University Press Plc Reports 7.22% Profit Decline in H1

University Press Plc released its H1 2026/2027 results, showing a pre-tax profit of N747.07 million for the six months ended September 30, 2026, a 7.22% decline from N805.17 million in the same period of 2025/2026. The second quarter of the 2027 financial year, covering July to September 2026, saw a pre-tax profit of N900.76 million, an 8.48% decline from N984.29 million in the corresponding quarter of 2025.

This was a recovery from a pre-tax loss of N153.69 million in the preceding quarter. Half-year revenue decreased by 3.53% to N2.67 billion from N2.76 billion, while profit after tax fell by 7.46% to N496.97 million.

The decline in sales was attributed to weaker book sales across two of three operating zones, although lower production costs helped cushion revenue decline. The cost of sales fell by 7.18% to N1.01 billion, improving gross profit margin to 62.24%.

Marketing and distribution expenses rose by 8.52% to N420.68 million, while total assets increased by 21.49% to N5.75 billion as of September 2026.