Bastei Lubbe AG, a general-interest publishing group listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN DE000A1X3YY0), reported its second-quarter results for the 2026/2027 financial year, showing improved profitability despite an expected decline in revenues. The company’s EBIT margin widened to 8.4 percent in the second quarter, up from 4.4 percent in the previous quarter, even as group revenues for the first half totaled EUR 55.2 million, slightly below the prior year. The revenue decrease was attributed to the absence of top-selling blockbuster titles that had boosted the same period last year.
For the half-year period from April to September 2026, group EBIT amounted to EUR 3.7 million, translating to an EBIT margin of 6.6 percent. 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 share of revenues from community-driven business models remained nearly unchanged at 27 percent, while digital products accounted for 32 percent of revenues, down from 34 percent a year earlier.
The “Book” segment generated revenues of EUR 51.6 million, down from EUR 53.4 million, due to the lack of blockbuster titles and continued weakness in the German book market. Segment EBIT fell to EUR 3.2 million from EUR 5.4 million. The “Novel Booklets” segment posted revenues of EUR 3.5 million, slightly below the previous year’s EUR 3.6 million, with segment EBIT of EUR 0.4 million. Despite the decline, Bastei Lubbe confirmed its market leadership in key segments such as Young Adult, New Adult, and Community Editions.
Cost of materials decreased to EUR 29.1 million from EUR 29.9 million, reflecting the revenue performance and product mix, as well as ongoing adjustments to production costs. Personnel expenses rose to EUR 11.9 million from EUR 11.2 million, primarily due to changes in the salary structure. Group earnings before taxes came in at EUR 3.6 million, down from EUR 5.8 million, and consolidated net profit attributable to shareholders was EUR 2.4 million, or EUR 0.18 per share, compared to EUR 3.9 million and EUR 0.30 per share last year. Total assets increased slightly to EUR 113.1 million as of September 30, 2026, from EUR 109.0 million at March 31, 2026, largely due to higher author advances. Equity stood at EUR 64.8 million, down EUR 0.9 million, mainly due to a dividend distribution of EUR 3.3 million.
Looking ahead, Bastei Lubbe adjusted its full-year forecast for 2026/2027, now expecting group revenues of EUR 114–118 million and group EBIT of EUR 9–11 million, compared to the previous forecast of EUR 118–122 million and EUR 10–12 million, respectively. The revision reflects the performance of the book market and persistent consumer restraint. The company also announced the establishment of a new imprint, LIV, which will publish romance novels for readers in their late twenties or older starting next spring, supporting its growth ambitions. The half-yearly report is available at www.bastei-luebbe.de, and further information can be found at https://bastei-luebbe.de.
