Bastei Lübbe defies market trend with sustained growth in the first nine months of 2025/2026

Bastei Lübbe defies market trend with sustained growth in the first nine months of 2025/2026
 

• Group revenues of EUR 92.1 million in the first nine months of 2025/2026, accompanied by a double-digit EBIT margin
• Attractive catalogue generating momentum
• At 31 percent, share of digital business in total revenues still above the previous year
• Full-year forecast for 2025/2026 confirmed

Cologne, 5 February 2026. Bastei Lübbe AG, a general-interest publishing group listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN DE000A1X3YY0), continued to grow, thus defying current conditions, and is on track to achieve its own full-year targets despite the challenging market environment. In the period from April to December 2025, it generated Group revenues of EUR 92.1 million. Group EBIT amounted to EUR 10.1 million in the reporting period, translating into an EBIT margin of 11.0 percent.

Soheil Dastyari, CEO of Bastei Lübbe AG: “Our attractive catalogue with numerous new releases by our bestselling authors and the strong performance of our digital formats continue to give us an edge in a shrinking overall market. This enabled us to grow contrary to the market trend again, ensuring that we remain on track.”

At 31 percent, the share of digital products in Group revenues in the period under review exceeded the previous year’s figure of 29 percent, reflecting the continued successful performance of both audio and e-book productions. The share of revenues generated by community-driven business models shrank to 31 percent, down from 43 percent in the same period of the previous year, this being primarily attributable to the positive revenue effects of blockbuster releases by established imprints.

Attractive catalogue generating momentum in defiance of general market trends

The “Book” segment generated revenues of EUR 86.8 million in the first nine months of the 2025/2026 financial year (previous year: EUR 85.2 million). Despite the generally more muted market environment, attractive new releases generated momentum for Bastei Lübbe. At EUR 9.5 million (previous year: EUR 14.4 million), segment EBIT was in line with expectations. The decline over the previous year was due to increased author royalties and higher printing costs. Moreover, the previous year had been characterised by products with an above-average profitability.

The “Novel Booklets” segment posted revenues of EUR 5.3 million in the period under review, thus remaining stable compared to the previous year (EUR 5.3 million). Segment EBIT was at EUR 0.6 million in the first nine months of the year (previous year: EUR 0.9 million).

Earnings in line with expectations

At EUR 49.1 million, the cost of materials increased more quickly than revenues in the reporting period, as expected, resulting in a higher cost-of-materials ratio. This is mainly attributable to higher production costs for individual blockbuster titles and increased author royalties for top titles.

Personnel expenses climbed from EUR 16.1 million in the previous year to EUR 16.6 million. Other operating expenses rose from EUR 15.9 million in the previous year to EUR 16.6 million, driven by deliberately higher selling and advertising expenses.

Group earnings before taxes (EBT) came to EUR 10.0 million in the first nine months of 2025/2026 (previous year: EUR 14.7 million). The consolidated net profit for the period attributable to the shareholders of Bastei Lübbe AG totalled EUR 6.7 million in the reporting period (previous year: EUR 9.9 million). Accordingly, earnings per share stood at EUR 0.51 (previous year: EUR 0.75).

As of 31 December 2025, total Group assets stood at EUR 117.2 million, compared with EUR 114.3 million as of 31 March 2025. At EUR 70.7 million on 31 December 2025, the share of equity attributable to the equity holders of the parent company was higher than on 31 March 2025 (EUR 68.7 million). The net profit of EUR 6.7 million for the period was offset by the dividend payment of EUR 4.8 million for the 2024/2025 financial year.

Full-year forecast confirmed

In line with the presentation in the 2024/2025 annual report, the Executive Board reaffirms its forecast for the 2025/2026 financial year despite the more difficult conditions. Accordingly, Group revenues of EUR 120 – 125 million and EBIT of EUR 14.0 – 16.0 million are expected.

Bastei Lübbe AG's report on the first nine months of the 2025/2026 financial year is available at www.bastei-luebbe.de.

About Bastei Lübbe AG:

Bastei Lübbe AG is the leading independent publishing group in Germany. Based in Cologne, it publishes books, audio books and e-books featuring high-quality popular entertainment as well as periodical novel booklets. In total, the Company owns more than 14 imprints. Bastei Lübbe sees itself as an innovation driver in the industry and has successfully established several rapidly expanding community-driven business models, among other things. Bastei Lübbe AG is also a pioneer of digital media, producing thousands of audio and eBooks, which are distributed via all digital exploitation channels. The Group generates annual revenues of over EUR 114 million (2024/2025 financial year). Its shares have been listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (WKN A1X3YY, ISIN DE000A1X3YY0) since 2013. Further information can be found at www.bastei-luebbe.de.

Contact Bastei Lübbe AG:

Barbara Fischer
Consulting Communications/Investor Relations
Phone: +49 (0)221 8200 2580
E-Mail: barbara.fischer@luebbe.de