February 28, 2018
Book Publisher Revenues up 27.6% in October 2017
Washington, D.C.; March 1, 2018 – Publishers saw increased revenues in October, up $251 million (+27.6%) for October 2017 vs October 2016. The strong month brings revenues for Jan. – Oct. 2017 to $12.44 billion, up +1.7% for the year-to-date. Every category saw an increase in revenues for Oct. 2017, which include sales to bookstores, wholesalers, direct to consumer, online retailers, etc.)
Trade books are up +16.5% for Oct. 2017 vs Oct. 2016 and +1.6% year-to-date. The greatest growth in the trade category was adult books, which saw $123.5 million (+25.8%) revenue growth. Publishers report that the significant increase is due to several factors including the book debuts from well-known authors.
Total Trade Net Revenue by Category for Jan. – Oct. 2017 (in millions)*
| Jan. – Oct. 2017 | Jan. – Oct. 2016 | Percent Change | |
| Adult Fiction/Non-Fiction |
$4,111.3 |
$3,967.5 |
+3.6% |
| Children’s/YA |
$1,650.2 |
$1,692.4 |
-2.5% |
| Religious Presses |
$370.0 |
$374.2 |
-1.1% |
| Total Trade |
$6,131.5 |
$6,034.2 |
+1.6% |
Trade Book Formats
In October, print books and audiobooks saw increased revenues, while eBooks declined in all categories except religious presses. The formats with the most significant growth in October were downloaded audio, up +41.4% and hardback books, up +25.1%.
From Jan. – Oct. for the year-to-date the hardback, board book and downloaded audio formats saw increased revenues.
Nine Month Total Trade Net Revenue by Format (in millions)*
| Jan. – Oct. 2017 | Jan. – Oct. 2016 | Percent Change | |
| Hardback |
$2,285.6 |
$2,173.3 |
+5.2% |
| Paperback & Mass Market |
$2,261.2 |
$2,289.6 |
-1.2% |
| eBooks |
$925.1 |
$978.9 |
-5.5% |
| Downloaded Audio |
$275.6 |
$215.5 |
+27.9% |
| Other (physical audio, board book) |
$384.1 |
$376.9 |
+1.9% |
Education and Scholarly Publishing
The education sector saw mixed results, with +5.4% growth in Higher Education Course Materials and a -3.4% decline in PreK-12 Instructional Materials from Jan – Oct. 2017.
Revenues for Professional Books increased by +41.1% for Oct. 2017 vs Oct 2016 and are up 10.2% year to date. University Presses increased +21.8% in October and 5.1% year-to-date.
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.