Profit jump for Usborne

Children’s publisher Usborne made a pre-tax profit of £8.9m for the year ended 31st January 2014, up 26% from £7m from the year before.

Company founder Peter Usborne said the strong results were down to the “comparatively unusual coincidence” of many of Usborne’s markets working well “for a change”.

In results made public at Companies House this month, Usborne’s operating profit was £8.8m for the 12 months to 31st January 2014, up from £6.9m (27%) on the same period the year before. UK turnover was £21.6m, up from £20.7m in the 12 months to 31st January 2013, while overseas turnover was £28.9m to the year ended 31st January 2014, up from £25.9m the year before.

Usborne told The Bookseller: “As one can see, we had strong financial results in 13/14 caused by the comparatively unusual coincidence of most of our many markets all working well for a change, particularly the UK and our foreign-language publishing operations in France (Editions Usborne, the oldest), Italy (Edizioni Usborne) and Brazil (Edicoes Usborne).

“And we were very pleased with the launch of our new Usborne Verlag in Germany which seems to be going from strength to strength. Long may it last.”

Usborne made charitable donations of £87,695 in the year to 31st January 2014, and also “donates books which are not considered saleable to charities in Africa”, said the financial report.