IDW Media Holdings, Inc. reported a loss for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2017, on sales declines in its IDW Publishing (which includes IDW Games) and CTM Media Group divisions and a slight sales increase at IDW Entertainment.  Publishing sales declines were particularly acute during the company’s August-October quarter, down 28%, from $9.4 million in its Q4 2016 to $6.8 million in 2017.

For the full year, publishing sales declines were more modest, down 12% vs. the previous fiscal year, from $27.9 million in 2016 to $24.5 million in 2017.

The company attributed the declines to the same factors it’s cited previously (see "IDW Reports Lower Publishing Revenues, Profits in Quarter"): a “cyclically slow period in the comic book specialty market,” and the disruption to its book sales caused by the switch to Penguin Random House Publisher Services from Diamond Book Distributors.

Company-wide revenue was down 15.4% for the quarter, from $23.6 million in 2016 to $20.0 million in Q4 2017.  For the full year, sales were down 8%, from $65.3 million in 2016 to $60.4 million in 2017.

Net earnings in IDW’s fiscal Q4 were $700,000, down 65% from $2.0 million in the same quarter in 2016.  The company lost $800,000 in its full fiscal year, a big swing from net income of $3.7 million in its 2016 fiscal year.

IDW Entertainment revenues for the year were up slightly from $16.0 million to $16.2 million.  Sales at CTM Media Group (the company’s brochure distribution and advertising company) declined from $21.4 million in 2016 to $19.7 million in 2017.

IDW reported that production on the Locke & Key pilot for Hulu (see "Late April Geek TV News Roundup") has been completed, and pointed to its many shows in development as positive signs for the future.  The company also said that it anticipates “continued sequental growth in IDW Publishing, which includes IDW Games."