Books-A-Million Q4 profit edges up

Birmingham, Ala. Books-A-Million reported late Thursday that its profit edged up slightly in the fourth quarter despite a drop in sales.

The company said it earned $11.9 million for the quarter ended Jan. 30, up from $11.2 million a year ago. Sales dropped 4.6% to $157.2 million.

For the full year, Books-A-Million's profit grew to $13.8 million from $10.6 million in the prior year. For the year, sales fell 1.3% to $508.7 million for the year.