% Change % Change
(Measured in $ sales against same time periods, 2001)
The adult trade segments had a difficult September with sales of hardcovers down 17.3% in the month compared to September 2001. Trade paperback sales edged up 2.4%, but mass market paperback sales were down 11.1% in the month. The children's category performed better, bouncing back from a weak August to post gains of 12.9% in hardcover and 30% in paperback, according to the monthly AAP estimates. The professional publishing segment had a strong September, with sales ahead 26.6%. University presses continue to struggle, with hardcover sales down 14.8% in September and down 7.5% in the year to date, the biggest decline of all publishing segments. The elhi and audio books categories were the other two segments to post declines for the first nine months of the year, with sales down 6% and 0.8%, respectively. Children's hardcover had the largest gain in the year-to-date, up 12.8%.
Category September YTD
Adult Hardcover -17.3 11.9
Adult Paperback 2.4 12.6
Juvenile Hardcover 12.9 12.8
Juvenile Paperback 30.0 0.7
Audio Books -6.1 -0.8
Univ. Pr. Hardcover -14.8 -7.5
Univ. Pr. Paperback 12.6 5.6
Mass Market Paperback -11.1 9.9
Professional 26.6 7.9
College Texts 9.5 10.9
School Texts 8.3 -6.0