Hachette Sales Up 8.9%
Union Square Purchase Boosts HBG in First Quarter
Boosted by its November acquisition of Union Square & Co. from Barnes & Noble, sales at Hachette Book Group rose 8.9% in the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 over the comparable period in 2024. Excluding the purchase, sales were up 0.4%. HBG parent company Lagardère reported that Union Square added €14 million to HBG.
Total revenue for Lagardère Publishing was €623 million in the first quarter ended March 31, up 8% excluding one-time items (like the Union Square purchase). The company attributed the positive trend to good momentum across all geographic areas, as well as strong and sustained growth in the board games category. The U.K. group had an especially strong quarter with sales up 13%, led by sales of Rebecca Yarros’s Onyx Storm.