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EQS-News: Bastei Lübbe AG / Key word(s): Quarterly / Interim Statement
Bastei Lübbe confirms higher forecast with strong nine-month figures
2024-02-08 / 07:30 CET/CEST
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Bastei Lübbe confirms higher forecast with strong nine-month figures

. Group revenues in the first nine months of the 2023/2024 financial year increased by 15.3 percent over
the previous year to EUR84.4 million (previous year: EUR73.2 million)
. Significant increase in Group EBIT to EUR11.7 million (previous year: EUR4.8 million) in tandem with
substantially wider EBIT margin of 13.9 percent (previous year: 6.6 percent)
. Revenues driven by strong Christmas business and growth in community-driven business models
. Previously raised full-year 2023/2024 forecast confirmed
Cologne, 8 February 2024 - Bastei Lübbe AG, a general-interest publishing group listed in the Prime Standard of the
Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN DE000A1X3YY0), has continued on the dynamic trajectory emerging in the first half of the
year, growing significantly again in the third quarter of its 2023/2024 financial year, while achieving further
increases in profitability. As a progressive full-range publisher with diverse entertainment and specialist areas of
interests for all age groups and a comprehensive range of media channels, the group is benefiting from its broad
strategic orientation and successful Christmas business.
"At the beginning of January, we raised our forecast for the current financial year and can now impressively confirm
this with our nine-month figures. I am particularly pleased with the broad basis of this very favourable performance.
Almost all of our business lines are moving jointly in the right direction and confirming our corporate strategy,"
explains Soheil Dastyari, CEO of Bastei Lübbe AG.

Growth driven by fiction catalogue, Christmas business and community models
In the period from April to December 2023, Bastei Lübbe AG generated Group revenues of EUR84.4 million, up from EUR73.2
million in the same period of the previous year, equivalent to an increase of 15.3 percent. The attractive fiction
catalogue had a positive impact on Christmas business, driven by best sellers such as "The Weapons of Light" by Ken
Follett, "Das dritte Herz des Oktopus" by Dirk Rossmann and Ralf Hoppe and 18th volume of "Diaries of a Wimpy Child" by
Jeff Kinney.
Consequently, revenues in the "Book" segment increased by 15.9 percent to EUR78.7 million (previous year: EUR67.9 million).
Other revenue drivers were the steadily widening share of community-driven business models in the New and Young Adult
segment with its loyal readership as well as digital audio products. With its range targeted at young adults, the LYX
imprint continued to perform very well, growing by 21.2 percent over the previous year, while the audio segment posted
an increase of 10.8 percent. New releases by Mona Kasten ("Fallen Princess") and Hannah Grace ("Icebreaker") were
particular highlights at LYX. The Community Editions imprint, which specialises in publications by social media
artists, also made a positive contribution to growth with the successful launch of the "humble but bold" online D2C
shop. The cumulative share of revenues contributed by the community-driven business models reached 35 percent in the
first nine months of the 2023/2024 financial year.
The "Novel Booklets" segment generated revenues of EUR5.6 million in the nine-month period, up from EUR5.3 million in the
previous year. The lower volume sales in wholesale press business were offset by price increases and the expansion of
subscription and digital business. In addition, catalogue and sales initiatives to mark the publisher's anniversary had
a positive impact.
Group EBIT rose significantly to EUR11.7 million in the first nine months of 2023/2024, up from EUR4.8 million in the
previous year, while the EBIT margin also widened to 13.9 percent (previous year: 6.6 percent). This is particularly
due to the substantially higher revenues compared to the previous year. EBIT in the "Book" segment rose from EUR4.6
million in the previous year to EUR11.0 million in the period under review. At EUR0.7 million in the period under review,
EBIT from the "Novel Booklets" segment was also up on the previous year (EUR0.2 million). In addition to the higher
revenues, this was also due to lower paper and printing costs. Group earnings before taxes (EBT) amounted to EUR11.2
million in the first nine months of 2023/2024 (previous year: EUR4.6 million). Consolidated net profit for the period
reached EUR9.5 million (previous year: EUR2.6 million). Accordingly, earnings per share rose significantly to EUR0.72, up
from EUR0.19 in the previous year.
As of 31 December 2023, total Group assets stood at EUR112.9 million, up from EUR107.9 million as of 31 March 2023. At
EUR62.1 million on 31 December 2023, the share of equity attributable to the equity holders of the parent company was
EUR7.3 million higher than on 31 March 2023 (EUR54.8 million). This reflects opposing effects from the net profit for the
period on the one hand and the dividend distribution for the 2022/2023 financial year on the other.

Higher full-year forecast confirmed
The Executive Board confirms the forecast for the 2023/2024 financial year, which was increased on 8 January 2024, and
continues to expect Group revenues of between EUR109 and 111 million and EBIT in a range of EUR12.5 to 13.5 million.
Bastei Lübbe AG's report on the first nine months of the 2023/2024 financial year is available at www.bastei-luebbe.de.

About Bastei Lübbe AG:
Bastei Lübbe AG is a German general-interest publisher based in Cologne, specialising in the publication of books,
audio books and e-books featuring fiction and popular science content. The company's core business also includes the
periodically published novel booklets. With a total of fifteen imprints, the group currently offers several thousand
titles in the fields of fiction, non-fiction and children's and young people's books. In the growing segment of
hardcover fiction, the company has been one of the market leaders in Germany for many years. At the same time, Bastei
Lübbe is a driver of innovation in digital media and exploitation channels through the production of thousands of audio
and e-books among other things.
With annual revenues of around EUR100 million (2022/2023 financial year), Bastei Lübbe AG is one of the largest
medium-sized companies in the German publishing industry. 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
2024-02-08 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

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Language:     English 
Company:      Bastei Lübbe AG 

Schanzenstraße 6 - 20
51063 Köln
Germany

Phone:        02 21 / 82 00 - 0 
Fax:          02 21 / 82 00 - 1900 
E-mail:       investorrelations@luebbe.de 
Internet:     www.luebbe.de 
ISIN:         DE000A1X3YY0 
WKN:          A1X3YY 
Listed:       Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, 

Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
EQS News ID: 1832853

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1832853 2024-02-08 CET/CEST

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February 08, 2024 01:30 ET (06:30 GMT)