Publishers

Bertelsmann released a brief financial update on the first nine months of the year. In the third quarter, Bertelsmann’s sales were approximately €4.4 billion ($4.66 billion at current exchange rates), compared to €4.9 billion last year. They say top titles in the quarter for Penguin Random House were Nicholas Sparks’ Counting Miracles (published in Germany and referred to in the release as Our Time of Wonder) and Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus. For the year-to-date, the company’s sales were down 8.4 percent to €13.4 billion ($14.2 billion), still attributed to the sale of Majorel. Organic growth for the year stands at […]

Pearson released a trading update for the third quarter, reporting that overall sales were up 4 percent. They note that all segments grew in the quarter, including Higher Education, which had been on the decline. Sales for the Higher Education business, which includes textbooks, were up 4 percent in the quarter, “driven by the operational and business changes implemented over the past 18 months.” In the US, the gains were due to increased adoptions, enrollment, and pricing. The company expects the segment to reflect growth for the full year. “Pearson is delivering on the three priorities for 2024 that I […]

Storytel reported results for the third quarter ended September 30, with sales up 7 percent to SEK954 million ($91.6 million). Gross profit gained 18 percent to SEK434 million with operating profit of SEK 87 million. EBITDA was up 67 percent to SEK161 million. Those continuing profits along with increased guidance for the full year lifted the company’s stock. On October 1, Bodil Eriksson Torp became ceo of the company. In a release, she notes, “Under my leadership, we will continue to move the world through a story, explore new possibilities, and push the boundaries of what can be achieved—all in […]

Bloomsbury reported sales for the first half of their fiscal year ended August 31, with sales continuing their rise—due in particular to Sarah J. Maas—to £180 million, up 32 percent, or £43 million. Profits were up 50 percent to £26.6 million. Essentially all of the gains came from the consumer division, where sales were up 47 percent (or £42 million) to £131.3 million, with profit before taxation and highlighted items gaining 91 percent to £21.4 million. We can’t talk about the consumer division without talking about Maas. According to the publisher, her sales more than doubled again in the period, […]

Lagardere Publishing issued their brief third quarter trading update on Thursday afternoon, with third quarter sales of €765 million, just below €767 million for the same period a year ago. CEO Arnaud Lagardere said in the release, “Lagardère Publishing maintained a high level of revenue, lifted especially by a standout performance in the United States.” The announcement notes that in the US, “business grew strongly thanks to a publication schedule that included a new Malcolm Gladwell novel (Revenge of the Tipping Point) and strong backlist sales of Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid, together with rising digital sales and a solid performance in […]

Scholastic reported results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, with sales of $ 237 million, up 4 percent from the same period last year, due to strong sales from 9 Story Media Group and offset by declines in the education segment. The seasonal operating loss improved 11 percent to $(88.5) million, attributed to gains in the children’s publishing and distribution segment. Adjusted EBITA was $(60.5) million, compared to $(70.6) million in 2024. The company’s stock rebounded on better-than-expected results, rising over 10 percent in early Friday trading. Trade book sales gained 2 percent to $73.9 million, due mainly […]