Profits Surge at Random House

The digital transition is proving to be a profitable one for Random House. Bertelsmann, parent company of the country’s largest trade book publisher, reported this morning that RH's operating EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) jumped 72.5%, to 69 million euros ($99 million), in the first half of 2011 driven by a strong bestseller performance, large gains in e-book sales and improved operating efficiencies. Revenue in the period fell slightly, to 787 million euros ($1.14 billion) from 791 million euros, hurt by the weak dollar. Excluding the impact of currency exchange, sales were up.