Meredith Enterprises history

Unable to make a profit until 1927, Fruit, Garden and Home, a magazine similar to Successful Farming for the home and family, had start-up difficulties as well.

By the time of E. T. Meredith's death in 1928, the year he was considered a candidate for the presidency, Better Homes and Gardens and Successful Farming had reached a combined circulation of 2.5 million.

To raise the capital necessary to diversify its interests, the company began offering stock to the public in 1946.

By 1969, the company had formed a printing partnership with the Burda family of West Germany, which would grow into one of the largest printing businesses in the United States.

In 1992 Meredith had a net loss of $6.3 million.

The company launched an advertising campaign for its magazine group in 1993, which asserted, "If it has to do with home and family, it has to be in Meredith." The campaign featured black-and-white pictures of real families having fun together.

The real estate business had grown to include about 700 firms, which owned and operated about 1,300 offices and had 24,000 sales associates by 1994.

The company had 40 such books by 1995 and printed a total of 35 million copies.

By 1996, the company had seven stations, and these contributed more than 40 percent of the firm's profit.