Harry Potter is continuing to work his magic for publisher Bloomsbury (BLPU.L) 20 years after his debut, with special editions of his first adventure helping revenue rise 15 percent.
Bloomsbury released new editions of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” with covers dedicated to wizarding school Hogwarts’ houses, to mark the book’s anniversary in June.
The new designs helped the house’s children’s trade division achieve what it said was “another outstanding” performance, increasing revenue by a third in its first half.
Revenue from Harry Potter grew 40 percent in the period, the company said, and the young wizard and his magical world will feature strongly in the publisher’s offers on the Christmas market.
Bloomsbury’s Chief Executive Nigel Newton said: “We have a strong second-half list including the illustrated editions of ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,’ and ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ and two major books to accompany the British Library’s Harry Potter exhibition.”
The robust performance from Bloomsbury reflects a wider improvement in the British book market, where special editions featuring vintage covers and new artwork have helped draw readers back to print formats.
