Bastei Lubbe H1 Revenue Dips, EBIT Margin Widens to 8.4%

Bastei Lubbe AG, the Cologne-based general-interest publishing group listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN DE000A1X3YY0), reported its half-year results for 2026/2027, revealing a slight decline in Group revenues to EUR 55.2 million from April to September 2026, as expected. The drop is attributed to the absence of top-selling blockbuster titles from the previous year and a lack of momentum in the German book market. Despite the revenue dip, the company made notable progress in profitability, with the EBIT margin widening to 8.4 percent in the second quarter, up from 4.4 percent in the first quarter, underscoring its business resilience. CEO Soheil Dastyari commented, “The further progress we made in terms of profitability in the second quarter is, precisely because of the persistently challenging market conditions, a strong sign of our business resilience and a further important step on our path to sustainable growth.”

The “Book” segment generated revenues of EUR 51.6 million (down from EUR 53.4 million), while the “Novel Booklets” segment contributed EUR 3.5 million (down from EUR 3.6 million). Bastei Lubbe confirmed its market leadership in key segments such as Young Adult, New Adult, and Community Editions. Community-driven business models accounted for 27 percent of revenues (previous year: 28 percent), and digital products made up 32 percent (previous year: 34 percent). Group EBIT for the half-year stood at EUR 3.7 million, a margin of 6.6 percent. The company also highlighted positive feedback and strong demand at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where numerous titles sold out, and announced the launch of a new imprint, LIV, which will publish romance novels for readers in their late twenties or older starting next spring. This follows the success of LYX and New Adult and supports future growth ambitions. Additionally, innovative formats and imprints such as shelfie.audio, Papertoons, and LYX International position Bastei Lubbe to benefit from the sustained appetite for compelling stories.

Looking ahead, Bastei Lubbe has slightly adjusted its full-year forecast for 2026/2027, now expecting Group revenues of EUR 114–118 million (previously EUR 118–122 million) and Group EBIT of EUR 9–11 million (previously EUR 10–12 million). The revision reflects the challenging economic climate, consumer restraint, and the book market’s performance. However, the company expects EBIT to remain stable or increase despite lower revenues, aided by cost adjustments already initiated and a wider EBIT margin. The half-yearly report is available at www.bastei-luebbe.de. Bastei Lubbe AG remains the leading independent publishing group in Germany, with over 14 imprints and annual revenues exceeding EUR 118 million in the 2025/2026 financial year.