The religious segment continued to be the hottest category in the industry in April with sales up 54.9%, according to monthly estimates from the AAP. Sales for the first four months of the year were up 34.2%. The elhi segment continued to do better than expected with sales ahead 17.6% in April led by a 21.1% increase in sales of basal texts; supplementary sales were ahead 8.7%. The higher education segment, however, had another poor month with sales down 67% in May and off 26.4% for the year to date. The professional publishing segment had its best month of the year, with sales jumping 36.6%. Sales in the trade paperback segment rose 16.8%, while adult hardcover sales rose 8.3%.

Sales Mixed in April

CATEGORY % CHANGE APRIL % CHANGE YTD
(Measured in $ sales against same time periods, 2003)

Adult Hardcover 8.3 16.6
Adult Paperback 16.8 4.5
Adult Mass Market -25.2 -20.2
Juvenile Hardcover 3.2 3.7
Juvenile Paperback 0.3 10.0
Audio Books -2.5 23.8
Electronic Books -21.4 73.1
Religious Books 54.9 34.2
Higher Education -67.0 -26.4
Univ. Pr. Hardcover 2.1 -5.4
Univ. Pr. Paperback -45.1 -17.7
Professional 36.6 -0.1
School Texts 17.6 9.3