Bloomsbury Publishing reported a 5 percent decline in sales and a nearly 50 percent drop in profit for the six months ending August 31, with earnings falling to £9.3 million from £18.3 million in the same period last year. Despite the downturn in the first half, the company expressed optimism about the full-year outlook, anticipating record annual results driven by stronger sales in the latter half.

The publisher, known primarily for the Harry Potter series, is relying on robust advance orders for the upcoming release in Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series to bolster its performance. The new installment, categorized within the emerging "romantasy" genre—a blend of romance and fantasy—will arrive next week, followed by another novel scheduled for release in January. The previous series installment was published in 2021. Bloomsbury described the demand for Maas’s work as “simply staggering.”

In addition to Maas’s titles, Bloomsbury’s recent releases include books by other notable authors. Actress Gillian Anderson’s More and Stephen Graham’s Letters to Our Sons have both achieved bestseller status since their release last month, contributing to the publisher’s overall sales performance.

Despite the encouraging signs from forthcoming publications, Bloomsbury’s share price fell by 2.5 percent, or 17 pence, closing at 655 pence amid the reported earnings decline. Chief Executive Nigel Newton emphasized the company’s confidence that sales momentum will improve, particularly in the second half of the financial year, supported by a slate of releases from some of its best-selling authors.