Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (GB:BMY)
LSE:BMY
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Bloomsbury Publishing
(LSE:BMY)
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Rating:82Outperform
Price Target:
719.00 p
▲(51.53% Upside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:05/21/26
The score is led by high-quality financial performance—strong and improving free cash flow and a low-leverage balance sheet—supported by an attractive valuation (low P/E and a solid dividend yield). Technicals are positive with price above key moving averages and moderate momentum, though the recent revenue and earnings pullback in 2026 tempers the outlook.
Positive Factors
Strong free cash flow generation
Consistently positive operating cash flow and improving free cash flow (~£38.9m in 2026) indicate durable cash conversion from publishing operations. Strong FCF supports reinvestment in frontlist, rights exploitation, dividends, and strategic M&A without relying on external financing.
Negative Factors
Recent revenue and earnings pullback
The 2026 decline in revenue and net income signals that growth momentum can be uneven in publishing, driven by frontlist performance and market cycles. Persisting top-line weakness would pressure reinvestment, royalty funding and long-term growth unless new franchises or stronger backlist monetization emerge.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Strong free cash flow generation
Consistently positive operating cash flow and improving free cash flow (~£38.9m in 2026) indicate durable cash conversion from publishing operations. Strong FCF supports reinvestment in frontlist, rights exploitation, dividends, and strategic M&A without relying on external financing.
Read all positive factors
Bloomsbury Publishing (BMY) vs. iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWC)
Market Cap
£504.91M
Dividend Yield3.26%
Average Volume (3M)344.82K
Price to Earnings (P/E)7.4
Beta (1Y)0.30
Revenue Growth-9.72%
EPS Growth6.25%
CountryUK
Employees994
SectorCommunication Services
Sector Strength97
IndustryPublishing
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)0.33
Shares Outstanding81,608,670
10 Day Avg. Volume235,113
30 Day Avg. Volume344,823
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio-0.57
Price to Book (P/B)2.43
Price to Sales (P/S)1.48
P/FCF Ratio31.15
Enterprise Value/Market CapN/A
Enterprise Value/RevenueN/A
Enterprise Value/Gross ProfitN/A
Enterprise Value/EbitdaN/A
Forecast
1Y Price Target
£825.00Price Target Upside73.87% Upside
Rating ConsensusModerate Buy
Number of Analyst Covering1
EPS Forecast (FY)0.46
Revenue Forecast (FY)£353.09M
Bloomsbury Publishing Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc publishes academic, educational, and general fiction and non-fiction books for children, teachers, students, researchers, and professionals worldwide. The company offers books and digital resources to international resear...
How the Company Makes Money
Bloomsbury primarily makes money by publishing and monetizing intellectual property (IP) in book and digital formats. Key revenue streams typically include: (1) Consumer publishing sales: revenue from trade/consumer books sold as hardback, paperba...
Bloomsbury Publishing Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
74
Positive
Balance Sheet
84
Very Positive
Cash Flow
88
Very Positive
| Breakdown | Feb 2025 | Feb 2024 | Feb 2023 | Feb 2022 | Feb 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | |||||
| Total Revenue | 325.90M | 361.00M | 342.65M | 264.10M | 230.11M |
| Gross Profit | 179.60M | 203.90M | 194.59M | 136.91M | 116.93M |
| EBITDA | 54.40M | 50.20M | 55.25M | 38.54M | 32.68M |
| Net Income | 27.00M | 25.40M | 32.30M | 20.24M | 16.89M |
Balance Sheet | |||||
| Total Assets | 364.50M | 385.30M | 371.74M | 315.11M | 289.24M |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 44.00M | 40.60M | 65.75M | 51.54M | 41.23M |
| Total Debt | 29.80M | 32.40M | 8.90M | 10.65M | 12.23M |
| Total Liabilities | 148.60M | 170.50M | 169.29M | 127.28M | 120.27M |
| Stockholders Equity | 215.90M | 214.80M | 202.45M | 187.84M | 168.97M |
Cash Flow | |||||
| Free Cash Flow | 38.90M | 35.70M | 31.78M | 20.26M | 31.86M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 40.30M | 41.90M | 37.62M | 26.88M | 39.85M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -8.90M | -69.90M | -4.61M | -6.87M | -30.90M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -26.30M | 3.20M | -16.93M | -12.77M | -22.99M |
Bloomsbury Publishing Technical Analysis
Positive
474.50
Price Trends
591.74
Positive
533.92
Positive
510.81
Positive
Market Momentum
6.19
Positive
58.46
Neutral
49.41
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For GB:BMY, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 474.5 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 613.85, below the 50-day MA of 591.74, and below the 200-day MA of 510.81, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 6.19 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 58.46 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 49.41 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for GB:BMY.
Bloomsbury Publishing Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (60)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
82 Outperform | £504.91M | 7.41 | 10.70% | 3.26% | -9.72% | 6.25% | |
74 Outperform | £43.88B | 12.61 | 90.85% | 2.13% | 1.65% | 8.61% | |
65 Neutral | £6.78B | 9.76 | 9.26% | 2.32% | 0.70% | -22.05% | |
63 Neutral | £286.43M | 5.69 | 3.57% | 0.53% | -8.41% | -51.11% | |
62 Neutral | £159.69M | -0.29 | -21.91% | 11.37% | -3.75% | -346.47% | |
60 Neutral | $48.67B | 4.58 | -11.27% | 4.14% | 2.83% | -41.78% | |
60 Neutral | £10.32B | 32.17 | 0.87% | 2.34% | 13.74% | -95.47% |
* Communication Services Sector Average
GB:BMY
Bloomsbury Publishing
620.00
-11.03
-1.75%
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Bloomsbury Publishing Corporate Events
Business Operations and StrategyDividendsFinancial Disclosures
Bloomsbury lifts profit, raises dividend as academic arm and AI deals drive growth
Positive
May 20, 2026
Bloomsbury Publishing reported revenue of £325.9m and a 7% rise in profit before tax and highlighted items to £44.9m for the year to 28 February 2026, as its dual focus on consumer and academic publishing provided resilience. The board r...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Bloomsbury Strengthens Tech Focus with New Board Appointment as Baroness Young Retires
Positive
May 20, 2026
Bloomsbury Publishing has appointed Chris Blatchford as a Non-Executive Director effective 19 May 2026, with roles on the Audit and Nomination Committees, bringing expertise in artificial intelligence, information systems, and technology applied t...
Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Bloomsbury sets date for full-year preliminary results and investor webcast
Neutral
May 12, 2026
Bloomsbury Publishing announced it will release its preliminary results for the year ended 28 February 2026 on 20 May 2026. The company is positioning this as a key communication event for shareholders and analysts, signalling transparency around ...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Bloomsbury Revamps Structure and Board to Drive Next Growth Phase
Positive
Apr 15, 2026
Bloomsbury Publishing is restructuring its organisation and strengthening its leadership as it prepares for the next phase of growth in its academic, professional and consumer publishing businesses. The company is aligning its operations more clos...
Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
Bloomsbury Reshapes Leadership and Structure to Drive Next Growth Phase
Positive
Apr 15, 2026
Bloomsbury Publishing has strengthened its board by appointing Academic Professional Division Managing Director Jenny Ridout as an executive director, reinforcing the company’s tradition of giving academic publishing a direct voice at the t...
Business Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Bloomsbury lifts 2027 profit outlook as Sarah J. Maas sets twin ACOTAR release dates
Positive
Mar 5, 2026
Bloomsbury Publishing said bestselling fantasy author Sarah J. Maas will release the next two instalments in her A Court of Thorns and Roses series on 27 October 2026 and 12 January 2027. The back‑to‑back launches, just 11 weeks apart,...
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer
This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.