Bastei Lubbe AG, a leading German publishing group, has entered its 2026/2027 financial year with continued revenue growth, despite persistently muted conditions in the German book market. In the first quarter from April to June 2026, Group revenues totalled EUR 24.6 million, up from EUR 21.4 million in the previous year. Group EBIT reached EUR 1.1 million, translating into an EBIT margin of 4.4%.
Soheil Dastyari, CEO of Bastei Lubbe AG, commented: “Once again, we were able to boost our revenues and also make significant progress in terms of profitability compared to the previous quarter. We will be systematically continuing on this trajectory as the year progresses.”
The revenue growth was particularly driven by strong performances in the 'Book' segment, which saw revenues increase to EUR 22.9 million from EUR 21.4 million. The new 'Pfaueninsel' imprint and the classic 'Lübbe' imprint were standout performers. The success of 'Traume aus Feuer' by Florian Illies, a SPIEGEL bestseller, significantly contributed to the 'Pfaueninsel' imprint's strong showing. Additionally, Lucy Astner's novel 'Kein Sommer ohne August' remained a top title on the SPIEGEL bestseller list under the Lübbe imprint. The paperback edition of Ken Follett's 'The Armour of Light' and Eva Almstadt's crime thriller 'Akte Nordsee – Die letzte Predigt' also boosted the segment's performance.
In the 'Novel Booklets' segment, revenues rose slightly to EUR 1.7 million, with segment EBIT improving to EUR 0.1 million. The community-driven business models accounted for 24% of revenues, down from 31% in the prior year, while digital products contributed 35% of revenues, compared to 38% previously.
Despite the revenue growth, earnings were impacted by higher costs. The cost of materials increased to EUR 12.4 million from EUR 10.6 million, primarily due to higher printing costs for upcoming releases. Personnel expenses also rose to EUR 6.1 million from EUR 5.7 million, reflecting scheduled salary adjustments and a higher number of employees.
Consolidated earnings before taxes (EBT) came to EUR 1.0 million, down from EUR 1.2 million in the previous year. The consolidated net profit attributable to shareholders totalled EUR 0.7 million, with earnings per share at EUR 0.05. The balance sheet remained stable, with total Group assets at EUR 107.2 million as of 30 June 2026, and equity attributable to shareholders increased slightly to EUR 66.4 million.
The Executive Board has confirmed its full-year forecast for 2026/2027, expecting revenues in the range of EUR 118-122 million and EBIT of EUR 10.0-12.0 million. The Group's profitability has already improved noticeably since the fourth quarter of 2025/2026, approaching its target.
Bastei Lubbe AG's interim statement for the first three months is available at www.bastei-luebbe.de. The company remains a leading independent publishing group in Germany, known for its innovation and strong portfolio of imprints.
