HDD Hardide Plc

RNS NO 6606M
HODDER HEADLINE PLC
5 May 1999

HODDER HEADLINE PLC - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S COMMENTS
ON CURRENT TRADING

We are pleased to report that sales in the first four months of the year have
been strong, reflecting our strategy of acquiring and developing high
potential titles and series and backing them with high profile marketing
campaigns.  All publishing segments, in the UK and overseas, have made good
progress.

We have put 18 titles onto The Sunday Times bestseller lists in the first four
months, 9 of which are titles by authors new to our lists.  Bestsellers that
have made significant contributions include Single & Single by John le Carre,
Tomorrow the World by Josephine Cox, She's the One by Cathy Kelly, The Girl
Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King and My Legendary Girlfriend by Mike
Gayle.

We are encouraged by the Government's renewed commitment to literacy and
reading books.  Our Hodder & Stoughton Educational division has gained further
market share in the first quarter of 1999 in a better funded environment.

Our publishing lists are very strong for the second half of the year.  Major
titles include a new collection of stories by Stephen King, Hearts in
Atlantis, and new hardback novels from top bestselling authors such as In
Pursuit of the Proper Sinner by Elizabeth George and Somewhere, Someday by
Josephine Cox.  High potential paperbacks include two new Net Force titles by
Tom Clancy, When the Wind Blows by James Patterson and Seize the Night by Dean
Koontz.  Non-fiction titles being well supported by booksellers for later in
the year include Dickie Bird's second book White Cap and Bails and the
long-awaited Alex Ferguson autobiography, Managing My Life.  There are also
powerful new ranges from our educational, academic, children's, religious and
overseas operations.

The Board remains confident that 1999 will be another year of good progress
for the Group.

For further information, please contact:

Hodder Headline PLC
Tim Hely Hutchinson, Group Chief Executive            0171 873 6000
Mark Opzoomer, Deputy Chief Executive
Richard Adam, Group Finance Director

Brunswick
Jane Hardman                                          0171 404 5959
Jessica Shepherd-Smith

END

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