* Smiths News lands 5-yr distribution deals; shares soar
* Says deals to boost revenue by 84 million sterling
* John Menzies renegotiates contracts; shares down
* Dawson Holdings fails to secure deals
* Shares in Dawson plunge 30 percent
(Adds details on Menzies, Dawson, CEO comment, analysts)
By Nick Vinocur
LONDON, March 12 (Reuters) - British newspaper and magazine wholesalers Smiths News and John Menzies agreed new distribution deals, stealing market share from smaller rival Dawson Holdings in an ever-shrinking print media distribution market.
Smiths News shares rose 12 percent to 51.5 pence after it announced five-year deals with distributors Frontline and Seymour, raising its share of their titles to 55 percent.
John Menzies said it had renegotiated terms with the distributors, which together account for 42 percent of Britain's magazine market. Its shares fell 7.4 percent. Dawson Holdings said its existing deals with Frontline and Seymour -- worth 116 million pounds ($160.5 million) of revenue in 2007 -- would not be renewed when they run out in 12 months, sending its shares down 30 percent.
Analysts applauded Smiths' contract wins, which stand to boost annual revenue by 84 million pounds when they begin in April 2010. Broker Altium Securities raised its rating to "buy" from "hold", and said the company was poised to grow in 2009.
"If you gain market share it makes it easier to expand from those platforms," Altium analyst Karl Green said.
"You've only got three players which have 90 percent of the market; Smiths' only way of growing meaningfully is expanding market share." Green said competition for control of Britain's print media landscape was fierce, with three companies battling each other against a backdrop of declining newsstand sales.
SMITHS PULLS AHEAD
Smiths News said it not only renewed all but one of its contracts with Frontline and Seymour but also won rights to distribute in 11 new territories.
"The 11 new areas will clearly provide us with a platform for growth," Chief Executive Mark Cashmore told Reuters in a telephone interview. "We will grow our top line revenue."
He said a distribution deal the company won last year with NewsCorp subsidiary News International had raised its profile with distributors during negotiations.
"It was a catalyst," Cashmore said.
"The News International deal made people think about their strategy going forward."
Rival John Menzies raised its market share of Seymour and Frontline titles to 45 percent from 36 percent. Analysts priced the value of its contracts at 50 million pounds a year.
"They've both won market share, so it should not be a matter of picking a winner," Brewin Dolphin analyst James Tetley said.
Dawson Holding, however, failed to obtain renewals for its contracts with Frontline and Seymour, which are due to expire in 2010, and lost significant market share to its two rivals.
Dawson said it would initiate contingency plans to offset any long term effects of the losses but did not expect the impact on the current financial year to be significant.
"We are clearly very disappointed and will be taking such actions as are necessary to protect our position," it said. (Editing by Andrew Macdonald) ($1=.7226 Pound)