In last hurrah, Random House books record profits

Thanks to bestsellers like Dan Brown's Inferno and Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In, Random House Inc. boasted record profits for the first half of 2013, parent company Bertelsmann reported Friday in what will be the last earnings announcement for the publisher as a stand-alone unit. Sales, however, dipped slightly.Random House merged with Penguin on July 1 to become the Manhattan-based global publishing giant Penguin Random House.Compared to the same period a year ago, Random House revenue fell 3% to 915 million euros or $1.2 billion. Operating income rose 4% to 117 million euros or $155 million. A Penguin Random spokesman credited the increase in profits to "cost discipline" and strong sales growth overseas in ebooks, which have higher margins than print editions.The dip in sales revenue reflected the comparison with the unusually strong first half of 2012, when the Fifty Shades trilogy was topping bestseller lists. The "mommy porn" novels padded this year's sales as well, however, selling an additional 5 million copies in both print and digital editions.As a portion of worldwide sales, ebooks fell to 20% of the total from 22% a year ago, largely due to the drop-off from Fifty Shades, according to the spokesman.Penguin also recently reported solid results, with a 6% jump in sales and a 14% spike in profits for the first half. Penguin's parent company Pearson owns 47% of the merged company, with Bertelsmann owning the rest."We can all take pride in what we have... Continue reading at 'Crains New York'

[ Crains New York | 2013-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Rediscovered Dr Seuss pet book breaking sales records

What Pet Should I Get? is publisher’s fastest-selling picture book yetHarper Lee’s Go Set A Watchman is not the only recently discovered work to be breaking records this summer. Dr Seuss’s long-forgotten manuscript What Pet Should I Get? has sold 200,000 copies in just a week, its American... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shamrock Advisors Buys Recorded Books

The private equity firm Shamrock Capital Advisors has acquired the audiobook publisher Recorded Books from Wasserstein & Co. for an undisclosed price. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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My Job In 5: Ania Duggan, Commissioning Editor- Audio, Penguin Random House Group UK

Describe your role I project manage the creation of our audiobooks by a wide range of fiction and non-fiction authors. This involves reading manuscripts and identifying books to record, acquiring audio rights if necessary, casting the right voices to bring stories to life and arranging... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Girl on the Train breaks all-time book sales record

Paula Hawkins’s novel has now been top of the UK hardback book chart for 20 weeks, outlasting even Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol• How Paula Hawkins wrote ‘the new Gone Girl’A record set six years ago by Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol was broken this week by Paula Hawkins’s dark thriller The Girl on the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2015: Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House is the world’s leading trade book publisher, comprised of nearly 250 imprints and brands on five continents, with more than 15,000 new titles and 800 million print, audio and ebooks sold annually. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In the UK, Penguin Random House v. Amazon is New Normal

Strike up the band: Amazon and Penguin Random House are in a contract dispute in the UK, prompting another round of hand-wringing and buy-button action. The post In the UK, Penguin Random House v. Amazon is New Normal appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2015: Coach House Books

Along a downtown Toronto laneway (back alley) named after Canadian poet bpNichol, an eight-line poem is carved into the concrete that leads you to Coach House Books, an independent publisher founded 50 years ago by artist Stan Bevington. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ex-BBC executive behind Little Britain joins Penguin Random House UK

Caroline Raphael takes up role as head of audio operations at world’s biggest book publisherFormer BBC radio executive Caroline Raphael, who was responsible for Little Britain, The League of Gentlemen and Cabin Pressure, is to join the world’s biggest book publisher as head of audio operations... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon and Penguin Random House said to be in dispute

Industry sources say Penguin may block sales of its books on Amazon because of a contract dispute, but both sides are playing down the rowThe world’s biggest publisher, Penguin Random House, could block sales of its books on Amazon if it fails to resolve a contract dispute with the online... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House launches new US site

Penguin Random House in the US has launched a new consumer-facing website under a unified branding. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House Debuts New Unified Website

The publisher's newly designed website, which brings Random House and Penguin together online, is optimized for mobile devices and, according to PRH CEO Marcus Dohle is “consumer-focused.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Goebbels estate sues Random House Germany

The estate of Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler’s minister for propaganda during the Second World War, is suing publisher Random House Germany for using an extract from his diaries. The biography Goebbels, published in Germany in 2010 under the Siedler imprint, is by Peter Longerich, professor of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Random House Raises First Printing of New Dr. Seuss to 1 Million

Random House Children’s Books will increase the first printing for previously undiscovered Dr. Seuss title 'What Pet Should I Get?' to 1 million copies. The post Random House Raises First Printing of New Dr. Seuss to 1 Million appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Random House told it should pay to quote Joseph Goebbels in biography

Nazi minister’s estate sues Random House Germany and imprint Siedler over the use of extracts from his diariesThe estate of Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler’s minister of propaganda, is taking legal action against the publisher Random House over a new biography, claiming payment for the use of... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chattel House Books Is Newest Datalore Effort

In her more than 25 years in the bookselling business in Barbados, there isn’t much that Beverly Smith-Hinkson hasn’t done. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins Hosts Home House London Book Fair Opener

Powerful publishing personalities partied at HarperCollins' annual London Book Fair opening night party , exhibiting the influence the publisher still holds. The post HarperCollins Hosts Home House London Book Fair Opener appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette, Penguin Random House Back Revision to Indiana Religious Freedom Law

The Hachette Book Group and Penguin Random House have both issued statements commending Indiana legislators for revising the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Deals Drove Growth at Penguin Random House

Total revenue at Penguin Random House rose 25.2% in 2014 to 3.32 billion euros, while EBITDA increased 24.5% to 452 million euros. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brand funds Hackney café with book profits

Russell Brand has used profits from his book Revolution (Century) to help fund a café in Hackney staffed by recovering drug addicts. The Trew Era café is a social enterprise located in a housing estate that faced eviction last year by a US company. The Guardian reports that Brand backed the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Coffee House Launches First Imprint with Emily Books

The Minneapolis literary nonprofit is Brooklyn-based Emily Books to launch the Emily Books imprint. The partnership, according to Coffee House's Chris Fischbach, is paving the way for Emily Books co-founders, Emily Gould and Ruth Curry, to eventually launch their own press. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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