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Latest news with #audiobooks

Stephen Fry accuses ‘lost cause' J.K. Rowling of being ‘radicalised'
Stephen Fry accuses ‘lost cause' J.K. Rowling of being ‘radicalised'

News.com.au

time15 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • News.com.au

Stephen Fry accuses ‘lost cause' J.K. Rowling of being ‘radicalised'

The British actor, broadcaster and writer has criticised the Harry Potter author for her outspoken views on transgender rights. During a recent appearance on The Show People podcast, Fry, who narrated the audiobooks for all seven Harry Potter novels, declared that he disagrees "profoundly" with Rowling's views. "She has been radicalised, I fear - perhaps by TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists), but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her.' 'It is unhelpful and only hardens her. I'm afraid she seems to be a lost cause for us."

Spotify's Q1 Profitability Takes Off: What's the Secret Sauce?
Spotify's Q1 Profitability Takes Off: What's the Secret Sauce?

Globe and Mail

time20 hours ago

  • Business
  • Globe and Mail

Spotify's Q1 Profitability Takes Off: What's the Secret Sauce?

Spotify Technology S.A. 's SPOT first-quarter 2025 profitability was top-tier, driven by robust top-line growth and disciplined expense management. Revenues increased 15% year over year in the quarter, driven by a combination of factors, including continued subscriber growth, average revenues per user gains associated with the price surge, growth in impression sales and automated sales channels. This striking top-line growth translated successfully into a gross margin expansion of 400 basis points (bps) from the year-ago quarter to 31.6%. Solid growth across Spotify's Premium and Ad-Supported segments aided this expansion. The premium gross margin was up 332 bps year over year, fueled by rising demand for audiobooks and music. Ad-Supported gross margin expanded 885 bps from the year-ago quarter, driven by strong podcast ad sales and content cost management. Spotify's success at curbing operating expenses by 3% year over year (at constant currency) in the first quarter of 2025 provided a head start in reaching its profitability position. The company managed to do so by reducing its marketing expenses, and cutting off personnel and related expenses. The impacts of increasing revenues, gross margin expansion and a decline in operating expenses drove SPOT's operating margin. In the first quarter of 2025, Spotify's record-high operating income skyrocketed 203% from the year-ago quarter, resulting in an operating margin expansion of a whopping 750 bps. In essence, SPOT's success is a textbook example of how improving the efficiency of core operations and controlling overhead expenses can fuel significant operating income growth, thereby boosting the company's profitability in the quarter. SPOT's Profitability Comparison With AAPL & AMZN There is no denying that Spotify's profitability position was impressive in the first quarter of 2025. However, it lagged its competitors, Apple AAPL and Amazon AMZN, in terms of return on equity (ROE). Spotify's ROE was 22.5%, lower than Apple's 167.2% and Amazon's 24.1%. In terms of return on invested capital (ROIC), Spotify stood at 24%, outpacing Amazon's 15.7% while lagging Apple's 43.9%. Spotify's Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates The SPOT stock has skyrocketed 129.2% in the past year, significantly outperforming the industry 's 37.6% rally and the 10.6% rise of the Zacks S&P 500 composite. 1-Year Price Performance Image Source: Zacks Investment Research From a valuation standpoint, SPOT trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 60.15, above the industry's 39.66. It carries a Value Score of F. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Spotify's earnings for 2025 is pegged at $9.26 per share, implying a 55.6% growth year over year. SPOT currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Only $1 to See All Zacks' Buys and Sells We're not kidding. Several years ago, we shocked our members by offering them 30-day access to all our picks for the total sum of only $1. No obligation to spend another cent. Thousands have taken advantage of this opportunity. Thousands did not - they thought there must be a catch. Yes, we do have a reason. We want you to get acquainted with our portfolio services like Surprise Trader, Stocks Under $10, Technology Innovators, and more, that closed 256 positions with double- and triple-digit gains in 2024 alone. See Stocks Now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Inc. (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report Spotify Technology (SPOT): Free Stock Analysis Report

UK audiobook revenue up by almost a third last year
UK audiobook revenue up by almost a third last year

The Guardian

time2 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • The Guardian

UK audiobook revenue up by almost a third last year

Whether it's plugging in to Benedict Cumberbatch reading Austen while doing the washing up or listening to Meryl Streep narrate Nora Ephron's Heartburn on the way to work, the UK is increasingly getting into audiobooks. Audiobook revenue generated by UK publishers rose by 31% between 2023 and 2024, with income from audiobooks reaching a record £268m last year, according to the Publishers Association (PA), the body representing UK publishers. 'We're seeing a real demand for audiobooks given the unique way they fit into our increasingly busy lives,' said Debbie Hicks, creative director at The Reading Agency charity. 'Audiobooks make reading more accessible, whether that's for people with dyslexia or visual impairments, or simply those who struggle to find time to sit down with a traditional book.' Many listeners value 'the ability to multitask' that comes with audiobooks, added Hicks. 'You can listen to audiobooks while commuting, exercising or doing chores. For young adults especially, audiobooks are a natural fit with how they live and read.' Audiobooks have 'soared in popularity over the past 10 years', said Dan Conway, chief executive at the PA. 'The same is true of podcasts, so clearly audio content in general is hugely on the rise.' 'Publishers have invested more and more in producing high-quality content that grabs attention,' he added. 'Some of the most successful audiobooks of the past few years have offered listeners the opportunity to hear world-renowned figures deliver their stories themselves. We have also seen full cast productions, high-profile casting and innovative recording techniques.' Tina, who runs the book-themed Instagram account @tbretc and listened to more than 100 audiobooks last year, said that her life is 'busier than ever', so audiobooks allow her to 'enjoy myself while doing the many life tasks that come with being a working mom of two'. Audiobook production has also 'come a long way, and sometimes listening to a story brings an even better experience than reading a book with your eyes', she said. The PA also reported fiction revenue rising 18% between 2023 and 2024, surpassing £1bn for the first time. 'Fiction growth has been driven by fantasy and romance,' said Conway. 'The desire for escapism in these tumultuous times may be a factor in the recent success of these genres.' While revenue for consumer nonfiction – which excludes academic and education books – saw a 4% decrease, this fall brought the category in line with fiction, with both bringing in £1.1bn each in 2024. Revenue from children's books remained static at £413m. Digital revenue – encompassing audiobooks and ebooks – rose 17% between 2023 and 2024 in the consumer market, to £566m. 'It's fantastic to see fiction, audiobooks and digital thrived in 2024,' added Conway. 'Clearly publishers have been giving book lovers what they want with engaging content in a range of formats.' The digital revenue figure includes earnings through subscriptions such as Spotify's Premium, which allows 15 hours of audiobook listening per month. Spotify saw a 35% rise in listening hours between January 2024 and January 2025. 'Whether it's during a commute, at the gym, or taking a walk, audiobooks open up storytelling in those in-between moments', said Duncan Bruce, director of audiobook partnerships and licensing. 'We've also removed the friction for people to try an audiobook for the first time, placing it in the centre of one of the world's most used apps. We've seen strong crossover from music and podcasts, with fans discovering audiobooks through artists like Blink-182, Britney Spears and Bob Dylan, and podcasters including Louis Theroux and Steven Bartlett, proving audiobooks have the power to spark a whole new love of reading.' Audiobooks are 'helping to engage people who don't usually consider themselves readers,' agreed The Reading Agency's Hicks. They are 'a gateway into the joy of reading for many who might otherwise feel excluded'. Like Spotify, Audible has seen 'substantial increases in membership and listening hours, including a 22% rise in our kids' content offerings, as well as huge uptick in engagement and appetite across genres like romance and LitRPG [literary role-playing games]', said its chief content officer Rachel Ghiazza. 'Advances in production have made the audiobook experience increasingly immersive and accessible,' she added. 'Though substantial progress has been made, the audiobook sector remains an emerging and rapidly evolving space.' The PA also reported print revenue experiencing a 2% rise in the consumer market across 2023 and 2024, to £2bn. 'While digital has been growing faster it's important to remember that print is still by far the preferred medium in the consumer market, accounting for 78% of revenue,' it said. The export market for consumer, academic and education books saw a 3% increase to £4.5bn last year – this constituted 63% of the publishing industry's overall revenue.

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