Book Publisher Revenue Up For Adult Books, University Presses in 2017

Publishers' revenue for trade (consumer) books increased by $96 million (+1.3%) to $7.6 billion in 2017. The growth in trade books is attributed to a +3.0% revenue uptick in the Adult Books category, which comprises more than 65% of all revenue for trade books. Revenue for Childrens/YA books and Religious Presses declined in 2017.

Overall publisher revenue for 2017 was flat at $14.7 billion, up $57.5 million (+0.4%) from 2016. These numbers include sales for all tracked categories (Trade - fiction/non-fiction/religious, PreK-12 Instructional Materials, Higher Education Course Materials, Professional Publishing, and University Presses). Several categories that had declined in 2016 rebounded in 2017, including Adult Books, University Presses, and Professional Books.

Some 2017 trends include:

• In terms of growth percentage, downloaded audio dominates with +29.7% growth compared to 2016. This is the fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth for this format, with revenue nearly triple what it was in 2012.
• eBook sales declined overall for the third year, the -4.7% decline is lower than it has been the past few years, and eBooks for Religious Presses saw a revenue increase.
• Higher Education publishers' revenue was flat (+0.2%), ending the previous years' declines.
• Adult Books saw increased revenue from 2016, up $148.1 million.