside its web and social media audience, as well as live and in-person.

 

Webboh is the flagship media for Gen Z. Created in April 2019, it has been part of Mondadori Media since February 2023. It currently has a fanbase of 4.5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp, 70% of which are under 24. The website receives 3 million unique monthly users (source: Audiweb Last Quarter 2024). It is in the top ten most influential Italian media companies on social media, as well as the first targeting Gen Z for engagement and video views (source: Italian Top Media Rankings for First Communication made by Sensemakers). The topicality, authenticity and interest generated by the content is guaranteed by the bottom-up editorial model: the community is involved in every part of the creative process.

AdKaora for Marc Jacobs

A proximity marketing strategy with a drive-to-store objective for the French market

AdKaora, an international digital agency with full-funnel advertising solutions under the Mondadori Group’s MarTech Pole, has created a proximity marketing strategy outside Italy for Safilo Group, one of the most important companies in the eyewear market, to promote the Marc Jacobs eyewear line.

The purpose of the campaign, which went online in April and was managed together with OMD, Omnicom Media Group’s media agency, was to cover the entire customer journey, increasing brand awareness of the product line and stimulating drive-to-store for points of interest in France.

The AdKaora Creative Studio customised a rich and advanced media format with a highly interactive and innovative character to users a unique experience in discovering the brand. Using the Find&Go Now! interactive map, customers actually entered the shops, increasing footfall and passes by the shops where the product was sold.

The proximity marketing developed by AdKaora covered all steps in the funnel, from awareness to consideration to stimulating footfall in shops, through a mix of display formats, rich media and integrated channels that denote proximity.

The campaign recorded a 25.7% engagement rate thanks to the Find&Go Now! map and a 17.3% increase in shop visits.

 The complete success of this strategy was also due to inclusion of the Brand Lift Survey (BLS) tool by AdKaora and Hej! which relied on user interception and user activation to gather valuable information on the target audience tied to precise campaign objectives and KPI measurement.
The objectives of the BLS included:

  • analysing brand consideration and brand favourability, i.e. the degree to which users prefer and favourably consider the brand and product;
  • extracting more details on the target audience in terms of socio-demographics;
  • analysing the perception of competitors;
  • collecting insights and KPIs from the entire marketing funnel.

The advertising recorded a 50% increase in brand consideration and a 38%increase in brand favourability, confirming users’ positive sentiment towards the brand. Marc Jacobs also verified the product’s discriminating factors and learned a little more about the target group, such as geographic composition and brand perception amid the competition due to AI-integrated conversational marketing technology.

Mondadori Group: strategic partnership with Benedetta Rossi to consolidate leadership position in food & cooking

A binding offer has been signed for the acquisition of 51% of the company that will manage the intellectual property rights and image of Benedetta Rossi, the well-known content creator, author and TV personality, and her brand “Fatto in casa da Benedetta”.

The combined activities of Benedetta Rossi, GialloZafferano and Zenzero will make Mondadori Media Italy's leading multimedia player in the food & cooking sector.

The Mondadori Group announces today that essential terms and conditions have been defined for the acquisition, by its subsidiary Mondadori Media, of 51% of the share capital of Waimea S.r.l., that holds all the intellectual property and economic exploitation rights pertaining to the image of Benedetta Rossi and Marco Gentili. Waimea is 97.9% owned by Benedetta Rossi and Marco Gentili (individually and through the company Maui Media) and 2.10% in equal amounts by Emiliano Messeni and Marco Iacobellis.

Benedetta Rossi is Italy’s best-known creator in the food & cooking sector. Her content creation activities range from the digital sphere – where she has a total social media fan base of over 17 million followers and 4 million unique monthly users of her website (Audiweb, May 2024) – to traditional media including, in particular, TV, where she has for many years starred in various programmes dedicated to cooking. Benedetta Rossi is also the most important cookbook author of recent years, with 9 books published with the Mondadori Group between 2016 and 2023, selling over 1.5 million copies in total.

As a result of this transaction, through the coordinated and synergistic management of activities linked to the Fatto in casa da Benedetta and GialloZafferano brands, the Mondadori Group intends to create the leading multimedia player in the food & cooking sector, both in digital and traditional media. The more than 87 million followers worldwide that Benedetta and GialloZafferano together will be able to reach will make them the world’s second most important social media operator in the food & cooking sector (internal processing of market data).

Antonio Porro, CEO of the Mondadori Group, commented: “Welcoming Benedetta Rossi and her brand into the perimeter of the Mondadori Group will allow us to achieve synergies on different levels: audience, content production and, more generally, know-how, particularly through a series of initiatives that will involve our different business areas. As a result of this acquisition, we are certain to become one of the leading global multimedia players in the food & cooking sector, an area of national pride”.

Benedetta Rossi commented: “We have been working with the publishing houses of the Mondadori Group for many years and have established a strong relationship of trust. Given Mondadori’s significant digital experience in the food sector, when with Marco we took the decision to strengthen our structure with a view to consolidating what we had achieved, and lay the foundations for a further development phase, it came naturally to think of the Mondadori Group as the best business and strategic partner”.

Future development will rest on the centrality of Benedetta Rossi as the person who can guarantee quality and reliability. The strategic partnership is also intended, through greater investment aimed at growing the company through which Benedetta currently operates, to broaden the media success already achieved in the food & cooking sector into new neighbouring sectors and towards new opportunities, even by diversifying the current business model.

The transaction involves the initial acquisition by Mondadori of 51% of the share capital of Waimea – whose revenues and EBITDA in 2023 amounted to € 4.5 million and € 2.7 million respectively – on terms that reflect an Enterprise Value (for 100% of the company) of € 13.5 million, on a cash&debt free basis. Consequently, the price, which will be paid in full in cash on the closing date, is € 6.9 million. The terms of the transaction also provide for a variable component (so-called earn-out) – to be defined on the basis of the results of the two-year period 2023-2024 and of the financial year 2026 – the value of which, also due a contractual “cap” mechanism, is expected to reach a total amount not exceeding € 3.2 million. Following the acquisition, the ownership structure of Waimea will see Mondadori Media holding 51% and Benedetta Rossi and Marco Gentili (through Maui Media) 49%.

The agreements signed also provide for put & call options on a further 19% stake in Waimea’s share capital (exercisable after the approval of the 2028 financial statements), the exercise terms/strike price of which are linked to Waimea’s performance (turnover and EBITDA) in 2028. Exercising these options would allow Mondadori Media to increase its stake in the company to 70%, while keeping Benedetta Rossi and Marco Gentili shareholders at 30%, consistent with the long-term strategic partnership established by the transaction.

Benedetta Rossi and Marco Gentili will remain directors with full autonomy in the management of the business. Advertising sales will continue to be managed by the advertising concessionaire Talks.
Finalisation of the offer documentation and closing of the transaction are expected to take place by the end of 2024 and will be promptly disclosed to the market.

Alice Cairati, the new communications and promotion manager of the Piemme, Sperling & Kupfer and Mondadori Electa publishing houses

Today, Alice Cairati takes up the position of Communications and Promotion Manager of the Piemme, Sperling & Kupfer and Electa publishing houses, reporting directly to General Manager Stefano Peccatori.

Born in Milan in 1984, she graduated from the University of Milan with honours in Philosophical Sciences. Cairati began her professional career with the Mondadori Group 13 years ago, at the Mondadori Electa publishing house. After three years of experience in marketing, she shifted to communications and events in 2014, before becoming Communications Manager for the Varia line of Mondadori Electa, Sperling & Kupfer, Piemme in 2019.

The new communications structure entrusted to Alice Cairati was designed to develop integrated communication plans, in which the press office, digital communications and promotion are coordinated strategically and effectively. In this respect, Cetta Leonardi is head of the Radio and TV Press and Promotion Office, Alessandro Ventura is head of the Digital Communications and Promotion Office, while Cairati remains responsible for the Events Office.

Mondadori Store: An All-New Bookstore in the Campania Shopping Centre in Marcianise

Under direct management, the Mondadori Bookstore presents a completely new layout and spaces dedicated to young people and fans of comics and manga.

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookshops in Italy, presents to the public its new concept of bookshop, located in the Campania Shopping Centre in Marcianise, the largest shopping centre in the region.

The inauguration and ribbon cutting will take place on Tuesday 16 July at 10:30 a.m.

This Mondadori Bookstore, in the Province of Caserta, offers entirely new spaces, layouts and furnishings that enhance and highlight the wide range of books available, as well as service that is increasingly attentive to the needs of every reader, providing a point of reference for all culture, reading and entertainment lovers.

‘We are happy to present the bookstore in Marcianise to the public in Campania, creating a true cultural reference point for the entire region. Today, the shop has a completely renewed layout and range, in line with our Mondadori Store format. This project is part of the strategy of continuous renewal, enhancement and development of our network of bookshops, once again confirming Mondadori Group’s commitment to spreading culture and promoting reading through strong outlets around Italy, from large cities to small towns,’ said Carmine Perna, Managing Director of Mondadori Retail.

The new point of sale, with an area of 1000 m², offers more welcoming spaces — bright, modern and innovative — that enhance and emphasise the vast product range of Mondadori Store: a catalogue of more than 25,000 titles — from best sellers to the great classics, including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous topics — e-readers, stationery products, gift boxes and gift cards. There is also a We are Junior area specifically designed for young readers. In this section, even the youngest readers can find a rich selection of books, illustrated fairy tales and educational games. The bookstore also houses a wide selection of comics and manga in the dedicated Just Comics department, with superhero comics and graphic novels. Finally, the bookstore works with the shopping centre to offer a rich calendar of events, meetings and signings with some of the best-known personalities in entertainment.

The Mondadori Bookstore in Marcianise also serves readers online: customers can keep up to date through the Facebook and Instagram pages. They will also be able to get in touch with the store through Mondadoristore.it digital services to check if a book is available, order it and pick it up in the store, choosing from a catalogue of over 1 million titles.

The new Mondadori Bookstore follows the plan for renewal and development of Mondadori Store, the largest bookstore network in Italy, with more than 500 stores in cities and smaller towns. The cultural organisation is active throughout the country, online with the e-commerce site Mondadoristore.it and the book club. In addition to books, its primary service, it also provides entertainment, events and multichannel services, reaching more than 20 million customers every year.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE
Campania Shopping Centre
Località Aurno 87, 81025 Marcianise (CE)
Hours: Mon–Sun 10 a.m. – 10 p.m
Phone: +39 0823.773100
Email: libreria.marcianise@mondadori.it
https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi
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Mondadori Bookstore | MA opens in Vigevano in Il Ducale Shopping Centre

On Monday, 15 July at 3 p.m., Mondadori Bookstore | MA, the new eco-sustainable bookstore concept, will open to the public in Vigevano (PV) at the Il Ducale Shopping Centre.

With this new store – the second in Lombardy – the number of Mondadori Bookstore | MA stores in Italy rises to 12: innovative cultural hubs, dedicated to spreading culture and promoting reading and entertainment, while fully respecting sustainability.

The bookstore format is inspired by the Japanese philosophical concept of MA (), “an undefined space between heaven and earth where man can empty his mind and nourish his soul”, said Antonio Serpe, Chief Retail Officer of the Mondadori Bookstore | MA Italia bookstores. The bookstore describes itself as a ‘young, green and smart’ space, where people can take a break and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, devoting themselves to reading and getting in harmony with nature. A completely innovative way of understanding, promoting and doing culture.

The new Mondadori Bookstore | MA in Vigevano has an eco-friendly vibe, from the materials used for its construction — marine poplar, recycled iron and sustainable water-based paints — to the design itself — tall, curved furniture reminiscent of tree trunks, bonsai trees and sansevieria that personalises the 150 m² space. The store also offers more than 30,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers, including fiction, non-fiction, detective stories and more. And that’s not forgetting the We are Junior department, which includes children’s books, educational games and illustrated fairy tales to stimulate little ones’ imagination; and the innovative Just Comics department dedicated to manga and comics for Generation Z. There is also a space dedicated to exhibitions and photo displays, which will host ‘L’ultima Luce’ (The Last Light) by artist Alessandro D’Amore for the opening, as well as a forum dedicated to events, ready to host presentations and signings, and, finally, a free reading zone.

MONDADORI | MA expresses an innovative, eco-friendly, young and smart bookstore concept for Generation Z and beyond. The philosophy is expressed through architectural choices and the materials used to create them, and in publishing ideas and initiatives. The eco-sustainable cultural concept grew out of the entrepreneurial background of the Neapolitan-minded creators and Mondadori Retail, the managing company of the largest network of bookshops in Italy, Mondadori Store. Mondadori Bookstores can be found throughout Italy with 12 stores in Udine, Gravellona, Milan, Turin, Arma Di Taggia, Reggio Emilia, Grosseto, Rome, Salerno, Sestu and Catania. Further openings are planned in major Italian cities in 2024, including Naples (Galleria Umberto I).

MONDADORI | MA
Address: Viale Industria 225, 27029 Vigevano (PV)
Hours: Mon–Sun 09:00 – 20:30
Telephone: 038.1651190
Email address: vigevano@mabooks.it
IG: choose_ma – TikTok: mondadori_ma
https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi

Benedetta Serpe
mondadorima.social@gmail.com
Tel: +39 333.9008660

Mondadori Group Press Office
pressoffice@mondadori.it
Tel. +39 02.75423159

Ufficio stampa Gruppo Mondadori
pressoffice@mondadori.it
Tel. +39 02.75423159

Rome’s new Mondadori Bookstore opens in Prati Fiscali’s street

Mondadori Store, the largest network of bookstores in Italy will inaugurate a new store in Rome on Saturday, 13 July, located in Via dei Prati Fiscali, close to the Montesacro district, one of the capital’s most well-known areas.

With this opening, the public will have a new interactive meeting place and a true cultural stronghold entirely dedicated to the world of books and entertainment, which will expand the already extensive network of Mondadori Bookstores in the area.

“This is the fourth bookstore I have opened in Rome with my children, after the ones in Torrevecchia, Boccea and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, and of all of them, it’s the largest one with the most products. The aim is to create a meeting place for the many families and to therefore be a true cultural stronghold throughout the Rome area”, said Francesco Mari, Mondadori Store franchisee. “I have found the Mondadori Store to be network a key strategic partner to help encourage and promote cultural experiences such as book talks and events in bookstores, aimed at all the inhabitants of the area, but above all to collaborate synergistically with local schools, organising workshops exclusively dedicated to students”, Mari concludes.

The new bookstore covers 170 m2 and offers a selection of 15,000 titles, from the great classics to best sellers, including fiction, non-fiction and miscellaneous. Special attention is paid to younger readers with the We are Junior format, which includes educational games and picture books to stimulate their imagination with the strangest stories, and the department dedicated to the manga and comics phenomenon Just Comic. There is also a permanent area dedicated exclusively to events. Areas dedicated to #BookTok, for the new generation of readers, local publishing, as well as stationery, toys, gift cards and gift boxes, also expand the store’s offer.

The Mondadori Bookstore in Prati also serves reads online: customers can get updates on the Instagram page. They will also be able to get in touch with the store through the Mondadoristore.it digital services to check if a book is available, order it and pick it up in the store, choosing from a catalogue of over 1 million titles.

The new Mondadori Bookstore follows the plan for renewal and development of Mondadori Store, the largest bookstore network in Italy, with more than 500 stores in cities and smaller towns. This cultural organisation is active throughout the country, online with the e-commerce site Mondadoristore.it and the book club. In addition to books, its primary service, it also provides entertainment, events and multichannel services, reaching more than 20 million customers every year.

MONDADORI BOOKSTORE
Via dei Prati Fiscali 75, 00141, Rome (RM)
Hours: Mon–Sun 9.:0am – 8:00pm
Phone: +39 06.97166707
Email: mondadori.pratifiscali@gmail.com
https://www.mondadoristore.it/negozi
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