AAP StatShot: Trade Book Publisher Revenue Increased by 4.6% in 2018
While trade book revenue increased, education and scholarly revenue declined
Washington, DC; Feb. 11, 2019 – Revenue for trade (consumer) book publishers was $7.49 billion in 2018, an increase of $341.5 million (+4.6%) compared to 2017, according to the StatShot Monthly report from the Association of American Publishers. Each of the trade book categories – Adult Books, Children’s/Young Adult and Religious Presses – saw revenue growth. Revenue for trade books includes sales to bookstores, wholesalers, direct to consumer, online retailers, etc.
Since 2013, downloaded audio has been the trade book format with the greatest percent growth. In 2018 it grew by +37.1%, adding $127.1 million in revenue compared to 2017. Hardback books had the most revenue gain from actual dollars, with +6.9% revenue growth adding $196.8 million in revenue in 2018.
Overall publisher revenue for all tracked categories (Trade, PreK-12 Instructional Materials, Higher Education Course Materials, Professional Publishing, and University Presses) in 2018 was relatively flat at $14.55 billion (-0.4%) with a decrease of $57.0 million compared to 2017.
Trade Publishing
Jan. to Dec: Trade Book Revenue (in millions)
| Jan. – Dec. 2018 | Jan. – Dec. 2017 | Percent Change | |
| Adult Fiction/Non-Fiction | $5,130.8 | $4,883.4 | +5.1% |
| Children’s/YA | $2,111.6 | $2,043.2 | +3.3% |
| Religious Presses | $593.7 | $568.0 | +4.5% |
| Total | $7,836.1 | $7,494.6 | +4.6% |
While all three categories of trade books saw increased revenue, the industry’s largest category – Adult Books – grew the most ($247.4 million) compared to 2017. Revenue for downloaded audio and hardback increased by double digits within the Adult Books category, but not every format benefitted from the category’s growth – mass market books and physical audiobooks saw declining revenue compared to 2017.
Both Childrens/Young Adult Books and Religious Presses bounced back from slight revenue declines in 2017, with $68.4 million (+3.3%) for the former and $25.7 million (+4.5%) for the latter in 2018 compared to 2017. Within Religious Presses, revenue for hardback books and eBooks increased while revenue for paperback books declined.
Jan. to Dec.: Total Trade Revenue by Format (in millions)
| Jan. – Dec. 2018 | Jan. – Dec. 2017 | Percent Change | |
| Hardback | $3,057.7 | $2,860.9 | +6.9% |
| Paperback & Mass Market | $2,673.6 | $2,643.5 | +1.1% |
| eBooks | $1,016.2 | $1,054.2 | -3.6% |
| Downloaded Audio | $469.3 | $342.2 | +37.1% |
| Physical Audio | $45.7 | $58.2 | -21.5% |
| Board Books | $150.9 | $147.1 | +2.5% |
| Other | $422.8 | $388.5 | +8.8% |
Print books and downloaded audiobooks experienced revenue growth in 2018, while eBooks declined slightly. This is the third consecutive year that audiobooks saw double-digit growth (+37.1%) and eBook revenue declined (-3.6%).
Education and Scholarly Publishing
Revenue for education and scholarly publishers declined in 2018 in all categories (Professional Books, PreK-12, University Presses, Higher Education.) This is a departure from 2017, when PreK-12 was the only category to decline.
Jan. to Dec: Education and Scholarly Publishing (in millions)
| Jan. – Dec. 2018 | Jan. – Dec. 2017 | Percent Change | |
| Higher Ed Course Materials | $3,323.4 | $3,580.9 | -7.2% |
| PreK-12 Instructional Materials | $2,673.7 | $2,802.9 | -4.6% |
| Professional Books | $565.6 | $581.6 | -2.7% |
| University Presses | $50.3 | $55.5 | -9.5% |
Publisher net revenue is tracked monthly by the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and includes revenue from about 1,375 publishers, with participation subject to change over time. The StatShot Annual, Higher Education Annual, and PreK-12 Annual reports for 2017 are available for purchase; additional information about them can be found here.
About AAP:
AAP | The Association of American Publishers represents the leading book, journal, and education publishers in the United States on matters of law and policy, advocating for outcomes that incentivize the publication of creative expression, professional content, and learning solutions. As essential participants in local markets and the global economy, our members invest in and inspire the exchange of ideas, transforming the world we live in one word at a time. Find us online at newsroom.publishers.org or on twitter at @AmericanPublish
Jean-Philippe Behr
