With sales up in all its major segments, total revenue rose 13% for the first half of 2013, to 49.2 million pounds, at Bloomsbury Publishing. Pre-tax profit rose to 1.1 million pounds from 900,000 pounds. Print sales increased 13% in the period, while digital sales rose 22%, although the company noted that in the U.S. e-book sales fell 20% following several strong e-book bestsellers in last year’s first half. Overall, digital sales accounted for 12% of Bloomsbury’s total revenue in the first half of 2013 compared to 11% in the 2012 six month period.
Worldwide sales in the adult trade group rose 16%, to 23.2 million pounds, with print sales up 16% and digital sales ahead 17%. Bestsellers included And the Mountains Echoed, MaddAddam and The Bone Season. Sales in the children’s & educational division rose 12% led by sales of Wednesdays at the Castle and Crown of Midnight. In the academic & professional segment sales increased 13% helped by last year’s two acquisitions and an increase in digital sales; digital accounted for 9% of revenue in the first half of 2013 compared to 7% in the same period in 2012. In September, Bloomsbury acquired the Oxford law publisher Hart Publishing for 6.9 million pounds.
