Hachette parent company Lagardère reports strong results after 'solid momentum' in the UK

Hachette’s parent company Lagardère reported group revenue rise of 5% to €1,978m (£1,687m) for the first quarter of 2025, with a huge jump for its UK publishing revenue.

The publishing division reported was up 8% and up 4.6% like for like, totalling €623m (£532m), with growth seen in Board Games. In the UK, revenue saw a "exceptional momentum" of 13%, boosted by the publisher’s Adult Trade division, particularly Rebecca Yarros’ Onyx Storm (Piatkus/Little,Brown) and backlist titles.

Lagardère reported group revenue rose to €1,978m (£1,687m) for the first quarter of 2025, up 5.1%, and up 4.1% on a like-for-like basis, The company said: "The difference between reported and like-for-like revenue is attributable to a €2m [£1.7m] positive scope effect in connection with the acquisition of Sterling Publishing in November 2024, offset by the sale of Paris Match in October 2024, and a €15m [£12.8] positive currency effect, linked mainly to the appreciation of the US dollar, the pound sterling and the Polish zloty compared with the first quarter of 2024."

David Shelley, CEO Hachette UK and Hachette Book Group, said: "Hachette UK had a phenomenal first quarter with a huge leap in revenues of 13% compared to the same period last year. The biggest publication in Q1 was, of course, Rebecca Yarros’s Onyx Storm (Piatkus/Little,Brown), which was published to a rapturous response from fans and resurgent sales in the previous two Empyrean series titles as more new readers discover these books.

"Little, Brown, Hodder & Stoughton, Orion and Headline all had especially strong sales in this period, and the Welbeck list – acquired in 2022, and now incorporated within Headline and Hachette Children’s Group – was a key contributor in this period. Hachette Distribution also had a strong start to the year, buoyed by the excellent performance of the group overall, as well as its client publishers, the most recent of which being Bloomsbury. At Hachette Learning, we saw significant export sales and adoptions of our education materials by schools around the world."

Arnaud Lagardère, chairman and CEO of Lagardère SA, added: "In the first quarter of 2025, the Lagardère group posted sustained revenue growth of more than 4% on a like-for-like basis, driven by all of its businesses. Lagardère Publishing had a good first quarter, with growth in all geographic areas – especially the UK – lifted by bestsellers and the Board Games business, which is continuing to expand. Lagardère Travel Retail also recorded revenue growth in all regions, with the exception of North Asia, where our teams are carrying out major reorganisation work. Lastly, Other Activities maintained its recovery, with revenue up by around 4%, thanks in particular to continued growth in audience figures at Europe 1."