In a presentation that was part of Credit Suisse's 23rd annual communications conference, HarperCollins CEO Brian Murray said he sees no signs of consumer book spending slowing down in 2021-nor does he see the trend toward greater consolidation of the publishing industry cooling.
HC has enjoyed exceptional sales growth over the last 12 months, and spending is up in the 17 countries where the publisher operates, Murray said, observing that it appears interest in reading is undergoing a renaissance. He said that consumer research conducted by HC has found that book buying should remain strong for the rest of the year, speculating that book purchasing has reached a new level.