[eze]

When I lived in the US I was puzzled to find, say, May magazine issues available in newsstands as early as mid April. Similarly, it seems not only acceptable, but indeed expected, for major companies to review the year before it's over.

Can Americans (or else) shed some light on this phenomenon?

[yan]

Marking a magazine with a date in the future simply increases its shelf life. As for the year-end reviews, I assume people like to look back at a year toward the end and set goals for the new year at the start. Jan 2013, people don't care much for 2012 anymore.