EQS-News: Bastei Lübbe with strong growth again in the first quarter of 2024/2025

Bastei Lübbe with strong growth again in the first quarter of 2024/2025

15.7 percent year-on-year increase in revenues to EUR 26.4 million Increase in Group EBIT to EUR 3.7 million (previous year: EUR 2.1 million) in tandem with substantially higher EBIT margin of 14.0 percent (previous year: 9.2 percent) New Adult and audio formats the main revenue drivers again Full-year forecast for 2024/2025 confirmed

Cologne, 8 August 2024. Bastei Lübbe AG, a general-interest publishing group listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN DE000A1X3YY0), continued to grow in the first quarter of its 2024/2025 financial year, achieving increased profitability. Thus, it generated Group revenues of EUR 26.4 million in the period from April to June 2024, up from EUR 22.8 million in the same period of the previous year, equivalent to an increase of 15.7 percent. Group EBIT rose more swiftly by 75.9 percent to EUR 3.7 million in the first quarter, up from EUR 2.1 million in the previous year. Reflecting this, the EBIT margin widened to 14.0 percent, compared with 9.2 percent in the same period of the previous year.

Strong growth in LYX’s New Adult catalogue and audio

The first quarter of 2024/2025 was pleasing for Bastei Lübbe AG again despite the challenging macroeconomic situation. The “Book” segment generated revenues of EUR 24.7 million (previous year: EUR 21.1 million). This performance was materially underpinned by the growth of 72 percent achieved by the LYX imprint with its catalogue aimed at young adults together with growth of 14 percent in the audio segment. LYX benefited particularly from the great success of the series adaptation "Maxton Hall – The World Between Us" of the SPIEGEL bestseller novel "Save Me" by Mona Kasten on Prime Video. In addition, a significant decline in returns compared with the previous year left positive traces. Segment EBIT climbed from EUR 2.0 million in the previous year to EUR 3.6 million in the period under review. This was mainly due to higher revenues in tandem with very largely stable costs. The share of revenues contributed by the community-driven business models stood at 41 percent in the first quarter of 2024/2025, substantially exceeding the previous year’s figure of 32 percent.

In the “Novel Booklets” segment, revenues of EUR 1.7 million were generated in the period under review, compared with EUR 1.8 million in the previous year. At EUR 0.1 million, segment EBIT was on a par with the previous year (EUR 0.1 million) in the first quarter.

“Despite the still challenging market situation, we are once again growing at a brisk rate. This is all the more encouraging for us, once again underlining the appeal of our attractive and highly diversified portfolio. Given this start to our financial year, we are very confident of reaching our full-year targets”, explains Soheil Dastyari, CEO of Bastei Lübbe AG.

Significant increase in earnings

The very favourable bottom line is also reflected in earnings before taxes (EBT), which rose by 82.9 percent to EUR 3.5 million in the first quarter of 2024/2025 (previous year: EUR 1.9 million). Consolidated net profit for the period also climbed more swiftly by 82.8 percent to EUR 2.4 million in the first quarter, up from EUR 1.3 million in the previous year. This is also evident in earnings per share, which reached EUR 0.18, up from EUR 0.10 in the previous year.

As of 30 June 2024, total Group assets stood at EUR 107.2 million, up from EUR 103.9 million as of 31 March 2024. At EUR 63.4 million on 30 June 2024, the share of equity attributable to the equity holders of the parent company was slightly higher than on 31 March 2024 (EUR 61.3 million) due to the net profit for the period.

Outlook confirmed

The Executive Board confirms the forecast presented in the 2023/2024 Annual Report and continues to expect Group revenues in a range of EUR 111 – 115 million and Group EBIT of EUR 13.0 – 14.0 million for the 2024/2025 financial year. This assessment particularly assumes that the extraordinary successes experienced by LYX in the first quarter are not likely to be repeated to the same extent over the year as a whole and that there will be title shifts in the top title area to the following financial year.

Bastei Lübbe AG’s interim report for the first quarter of the 2024/2025 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 fifteen 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 parent company generates annual revenues of over EUR 110 million (2023/2024 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
Head of Press and Public Relations
Phone: +49 (0)221 8200 2850
E-Mail: barbara.fischer@luebbe.de