Pandemic could be magic for Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury

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Coronavirus pandemic could be magic for Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury

By Daily Mail City & Finance Reporter

Published: | Updated:

Reading and listening to audio­books at home during the coronavirus pandemic could boost sales at Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury. 

The group believes books – both in print and electronic versions – will be popular while people need to remain isolated at home for long periods. 

But Bloomsbury said it was too early to work out how the outbreak would affect its figures for the current financial year, which runs until February. 

Bllomsbury’s consumer division notched up a slew of bestsellers over the crucial Christmas shopping period. These included Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Illustrated Edition

The firm warned sales may suffer as shoppers focus on stockpiling essentials. 

It said: ‘There is disruption to bookshops, online retailers and academic institutions, whilst on the other hand, reading books, including print books, is likely to be popular at home.’ 

Its consumer division notched up a slew of bestsellers over the crucial Christmas shopping period. 

These included Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Illustrated Edition. Numis brokers upgraded Blooms­bury stock to ‘buy’ from ‘hold’, saying it looks to be ‘relatively well placed in current circumstances’. 

Independent bookshops in particular may struggle to stay afloat during the pandemic.

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