* Strong outlook underpinning recently upgraded expectations for 2026/27

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (LSE: BMY, "Bloomsbury", "the Company" or "the Group"), the leading independent publisher, today announces audited results for the year ended 28 February 2026.

Commenting on the results, Nigel Newton, Chief Executive, said:

"Bloomsbury is pleased to report revenue of £325.9m with profit1 of £44.9m, up 7% year on year, with our strategy of combining general and academic publishing, unusual in our industry, delivering success.

Bloomsbury was voted Publisher of the Year 2025. Our Consumer Division has a particularly strong pipeline for 2026/27 including two hugely anticipated new novels in her bestselling series by Sarah J. Maas; Gillian Anderson's More, the follow-up to her bestseller Want; and remarkable new books from our stable of bestselling authors Katherine Rundell, Samantha Shannon, Louise Kennedy, Dan Jones and Peter Frankopan. The launch of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series on television by HBO Max at Christmas will bring the series to a dramatically expanded readership of the new generations of readers since the launch of the books 29 years ago.

In Academic & Professional, we grew in print, digital and rights revenue in the second half and see encouraging signs of recovery with good growth in all territories in the current financial year. We announced our first participation in AI licensing for academic content in July 2025, and saw the outperformance of our Academic & Professional Division over the past year. Bloomsbury is benefitting from ongoing AI licensing revenue into the future in 2026/27. In addition, we have established Bloomsbury Singapore to spearhead growth in the expanding Asian markets.

In April 2026, we announced a streamlining and simplification of our structure. This has enhanced agility, accountability and financial performance. Separately, we announced a strategic collaboration with Google, focused on technology innovation, AI-powered learning and core publishing infrastructure which is being rolled out across the Company.

In recognition of the achievements of this financial year and our confidence in the outlook, the Board recommends a final dividend of 12.12 pence which contributes to a full year dividend of 16.20 pence per share, an increase of 5% year on year. Bloomsbury has an unbroken 31 year track record of dividend growth every year since flotation in 1994.

Sarah J. Maas recently announced the publication dates of her next two titles, which combined with the strength of our upcoming wider publishing list, led to a trading update upgrading our profit expectations for 2026/27. Pre-orders of our major titles are exceptional. The Board looks to the current year with strong confidence in delivering results in line with these recently upgraded expectations."

Financial Highlights

Group revenue of £325.9m (2024/25: £361.0m)

Group profit before taxation and highlighted items2 of £44.9m (2024/25: £42.1m)

$10m early repayment of Rowman & Littlefield acquisition loan in H1 2025/26

Net cash £29.2m; prioritising capital allocation to organic growth, debt reduction and dividends with potential for bolt-on acquisitions

Recommended total dividend increased by 5% year on year to 16.20p per share

Bloomsbury has an unbroken 31 year track record of dividend growth every year since flotation in 1994

Consumer Division Highlights

Consumer revenue of £218.2m (2024/25: £277.7m) with a strong comparative

Profit before tax and highlighted items2 of £20.5m (2024/25: £30.3m); restated to include Special Interest

Bloomsbury voted Publisher of the Year 2025 at the British Book Awards

Gillian Anderson's Want was in the Top 10 on the Sunday Times bestseller list for 22 weeks

Katherine Rundell topped bestseller lists and secured a multi-film deal with Walt Disney Studios

Sarah J. Maas paperback of House of Flame and Shadow was a bestseller, published in June 2025

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series is a bestseller in its 29th year after publication

Strong frontlist pipeline for 2026/27 with exceptional pre-orders of major titles

Academic & Professional ("A&P") Division Highlights

A&P revenue £107.7m (2024/25: £83.3m) and profit before tax and highlighted items £25.0m (2024/25: £12.5m) with margin of 23% (2024/25: 15%)

IP value of academic content enabled us to sign our first non-exclusive AI licensing agreement

Rowman & Littlefield integration substantially complete

Encouraging signs of recovery with good growth in all territories in the current financial year

Operational Highlights

Keith Underwood started as Chief Financial and Operating Officer in February 2026

Bloomsbury Singapore opened to expand Bloomsbury's direct relationships in Asia and capitalise on growth in student numbers in the region3

Streamlined and simplified our structure to enhance agility, efficiency and financial performance

Strategic collaboration with Google focused on technology innovation, AI-powered learning and core publishing infrastructure

Successfully moved our UK distribution and warehousing arrangements to Hachette

Earned the Great Place to Work certification for the second consecutive year

Full Year Results

2025/26

2024/25

2023/24

2022/23

Revenue

£325.9m

£361.0m

£342.7m

£264.1m

Profit before taxation and highlighted items2

£44.9m

£42.1m

£48.8m

£31.1m

Profit before taxation

£34.2m

£32.5m

£41.5m

£25.4m

Adjusted diluted earnings per share

44.57p

41.45p

46.62p

30.56p

Diluted earnings per share

32.80p

30.71p

39.11p

24.54p

Net cash4

£29.2m

£17.0m

£65.8m

£51.5m

Final dividend per share

12.12p

11.54p

10.99p

10.34p

Total dividend per share

16.20p

15.43p

14.69p

11.75p

Notes

1 Profit before taxation and highlighted items.

2 Highlighted items comprise amortisation of acquired intangible assets and legal and other professional costs relating to ongoing and completed acquisitions, integration and restructuring costs.

3 World Bank estimates that by 2040 there could be 600m students with over 60% in Asia.

4 Net cash is cash and cash equivalents less borrowings.

Jackson Redley

Senior Client Executive

25 Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6AE

www.hudsonsandler.com