Bertelsmann released half year results for 2024, with sales at Penguin Random House of €2.276 billion ($2.46 billion), up 8.5 percent, compared to €2.098 billion a year ago, “largely attributable to publishing acquisitions” along with organic growth in the US and Spanish-speaking businesses. Adjusted operating EBITDA was up 12.8 percent or €33 million to €291 million, due to sales and “savings achieved largely through the reorganization of the US business.” Ashley Elston’s First Lie Wins was the top fiction title for the period, while James Clear’s Atomic Habits was the top nonfiction and top backlist title. The next best selling […]
Earnings Reports
Harper Earnings Grow as Audio Surpasses Ebooks
News Corp reported fourth quarter and full year sales, with a strong final quarter at Harper Collins: Publishing sales grew 15 percent to $512 million. Top titles in the quarter include Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton Series, Lucy Foley’s The Midnight Feast, and Sarah A. Parker’s When the Moon Hatched, with strong Bible sales, and improved return rates as well. EBITDA was $57 million, compared to $16 million last year, attributed to strong sales “and lower manufacturing costs driven by product mix, partially offset by higher employee costs.” The Spotify effect continued as well, as digital audiobook sales exceeded ebook sales for […]
Storytel Increases Profits, Announces New CEO
Storytel released its interim financial report for second quarter of 2024 ended June 30, with sales up 9 percent to SEK924 million ($86.4 million). Operating profit was SEK47 million, up from a loss of SEK(29) million last year, with EBITDA of SEK110 million, compared to SEK42 million in 2023. According to CEO Johannes Larcher, this is “the best financial performance in the history of the company.” “The continued revenue growth coupled with a higher internal share of content, and a significantly improved cost structure due to the measures implemented late last year and early this year, has made us firmly […]
Pearson Expects Higher Ed Growth in the Second Half of the Year
Pearson released their interim financial report for the first half of the year, reporting sales of £1.75 billion ($2.21 billion), down 7 percent from £1.88 billion in the same period last year. Operating profit was flat at £219 million. In Higher Education, sales were £358 million, down 6 percent, with an operating loss of £(1) million. The company said these results are “in line with our phasing guidance,” and due to “currency movements and portfolio changes.” They expect to return to growth in the segment in the second half of the year. Assessments and Qualifications sales were up 2 percent […]
Lagardere Publishing Has Strong Second Quarter, Record First-Half Earnings
Lagardere Publishing reported a strong second quarter on Tuesday afternoon, with sales of €733 million, up €56 million from a year ago, or 8.3 percent higher. For the first half of the year, sales were €1.309 billion (up €62 million), with recurring EBIT of €113 million, up a significant €48 million from the same period a year ago, a new high for the first half of the year — though traditionally they record most of their profits in the second half. Earnings were “driven by growth in the United Kingdom and the United States, a favorable sales mix in physical […]
Scholastic’s Slow Sales in Final Quarter Lead to Declines for the Year
Scholastic reported fourth quarter and full year results for the period ended May 31. For the quarter, sales were down 10 percent to $475 million, owing to lower book club sales, “as a result of the resizing efforts to create a smaller, more profitable core business,” the company said in a release. Adjusted EBITDA was down 21 percent to $90.7 million and operating income decreased 49 percent to $47.2 million, due to lower sales per book fair, as well as decreased sales in the Education Solutions segment. “That’s in contrast to our expectations for modest growth,” CEO Peter Warwick said […]