For Immediate Release

August 3, 2005

Contact: Tina Jordan
Ph: 212-255-0200 x263
Email: tjordan@publishers.org

Sales Warm in June

June brought publishing sales gains for eight categories tracked by the Association of American Publishers (AAP). Adult hardcover and the adult mass market categories lost ground in June; however, the adult paperback and children's categories performed well. Gross sales were down a slight 4.6 percent for the month, but sales for the year are up 4.1 percent. The sales figure for the adult hardcover category was 29.0 percent lower in June, with sales of $83.7 million. This category has grown 2.0 percent in 2005. Adult paperback sales made gains in June of 8.1 percent (sales totaled $88.8 million). Sales for this category have grown 7.9 percent over last year's sales. The adult mass market category lost 15.5 percent in June. Sales totaled $54.6 million for this category, which is subsequently down 3.4 percent for the year. The children's and young adult hardcover category posted a 20.9 percent gain in June ($33.0 million). This category has done well in 2005 with sales 32.6 percent greater than last year's sales. The children's and young adult paperback publishing sales also grew. This category realized a 37.9 percent growth figure for June with sales totaling $37.0 million. This category is up 7.8 percent for the year. Audio book sales lost 5.8 percent in June ($14.5 million); year to date sales are 14.2 percent greater than last year's. E-books sales grew 25.4 percent ($1.0 million); this rapidly expanding category is up 36.1 percent for the year. Religious book publishing sales were up 18.9 percent early this summer ($15.3 million); however, sales have been more sluggish in 2005 and the year to date figure is down by 2.5 percent. Publishing sales of university press hardcover books suffered a 56.3 percent loss in June (sales totaled $7.1 million). This category has lost 23.9 percent in 2005. Sales in the university press paperback category lost 53.8 percent in June (sales totaled $19.7 million); this category has lost 14.5 percent for the year. Sales in the professional and scholarly category were 21.3 percent greater in June, with sales of $58.3 million. Sales in this category are up 6.3 percent for the year. Sales of 'other' types of books witnessed an impressive 105.3 percent gain in June (totaling $9.8 million), and the year to date figure is 36.5 percent larger for 2005 in this catchall category. Higher education publishing sales grew 3.2 percent in June ($207.8 million); this category has witnessed a year to date net gain of 4.7 percent. Finally, the net el-hi (elementary/high school) basal and supplemental K-12 category gained 6.3 percent in June, with sales of $641.3 million, allowing for a 5.0 percent year to date growth figure. The Association of American Publishers is the principal trade association for the U.S. book publishing industry with over 300 members, comprising most of the major commercial book publishers in the United States, as well as smaller and medium-sized houses, non-profit publishers, university presses and scholarly societies.

NOTE: All sales figures cited in this release are domestic net sales

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