Books-a-Million reported a 2.4% decline in sales in Q1, with comparable store sales down 0.9%.  Management attributed the decline to strong sales in teen books in the year ago period.  But geek categories kept the decline from being larger, according to CEO Terry Finley in the conference call. 

Adult strategy games were called out as a strong subcategory in the growing games and puzzles category, with adult collector figures such as Funko’s Pop! Figures also a strong point.

In a strong graphic novel category, the manga subcategory was “exceptionally strong…across a wide range of individual titles and series,” Finley said.

This trend is not new; these categories have been strong for a while at the chain (see “Book, Toy, Entertainment Retailer Report Holiday Results”). 

Profits at the chain were nearly identical to the year ago period:  $.37 per share loss in Q1 2015 vs. $.38 loss per share in Q1 2014. 

The Anderson family is in the process of trying to take the chain private (see “Family Tries to Take Book Chain Private”).