February 7, 2018
Book Publisher Revenues Flat for First Three Quarters of 2017
Washington, D.C.; Feb 7, 2018 – For the first three quarters of the year publishers’ revenues (sales to bookstores, wholesalers, direct to consumer, online retailers, etc.) were flat (-0.5%) compared to the same period in 2016. Trade books saw slightly declining revenues (-0.9%) for the year-to-date.
The book publishing industry’s largest category (31.1% of the market) Adult Books – was flat (+0.4%) for the year-to-date. Conversely, both Children’s and Young Adult Books (-3.5%) and Religious Presses (-3.3%) saw declines.
The categories with the most growth were those with small shares of the overall book publishing market -Professional Books (+6.2%) and University Presses (+4.6%).
Total Trade Net Revenue by Category for First Three Quarters of 2017 (in millions)*
| Jan. – Sept. 2017 | Jan. – Sept. 2016 | Percent Change | |
| Adult Fiction/Non-Fiction |
$3,507.0 |
$3,491.8 |
+0.4% |
| Children’s/YA |
$1,362.6 |
$1,412.5 |
-3.5% |
| Religious Presses |
$313.3 |
$323.9 |
-3.3% |
| Total Trade |
$5,183.0 |
$5,228.2 |
-0.9% |
Trade Book Formats
Downloaded audio has been growing by double digits over the past three years, and the first three quarters of 2017 reflect continued growth, with publisher revenue up +26.2%. Notably, with revenues of $244.8 million for Jan. – Sept. 2017, downloaded audio is two months ahead in revenue that in was in 2016 (revenue for Jan. – Nov. 2016 was $244.1 million.)
Publisher revenues for eBooks generally decline, with publisher revenues down -5.5% for the first three quarters of 2017 vs 2016. One exception is Religious Presses, which has seen +9.5% growth in eBooks for the first nine months of 2017 compared to 2016, with revenues climbing from $25.9 million to $28.4 million.
Nine Month Total Trade Net Revenue by Format (in millions)
| Jan. – Sept. 2017 | Jan. – Sept. 2016 | Percent Change | |
| eBooks |
$835.9 |
$884.8 |
-5.5% |
| Hardback |
$1,799.7 |
$1,786.7 |
+0.7% |
| Paperback & Mass Market |
$1,983.8 |
$2,045.6 |
-3.0% |
| Downloaded Audio |
$244.8 |
$194.0 |
+26.2% |
| Other (physical audio, board book) |
$563.6 |
$511.1 |
+10.3% |
Education and Scholarly Publishing
The education sector saw mixed results, with +2.0% growth in Higher Education Course Materials and a 3.8% decline in PreK-12 Instructional Materials year-to-date.
Revenues for Professional Books increased by +6.2% and University Presses increased +4.6% in from Jan. – Sept. 2017 compared to the same time in 2016. Two items of note – revenue growth in medical books was up +14.8% year-to-date and University eBooks had a strong September contributing to a +3.0% year-to-date revenue growth.
About StatShot
Publisher net revenue is tracked monthly by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and includes sales data from about 1,200 publishers. Figures represent publishers’ net revenue for the U.S. (i.e. what publishers sell to bookstores, direct to consumer, online venues, etc.), and are not retailer/consumer sales figures.
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.
Find us online at publishers.org or on twitter at @AmericanPublish.