Storytel Group Reports Continued Strong Earnings Growth, Driven by Both Net Sales and Margin Expansion, Resulting in Raised Guidance for The Full Year
STOKHOLM, SE / ACCESS Newswire / July 28, 2026 / Storytel AB (publ) (STO:STORY B) - "Storytel Group continues to combine profitable growth with strong margin expansion. With a strong first half behind us, we are raising our guidance for the full year 2026," says Bodil Eriksson Torp, CEO of Storytel Group.
Second quarter 2026
Net sales amounted to SEK 1,070m (958).
Net sales growth of 12.7% in constant exchange rates (CER), of which 10.7% organic.
Gross margin amounted to 46.3% (45.3%).
Adjusted EBITDA margin amounted to 19.2% (16.8%).
Operating profit increased 45% to 118m (82).
Net profit amounted to 100m (47), with earnings per share of 1.18 (0.54).
Paying subscribers increased by 11k during the quarter to 2.75m (2.56), up 7.2% YoY.
ARPU (SEK/month) amounted to 116.4 (116.5).
The acquisition of Overamstel was completed in May.
Transfer of listing to Nasdaq Stockholm Main Market in June.
Half-year 2026
Net sales amounted to SEK 2,049m (1,911).
Net sales growth of 10.3% CER, of which 9.3% organic.
Gross margin amounted to 45.7% (44.8%).
Adjusted EBITDA margin amounted to 18.1% (15.5%).
Operating profit increased 51% to 207m (137).
Net profit amounted to 186m (66), with earnings per share of 2.24 (0.74).
Paying subscribers increased by 83k during H1'26.
Net debt amounted to 14m (115), corresponding to 0.02x adjusted EBITDA (R12M).
Outlook 2026
Full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance is raised to SEK 900m (previously 870m).
Financial summary
SEKm | Q2 2026 | Q2 2025 | Change | Jan-Jun 2026 | Jan-Jun 2025 | Change | R12M | FY 2025 |
Net sales | 1,070 | 958 | 12% | 2,049 | 1,911 | 7% | 4,161 | 4,023 |
Net sales growth, % | 11.7 | 3.6 | 8.1pp | 7.2 | 5.2 | 2.0pp | - | 5.9 |
Net sales growth CER, %³ | 12.7 | 8.0 | 4.7pp | 10.3 | 7.5 | 2.8pp | - | 9.2 |
Organic growth CER, %³ | 10.7 | 7.1 | 3.6pp | 9.3 | 6.9 | 2.4pp | - | 8.3 |
Streaming Net sales¹ | 960 | 890 | 8% | 1,874 | 1,789 | 5% | 3,741 | 3,656 |
Publishing Net sales² | 347 | 299 | 16% | 634 | 583 | 9% | 1,325 | 1,274 |
Gross profit | 495 | 434 | 14% | 937 | 857 | 9% | 1,913 | 1,833 |
Gross margin % | 46.3 | 45.3 | 1.0pp | 45.7 | 44.8 | 0.9pp | 46.0 | 45.6 |
Adjusted EBITDA³ | 205 | 161 | 27% | 371 | 296 | 26% | 823 | 748 |
Adjusted EBITDA margin %³ | 19.2 | 16.8 | 2.3pp | 18.1 | 15.5 | 2.6pp | 19.8 | 18.6 |
EBITDA | 198 | 161 | 23% | 360 | 296 | 22% | 812 | 747 |
EBITDA margin % | 18.5 | 16.8 | 1.6pp | 17.6 | 15.5 | 2.1pp | 19.5 | 18.6 |
Operating profit (EBIT) | 118 | 82 | 45% | 207 | 137 | 51% | 492 | 423 |
EBIT margin % | 11.1 | 8.6 | 2.5pp | 10.1 | 7.2 | 2.9pp | 11.8 | 10.5 |
Net profit | 100 | 47 | 113% | 186 | 66 | 184% | 625 | 504 |
Earnings per share, basic (SEK) | 1.19 | 0.55 | 116% | 2.25 | 0.75 | 200% | 7.76 | 6.26 |
Earnings per share, diluted (SEK) | 1.18 | 0.54 | 117% | 2.24 | 0.74 | 201% | 7.71 | 6.22 |
Cash flow from operating activities | 150 | 155 | -4% | 285 | 184 | 55% | 673 | 573 |
Net Debt ³ | 14 | 115 | - | 14 | 115 | - | 14 | -136 |
Net debt/adjusted R12M EBITDA ratio³ | 0.02 | 0.17 | - | 0.02 | 0.17 | - | 0.02 | -0.18 |
End of period subscribers (thousands) | 2,749 | 2,564 | 7% | 2,749 | 2,564 | 7% | ||
ARPU (SEK/month) | 116 | 116 | 0% | 115 | 119 | -3% | ||
¹ Streaming net sales includes 100% of Storytel Norway's net sales. | ||||||||
² Publishing net sales includes both external and group-internal net sales. | ||||||||
³ Alternative Performance Measure (APM). See "Alternative Performance Measures" for definitions, purpose and reconciliation. |
For more information, please contact:
Stefan Wård, CFO & IR, Storytel Group
Tel: +46 73 182 01 43
Email: stefan.ward@storytel.com
This information is information that Storytel AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 2026-07-28 08:00 CEST.
About Storytel Group
We are a storytelling company. Driven by our purpose - "Leading the future of storytelling, we move the world through stories" - Storytel Group inspires and entertains people around the world by blending innovation with tradition. We bring stories to life across various formats for everyone to discover. Anytime. Anywhere.
Storytel Group leads by operating through its two primary business areas: Streaming and Publishing. The Streaming division provides one of the world's most extensive digital libraries, with over 2 million audiobook and e-book titles available in 55 languages. This service reaches more than 2.7 million subscribers through the Group's prominent brands, including Storytel, Mofibo, and Audiobooks.com. The Publishing business area produces high-quality content from acclaimed authors across a wide range of genres through renowned publishing houses such as Norstedts Publishing Group, Lind & Co, People's, Gummerus, Bokfabriken, Overamstel Publishers and Storyside. Storytel Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Please visit www.storytelgroup.com for more information.
Attachments
Interim report January-June 2026 Storytel AB (publ)
Financial Data - Interim report January-June 2026 Storytel AB (publ)
SOURCE: Storytel AB (publ)
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
The articles, information, and content displayed on this webpage may include materials prepared and provided by third parties. Such third-party content is offered for informational purposes only and is not endorsed, reviewed, or verified by Morningstar.
Morningstar makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or reliability of any third-party content displayed on this site. The views and opinions expressed in third-party content are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Morningstar, its affiliates, or employees.
Morningstar is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or delays in this content, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Users are advised to exercise their own judgment and seek independent financial advice before making any decisions based on such content. The third-party providers of this content are not affiliated with Morningstar, and their inclusion on this site does not imply any form of partnership, agency, or endorsement.
Popular
The 10 Best Companies to Invest in Now
14 Elite Funds and ETFs, and 5 Popular Funds That Just Missed the Mark
The Top Funds for a Simpler Retirement Portfolio
The 10 Best Dividend Stocks
