Sweden's Storytel Q1 profit surges on subscriber growth

Storytel AB (publ)

28/04/2026 07:13

Overview

Sweden audiobook platform's Q1 net sales rose 3% yr/yr, with 7.9% growth at CER

Adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 17.0% from 14.1%, reflecting higher profitability

Q1 net profit and EPS rose sharply, supported by subscriber growth and strong cash flow

Outlook

Storytel guides for 2026 adjusted EBITDA of at least SEK 870 mln

Company says momentum into 2026 supported by subscriber growth and margin expansion

Result Drivers

SUBSCRIBER GROWTH - Co said paying subscribers rose 8% yr/yr to 2.74 mln, with Europe surpassing 1 mln for the first time, driven by Poland and the Netherlands

MARGIN EXPANSION - Adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 17.0% from 14.1%, driven by improved profitability in both business areas

CURRENCY IMPACT - Group ARPU fell 5.5%, with FX accounting for 85% of the decline

Company press release: ID:nMFN3MM3Df

Key Details

Metric
Beat/Miss
Actual
Consensus Estimate
Q1 Revenue
SEK 979 mln
Q1 Adjusted EBITDA
SEK 166 mln
Q1 Basic EPS
SEK 1.06
Q1 EBITDA
SEK 163 mln
Q1 Gross Profit
SEK 442 mln


Analyst Coverage

The current average analyst rating on the shares is "strong buy" and the breakdown of recommendations is 4 "strong buy" or "buy", no "hold" and no "sell" or "strong sell"

The average consensus recommendation for the consumer publishing peer group is "buy."

Wall Street's median 12-month price target for Storytel AB (publ) is SEK106.00, about 4.6% above its April 27 closing price of SEK101.30

The stock recently traded at 16 times the next 12-month earnings vs. a P/E of 15 three months ago

For questions concerning the data in this report, contact Estimates.Support@lseg.com. For any other questions or feedback, contact reuters.support@thomsonreuters.com.

(This story was created using Reuters automation and AI based on LSEG and company data. It was checked and edited by a Reuters journalist prior to publication.)