Publishing’s Top 50 For 2016

In the digital era, the publishing industry enjoys global reach; the crowded field of top publishers includes just six American companies.

On Monday, Publishers Weekly releases its annual accounting of the world’s 50 largest publishers. The popular feature will reveal that Pearson retains its top rank even though a global, companywide restructuring in 2016 eliminated nearly 4,000 employees.

“A pair of Brazilian publishers has returned to the ranking in 2016 after dropping off in 2015 owing to the plunge in value of Brazil’s currency,” reports Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer. “Somos was the 32nd largest publisher in the world last year, thanks in part to its acquisition of the book division of Saraiva as well as an improvement in exchange rates.”

In the digital era, the publishing industry enjoys global reach; the crowded field of top publishers includes just six American companies.

“Among these are Wiley, ninth largest publisher in the world last year, followed by Scholastic and HarperCollins at eleventh and twelfth, respectively,” Albanese notes. “Simon & Schuster, with revenue of $767 million last year, was the 23rd biggest publisher.”

The annual PW ranking nevertheless excludes Chinese publishers this year. In 2014, PW had begun to include Chinese publishers when the companies first began to provide verifiable economic information.

“But in 2016, China’s government changed their data to include both ‘social’ and economic benefits,” Albanese tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally. “Of course, the PW ranking is purely economic—so, without strictly verifiable data, we now have no reliable measure for Chinese firms.”

Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.