PRH Sales Up 1.3% in 2025; Robert Gray on ‘A Year of Reading’; RIP Tracy Kidder

prh publishing industry sales

Penguin Random House saw revenue rise 1.3% in 2025. PRH’s revenue reached 4.981 billion, with organic growth at 3.3%. The increase in sales made PRH a positive contributor to Bertelsmann’s results, though PRH experienced a decline in earnings. Operating earnings for PRH were 704 million, down from 739 million the previous year. Bertelsmann’s revenues slipped 0.2% in 2025. Investments at PRH focused on content, audience reach, and operational excellence. A core priority for PRH was the deployment of AI technologies to increase commercial capability and operational efficiency, while safeguarding authors’ copyrights and intellectual property. PRH also invested in distribution centers.

  • At Penguin Random House in 2025, revenue rose 1.3%, to 4.981 billion (about $5.76 billion), with organic growth at 3.3%.
  • Operating earnings for PRH were 704 million (about $814 million), down from 739 million (about $854 million) the previous year.
  • Bertelsmann said that investments at PRH focused on ‘content, audience reach, and operational excellence that strengthened the company’s competitive advantage,’ with ‘a core priority’ being ‘the responsible deployment of advanced AI-driven technologies to increase commercial capability and operational efficiency, while rigorously safeguarding authors’ copyrights and intellectual property.’
📚 BookAddict’s Take: If you’re an author with PRH, these investments in AI and distribution should translate to more efficient marketing and wider reach for your books.

Source: Shelf Awareness (newsletter)  | 
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