September 19, 2018
Double-Digit Growth in Publisher Revenue for Trade Books in July 2018
Washington, DC; September 19, 2018 – Publishers’ revenue for trade (consumer) books increased by $56.7 million (+11.2%) for July 2018 compared to July 2017 and $174.4 Million (+4.7%) for the first seven months of 2018 (Jan. – July). Publisher revenues in all trade book categories – Adult Books, Children’s/YA and Religious Presses – saw double-digit gains over July 2017.
Outside of trade books, only K-12 Instructional Materials saw publisher revenue growth for July 2018, which was up by +7.7% compared to July 2017. Overall publisher revenue for the year-to-date was down by -1.5% compared to the first seven months of 2017. These revenues from AAP’s StatShot Monthly Report, which comparatively tracks publisher revenue each month, represent all tracked categories (Trade, PreK-12 Instructional Materials, Higher Education Course Materials, Professional Publishing, and University Presses).
Trade Publishing
Jan. to July: Trade Book Revenue (in millions)
|
Jan. – July 2018 |
Jan. – July 2017 |
Percent Change |
|
| Adult Fiction/Non-Fiction |
$2,617.4 |
$2,487.6 |
+5.2% |
| Children’s/YA |
$996.9 |
$980.2 |
+1.7% |
| Religious Presses |
$282.0 |
$254.1 |
+11.0% |
| Total |
$3,896.3 |
$3,721.9 |
+4.7% |
Print books generally saw revenue growth, with a combined $2.85 billion in publisher revenue for the first seven months of 2018 – up by $124.6 million from the same timeframe 2017. Previous trends for digital books continued, with publisher revenue for audiobooks up and eBooks down.
Jan. to July: Total Trade Net Revenue by Format (in millions)
|
Jan. – July 2018 |
Jan. – July 2017 |
Percent Change |
|
| Hardback |
$1,328.5 |
$1,238.8 |
+7.2% |
| Paperback & Mass Market |
$1,460.2 |
$1,423.0 |
+2.6% |
| eBooks |
$588.8 |
$619.6 |
-5.0% |
| Downloaded Audio |
$253.1 |
$185.6 |
+36.4% |
| Physical Audio |
$23.4 |
$29.2 |
-19.9% |
| Board Books |
$64.9 |
$67.2 |
-3.5% |
| Other |
$177.6 |
$158.5 |
+12.0% |
Education and Scholarly Publishing
Revenue for education and scholarly publishers declined for the first seven months of 2018 compared to 2017. In July, only PreK-12 had revenue growth for publishers, and was up by $43.4 million (+7.7%).
Jan. to July: Education and Scholarly Publishing (in millions)
|
Jan. – July 2018 |
Jan. – July 2017 |
Percent Change |
|
| Higher Ed Course Materials |
$1,560.3 |
$1,703.5 |
-8.4% |
| PreK-12 Instructional Materials |
$1,629.4 |
$1,743.4 |
-6.5% |
| Professional Books |
$529.4 |
$563.9 |
-6.1% |
| University Presses |
$29.6 |
$31.1 |
-4.9% |
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. Both the StatShot Annual and Higher Education Annual report are available for purchase; additional information about the reports can be found here.
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. Find us online at publishers.org or on twitter at @AmericanPublish