EQS-News: Bastei Lübbe with significant growth in the second quarter of 2025/2026; ambitious full-year forecast confirmed

Corporate News

Bastei Lübbe with significant growth in the second quarter of 2025/2026; ambitious full-year forecast confirmed
 

• Group revenues of EUR 57.0 million in the first half of 2025/2026 in tandem with a double-digit EBIT margin
• Increase in the share of digital business in total revenues to 34 per cent in the reporting period
• Full-year forecast for 2025/2026 confirmed: Group revenues of EUR 120 – 125 million and Group EBIT of EUR 14.0 – 16.0 million expected

Cologne, 6 November 2025. Bastei Lübbe AG, a general-interest publishing group listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN DE000A1X3YY0), recorded a sharp increase in business momentum in the second quarter of its 2025/2026 financial year in line with expectations. This performance was materially driven by attractive new releases by several top-selling authors. In the half-year period from April to September 2025, it generated Group revenues of EUR 57.0 million. Group EBIT amounted to EUR 5.9 million in the reporting period, translating into an EBIT margin of 10.4 percent.

Soheil Dastyari, CEO of Bastei Lübbe AG: “As previously announced, the new releases by our top-selling authors will give us great momentum over the course of the year, and we are looking forward to the second half of the year with great confidence and determination ahead of the upcoming Christmas trading season. We will continue on our growth trajectory and are able to confirm our ambitious forecast for the year as a whole.”

The share of digital business in Group revenues widened to 34 percent in the first half of 2025/2026 (previous year: 32 percent), underpinned by the successful performance of both audio and e-book productions. At 28 percent, the proportion of revenues generated by community-driven business models fell short of the exceptionally strong figure of 42 percent recorded in the previous year. This particularly reflected the strong performance of blockbuster releases in other areas in line with expectations.

Digital products and new releases from top-selling authors spurring business

In a persistently difficult overall environment, Bastei Lübbe AG generated revenues of EUR 53.4 million in the “Books” segment in the first half of 2025/2026 (previous year: EUR 53.0 million). In the second quarter in particular, attractive new releases generated positive momentum, while the “One” and “LYX” community labels were, as expected, unable to match the previous year’s exceptionally strong performance. At EUR 5.4 million (previous year: EUR 8.5 million), segment EBIT was in line with expectations. The decline over the previous year is mainly due to the changed composition of revenues, which had been characterised by products of an above-average profitability in the previous year.

The “Novel Booklets” segment posted revenues of EUR 3.6 million in the period under review, compared with EUR 3.5 million in the previous year. Segment EBIT remained stable at EUR 0.5 million in the first half of the year.

Earnings in line with expectations

At EUR 29.9 million, the cost of materials increased substantially more quickly than revenues in the reporting period due to the change in the composition of revenues, resulting in a higher cost-of-materials ratio.

Personnel expenses climbed from EUR 10.9 million in the previous year to EUR 11.2 million. Other operating expenses rose from EUR 9.6 million in the previous year to EUR 10.2 million, driven by deliberately higher selling and advertising expenses.

Group earnings before taxes (EBT) came to EUR 5.8 million in the first half of 2025/2026 (previous year: EUR 8.7 million). The consolidated net profit for the period attributable to the shareholders of Bastei Lübbe AG totalled EUR 3.9 million in the reporting period (previous year: EUR 5.8 million). Accordingly, earnings per share stood at EUR 0.30 (previous year: EUR 0.44).

As of 30 September 2025, total Group assets were valued at EUR 121.1 million, up from EUR 114.3 million as of 31 March 2025. At EUR 67.9 million on 30 September 2025, the share of equity attributable to the equity holders of the parent company was slightly lower than on 31 March 2025 (EUR 68.7 million). The net profit of EUR 3.9 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

The high-calibre roster of current and upcoming new releases, including titles by international and national top-selling authors such as Dan Brown, Ken Follett and Rebecca Gablé, is set to generate positive impetus in the second half of the 2025/2026 financial year. In the case of the community-driven business models, Mona Kasten is continuing her successful “Scarlet Luck” series. In addition, the second season of the series adaptation of “Maxton Hall” debuts on 7 November. There are also new series by successful German authors Lena Kiefer and Laura Kneidl, new releases by Paluten and Carmushka for Community Editions, as well as titles by international TikTok phenomena such as Ana Huang, Hannah Grace and Brittainy Cherry. In combination with the new Grau and Pfaueninsel imprints and numerous top-selling audiobook productions by Lübbe Audio, business should continue to gain momentum in the second half of the year.

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

Bastei Lübbe AG’s financial report on the first six 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