Penguin’s global e-book sales grew 128 percent over the last year to represent 14 percent of the publisher’s total revenue.
Penguin’s global sales growth is slower than the 160.1 percent annual growth the American Association of Publishers reported for consumer e-books for the first five months of this year. Update: In the US, however, Penguin’s e-book sales more than doubled over the year (via release).
The metrics were contained in half-year earnings disclosure for Penguin’s parent Pearson (NYSE: PSO), which turned in 13 percent lower pre-tax profit of £82 ($133.8) million on three percent higher sales of £2.4 ($3.92) billion.
Pearson says digital education platform registrations are up 15 percent.
Its outlook is for “strong and durable competitive performances, even in tough markets, with rapid growth in digital and services businesses, and in developing economies” and for “weak market conditions, particularly for businesses that rely on government spending and traditional print publishing business models”.