Bastei Lubbe AG, a general-interest publishing group listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, held its annual general meeting as a digital event, where shareholders approved a dividend of EUR 0.25 per share for the 2025/2026 financial year. The decision reflects the company's solid financial position and its commitment to returning value to shareholders, with a total payout of EUR 3,300,025.00 representing a payout ratio of 50 percent of distributable profit, at the upper end of its defined dividend strategy. Based on the XETRA closing price of EUR 7.00 on 8 September 2026, the dividend yield stands at 3.6 percent.
The approval of the dividend comes after a year characterized by both economic challenges and significant strategic investments. CEO Soheil Dastyari noted that the past financial year was 'enormously productive' while also being economically challenging, with the company making targeted investments in new offerings to broaden its scope and drive sustained growth. These investments include the product innovation shelfie.audio, which makes audiobooks a physical experience once again; the new literary imprint Pfaueninsel; the acquisition of Papertoons, Germany's first manhwa and manga publisher; and the successful entry of the community brand LYX into the US market.
Chief Financial Officer Mathis Gerkensmeyer emphasized that despite the challenging financial year, the company significantly increased its cash flow, providing a sound financial basis for sharing success with shareholders. The dividend approval underscores the company's confidence in its financial health and its ability to balance investment with shareholder returns.
Looking ahead, Bastei Lubbe has started the 2026/2027 financial year with further revenue growth, driven by top titles and SPIEGEL bestsellers such as 'Traume aus Feuer' by Florian Illies and Lucy Astner's novel 'Kein Sommer ohne August'. Strong sales of the paperback edition of Ken Follett's 'The Armour of Light' and Eva Almstadt's crime novel 'Akte Nordsee - Die letzte Predigt' also contributed to a strong first quarter. The company's community models show further growth potential, with segment, product, and service innovations creating new opportunities for revenue and profit growth.
The annual general meeting discharged the boards with overwhelming approval, and the proportion of share capital represented at the meeting was 79.62 percent. Detailed voting results and the Executive Board's presentation are available at bastei-luebbe.de/unternehmen/investor-relations/hauptversammlung (German language). Further information about the company can be found at www.bastei-luebbe.de.
Bastei Lubbe AG is the leading independent publishing group in Germany, with over 14 imprints and annual revenues exceeding EUR 118 million. Its shares have been listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2013. The company's focus on innovation and community-driven business models positions it well for future growth, as evidenced by its attractive dividend and strong start to the new financial year.
