Bastei Lübbe starts the 2025/2026 financial year according to plan

• Group revenues in the first quarter of 2025/2026 amount to EUR 23.0 million
• Group EBIT at EUR 1.2 million
• Growing momentum thanks to high concentration of bestsellers in the coming quarters
• Outlook for the full year 2025/2026 confirmed

Cologne, 7 August 2025 – Publishing Group Bastei Lübbe AG (ISIN DE000A1X3YY0), which is listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, has started the 2025/2026 financial year as planned despite the persistently challenging situation in the book market. In the period from April to June 2025, Group revenues totalled EUR 23.0 million. Group EBIT for the reporting period totalled EUR 1.2 million, resulting in an EBIT margin of 5.2 percent.

Soheil Dastyari, CEO of Bastei Lübbe AG: “While we have reaffirmed our performance at a high level, we are looking forward with great excitement to the numerous releases of our bestseller guarantors, which will lead to a significant momentum in our financial year.”

In the first three months of the 2025/2026 financial year, community-driven business models accounted for 31 percent of sales, down on the previous year's figure of 41 percent. The previous year's figure was strongly influenced by the great success of the ‘Maxton Hall’ series by Mona Kasten at LYX and ‘A Good Girl's Guide to Murder’ by Holly Jackson at ONE. The digital share of revenues totalled 38 percent in the reporting period (previous year: 34 percent).

Business development as planned with a consistently broad revenue base

In a still challenging book market, Bastei Lübbe AG recorded a revenue development as planned on a sustained broad basis in the first quarter of 2025/2026. In the “Book” segment, revenues totalling EUR 21.4 million were achieved. As expected, the community labels “ONE” and “LYX” in particular failed to repeat the strong revenue result of the previous year. The challenging book market environment was also felt in all areas of the portfolio. The segment EBIT totalled EUR 1.2 million.

In the ‘Novel Booklets’ segment, revenues of EUR 1.6 million were achieved in the reporting period. Segment EBIT totalled EUR 0.0 million in the first three months of the 2025/2026 financial year.

Earnings development in line with expectations

The cost of materials of EUR 10.6 million was in line with the revenue trend in the reporting period, resulting in a stable cost of materials ratio.

Personnel expenses rose from EUR 5.5 million in the previous year to EUR 5.7 million. In addition to the regular salary adjustments, this is also due to the higher number of employees as a result of filling vacancies at Bastei Lübbe AG.

Group earnings before taxes (EBT) totalled EUR 1.2 million in the first three months of 2025/2026. The Group's net profit for the period attributable to the shareholders of Bastei Lübbe AG amounted to EUR 0.8 million in the reporting period. Accordingly, earnings per share totalled EUR 0.06.

At EUR 114.5 million as of 30 June 2025, the Group's total assets were almost unchanged compared to EUR 114.3 million as at the balance sheet date of 31 March 2025 and the balance sheet structure was also largely stable. At EUR 69.5 million, the share of equity attributable to the shareholders of the parent company as of 30 June 2025 was EUR 0.8 million higher than the figure as of 31 March 2025 (EUR 68.7 million) due to the positive result for the period.

Full-year outlook confirmed – growing momentum thanks to new releases

The Executive Board's forecast for the 2025/2026 financial year has not changed compared to the presentation in the 2024/2025 annual report. The Executive Board continues to expect revenues in the range of EUR 120 to 125 million and EBIT of between EUR 14.0 and 16.0 million. This estimate is based in particular on the fact that numerous new releases by national and international Spiegel bestselling authors are expected to contribute to a growing business momentum in the coming quarters of the 2025/2026 financial year.

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
Head of Press and Public Relations
Phone: +49 (0)221 8200 2850
E-Mail: barbara.fischer@luebbe.de