May 25, 2018
Book Publisher Revenue Up 6.2% in First Quarter of 2018
Revenue for the quarter (January – March) is up in all but one tracked category
Washington, DC; May 25, 2018 – Publishers’ revenue increased by $143.2 million (+6.2%) for the first quarter of 2018 (Jan – March) compared to the same period in 2017. These numbers include sales for all tracked categories (Trade – fiction/non-fiction/religious, PreK-12 Instructional Materials, Higher Education Course Materials, Professional Publishing, and University Presses). The increases are attributed primarily to strong growth in trade (consumer) books in January and February.
Trade books increased by $94.7 million (+6.3%) to $1.59 billion in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017, with growth in Adult Books, Children & Young Adult Books and Religious Presses. Publishers also saw increased revenue for Professional Books, University Presses and Higher Ed Course Materials.
Some First Quarter trends include:
- Publishers saw revenue gains in Adult Books, Professional Books, and University Presses continuing trends from 2017
- Adult Books saw double-digit growth in January (+13.7%) and February (+12.4%)
- While eBook revenue decreased for the quarter, March saw 1.5% growth for the format
- Downloaded audiobooks continue their rapid growth, with publisher revenue up 32.1% for the first quarter
First Quarter 2018: Trade Book Revenue (in millions)
|
Jan. – March 2018 |
Jan. – March 2017 |
Percent Change |
|
| Adult Fiction/Non-Fiction |
$1,087.3 |
$1,033.1 |
+5.2% |
| Children/YA |
$389.9 |
$368.1 |
+5.9% |
| Religious Presses |
$109.8 |
$91.1 |
+20.6% |
| Total |
$1,587.0 |
$1,492.3 |
+6.3% |
Trade Book Formats
In the first quarter, print books generally continued their growth from 2017. Revenue from print books totaled $1.14 billion, up about $67.7 million (+6.3%), from the first quarter of 2017. The increase is attributed to growth in trade’s two largest formats – hardback books (+12.0%) and paperback books (+3.2%).
Downloaded audio continued its significant growth into the first quarter of 2018, up by +32.1% over the first quarter 2017. In the first quarter of 2018, the format added $24.0 million in revenue growth compared to the same period last year, making it the format with the second highest revenue growth – just behind hardback books (up $57.1 million).
While eBooks declined by -3.2% for the quarter, they had one month of growth. Publisher revenue for eBooks grew 1.5% in March 2018 compared to March 2017, with Adult eBooks being the reason for the increase.
Total Trade Net Revenue by Format (in millions)
|
Jan. – March 2018 |
Jan. – March 2017 |
Percent Change | |
| Hardback |
$532.6 |
$475.5 |
+12.0% |
| Paperback & Mass Market |
$575.0 |
$561.3 |
+2.4% |
| eBooks |
$270.2 |
$279.0 |
-3.2% |
| Downloaded Audio |
$98.8 |
$74.8 |
+32.1% |
| Physical Audio |
$8.9 |
$9.2 |
-3.6% |
| Board Books |
$28.2 |
$31.3 |
-10.1% |
| Other |
$73.3 |
$61.1 |
+19.9% |
Education, Professional and Scholarly Publishing
Trends from 2017 continued through the first quarter of 2018, with revenue growth in Professional Books (business, medical, law, scientific and technical books), University Presses, and Higher Education Course Materials. Prek-12 Instructional Materials was the only tracked category that saw a decline in the first quarter.
First Quarter 2018: Education and Scholarly Publishing (in millions)
|
Jan. – March 2018 |
Jan. – March 2017 |
Percent Change |
|
| Higher Ed Course Materials |
$511.8 |
$460.0 |
+11.2% |
| PreK-12 Instructional Materials |
$215.4 |
$234.5 |
-8.2% |
| Professional Books |
$131.9 |
$119.6 |
+10.3% |
| University Presses |
$13.1 |
$12.6 |
+4.1% |
| Total |
$872.2 |
$826.7 |
5.5% |
Publisher net revenue is tracked monthly by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and includes revenue from about 1,100 publishers, with participation subject to change over time. AAP also tracks revenue annually with AAP’s StatShot Annual Report, which includes reporting from additional publishers and data about unit sales and channels. For more information about purchasing the StatShot Monthly and StatShot Annual, email info@publishers.org.
About AAP:
AAP | The Association of American Publishers represents the leading book, journal, and education publishers in the United States on matters of law and policy, advocating for outcomes that incentivize the publication of creative expression, professional content, and learning solutions. As essential participants in local markets and the global economy, our members invest in and inspire the exchange of ideas, transforming the world we live in one word at a time.
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