Publishing house Bloomsbury acquires Wisden

LONDON - Bloomsbury Publishing PLC announced Friday it had acquired John Wisden & Co., publisher of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.

Bloomsbury did not disclose the purchase price.

John Wisden & Co. was bought by the billionaire Paul Getty in 1993. Since his death in 2003, the company has been owned by his son, Mark.

Published every year since 1864, the yearbook is known among cricket fans for its mixture of statistics, features and opinion pieces.

Bloomsbury Publishing Chief Executive Nigel Newton called the acquisition "a landmark event in the history of the company and an important step in our strategy to increase our presence in reference and sport publishing."

Bloomsbury shares closed down 7.9 percent at 140 pence ($2.05) on the London Stock Exchange Friday.

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