Eksmo is one of the largest general interest publishing houses in Russia. Established in 1991 as a small book-selling company, they gradually became a major player on the Russian market. Eksmo publishes fiction, nonfiction, children’s, young adult, reference, and educational books.

Of Eksmo’s 8,000 authors, bestsellers include crime-writers Darya Dontsova and Alexandra Marinina, and literary fiction writers Tatyana Tolstaya, Ludmila Ulitskaya, and Viktor Pelevin. Eksmo publishers science fiction and fantasy from authors such as Sergey Lukyanenko, Yuri Nikitin, Vasily Golovachev, Nick Perumov, Vera Kamsha, Vadim Panov, and Alexey Pekhov.

Eksmo was the first to familiarize the Russian reader with Artemis Fowl, a series of children's books by Irish writer Eoin Colfer. They also publish Dmitri Yemets', a Harry Potter-derived Tanya Grotter series.

The Moscow-based publishing house is also home to authors from the United States, Austria, Germany, and other countries.

In 1993, Eksmo started a self-publishing company. In 2005, the company was awarded the honorary title of "Leader of the Russian economy."

EKSMO claims to control 20% of the Russian book market. Eksmo is also active in distribution, with nine regional distribution centers across the Russian territory.

Key Company Developments 2012

Financial:

In the challenging and recently declining Russian book market, Eksmo showed strong revenues and profits, with revenues up to 7.03 million RUB in 2012 from 6.28 RUB in 2011.

Eksmo's interest in various retail businesses such as Novy Knizhniy, Bukvoed, and Litres (the leading Russian Ebook platform) earned the company 467 million USD in 2012.

Ownership, Mergers & Acquisition, Internal Organization:

In mid-2012, Eksmo took control of several AST commercial divisions, excluding AST’s Bukva chain book stores. However, no formal merger has taken place thus far, and both companies remain separate business units.

In 2012, Eksmo has acquired two publishing houses, Mann-Ivanov-Ferber and Alpina Business Books.

International:

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Digital:

Eksmo, which also controls Litres, the leading Russian ebook platform, has become a forerunner in Russian eBooks, with 15% earnings from digital.

Bestselling Authors & Titles:

Top bestsellers in 2012 included E.L. James (Fifty Shades of Grey), Haruki Murakami (1Q84. Book 3), as well as new fiction from Russian authors Alexandra Marinina and Tatiana Ustinova.

Traditionally, Eksmo is home of many of Russia’s bestselling authors in fiction and nonfiction, as well as translated authors, notably Daria Donrsova, Tatiana Ustinova, Victor Pelevin, Tatiana Tolstaya, Liudmila Ulitskaya, Dina Rubina, Vasiliy Golovachev, Vladimir Makanin, Oleg Roy, Alexandra Marinina, Julia Vysotskaya, Tatiana Garmach-Roffe, Marina Kramer, Andrey Dementiev, Stieg Larsson, Haruki Murakami, Ian McEwan, John Irving, Julian Barnes, John Fowles, Kazuo Ishiguro, Lawrence Norfolk, Terry Pratchett, Tony Parssons, Elizabeth George, Mary Higgins Clark, Philippa Gregory, Angela Carter, Iris Murdoch, Joanne Harris, Mary Stewart, Margaret Atwood, A.S.Bayatt, Dick Francis, Ray Bradbury, Dean Koontz, Frederick Forsyth, Eoin Colfer, Rick Riordan, and Jonathan Stroud.

Key Points for Analysis & Conclusions:

As one of Russia's two leading publishing houses (together with ACT), Eksmo has developed its international presence. Eksmo is also at the forefront of the e-book market, challenging paramount piracy in Russia.

Earlier Developments:

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