Simon & Schuster

What Simon & Schuster does

Simon & Schuster is one of the Big Five general-interest trade book publishers in the United States, founded in 1924 and headquartered in New York. The company acquires manuscripts largely through literary agents, edits, produces, markets, and distributes books in print, ebook, and audiobook formats across virtually all consumer genres — fiction, nonfiction, biography and memoir, thrillers, romance, science fiction, history, business, children's, and young adult. It operates multiple editorial imprints (Scribner, Atria, Gallery, Avid Reader Press, Simon Six, Simon Kids, Simon Teen) and sub-brands including Simon & Schuster Audio (audiobooks), Pimsleur (language learning), Archway Publishing (self-publishing services), and licensed programs for franchises such as Star Trek and Halo.

The company earns revenue through three primary streams: direct-to-consumer and retail sales of physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks via its own e-commerce site and third-party platforms (Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Audible, Spotify, Libro.fm); third-party distribution services for independent and hybrid publishers across more than 200 countries and territories; and licensing of publishing rights internationally and across formats (audio, film/TV, translation). Pricing is per-unit with promotional discounting on ebook deals and free shipping thresholds on its owned retail channel.

In 2024, KKR acquired Simon & Schuster from Paramount Global for approximately $1.8 billion, transitioning the company from public to private ownership under a single-asset sponsor. The publisher employs 1,001–5,000 people and operates internationally in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, Australia, and the Netherlands following recent acquisitions. In March 2026, former Amazon executive Greg Greeley was appointed CEO, the first outside hire for the role, succeeding Jonathan Karp who launched the Simon Six imprint.

Name

Simon & Schuster

Legal name

Simon & Schuster, LLC

Website

https://simonandschuster.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Simon & Schuster is a Big Five global trade book publisher that acquires, edits, and distributes print, ebook, and audiobook titles for general consumers and provides worldwide distribution services for independent publishers across more than 200 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audiobook Publishers (Trade & Consumer) (MPAJAIAA), Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO), E-book Retail & Reading Platforms (Stores, Apps, Devices) (MPAJAMAA)

Keywords

• Trade book publishing
• Audiobook publishing
• Book distribution services
• Language learning programs
• Self-publishing services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Book Sales (Print, eBook, Audio): Simon & Schuster publishes and sells books across fiction, nonfiction, children's, and specialty categories through its own e-commerce site and third-party retail and digital platforms. Revenue is generated from the sale of physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks at published list prices and discounted rates.
2. Global Distribution for Third-Party Publishers: Simon & Schuster provides worldwide sales and distribution services for independent and hybrid publishers, including publishers across more than 200 countries and territories, under distribution agreements. Revenue is generated through distribution fees and revenue-sharing arrangements with client publishers.
3. Publishing Rights and Licensing: Simon & Schuster licenses publishing rights for its titles internationally and across different formats, generating royalties and licensing fees from foreign editions, audiobook rights, film/TV adaptation rights, and subsidiary rights sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Simon & Schuster is a global general-interest trade book publisher that acquires, edits, produces, markets, and distributes books in print, ebook, and audiobook formats across virtually all consumer genres (fiction, nonfiction, biography, children's, young adult, business, and more). The company also operates Simon & Schuster Audio for audiobook production, Pimsleur for language learning, Archway Publishing for self-publishing services, and provides worldwide sales and distribution services for independent and hybrid publishers across more than 200 countries and territories.

Product overview

Simon & Schuster is a major book publishing company operating as a platform of multiple imprints and services. The core publishing business offers print, digital (ebook), and audio formats across diverse genres including fiction, nonfiction, biography, memoir, children's, teen, business, and more. Key imprints include Simon & Schuster (main imprint), Simon & Schuster Audio (audiobooks), Simon Six (new 2026 imprint), Atria Books, Scribner, Gallery Books, and Avid Reader Press. Related services include Pimsleur (language learning), Archway Publishing (self-publishing via Author Solutions), Simon Kids and Simon Teen (youth publishing), licensed programs for Star Trek and Halo franchises, and distribution services for independent publishers worldwide. The company also operates book retail through SimonandSchuster.com with direct-to-consumer sales of ebooks, audiobooks, and print books.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Simon & Schuster Audio: Audio publishing division producing and distributing audiobooks
• Simon Kids
• Simon Teen
• Archway Publishing
• Pimsleur

Products and services

• Simon & Schuster Trade Books Core publishing imprint offering print books and ebooks across fiction, nonfiction, biography, memoir, children's, teen, business, history, thriller, romance, science fiction, and other consumer genres for general trade readers.
• Simon & Schuster Audio Audiobook publishing division that produces and distributes audiobooks of new releases, bestsellers, and backlist titles, with downloads priced from $23.99 to $29.99 per title, available on multiple audiobook platforms.
• Pimsleur Language Learning Audio-based language learning program offering foreign-language instruction courses for consumers seeking self-paced language education.
• Archway Publishing Self-publishing service providing authors with publishing, editorial, marketing, and distribution support for independently produced books.
• Simon & Schuster Distribution Services B2B wholesale distribution service providing independent and hybrid publishers with global retail and digital distribution infrastructure, generating revenue through distribution fees and revenue-sharing arrangements.
• Simon Six Imprint Newly launched publishing imprint under Simon & Schuster, focused on distinctive non-fiction and thought-leadership titles.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Xbox and Halo StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Xbox and Halo Studios collaborated with Simon & Schuster Audio to produce an audio drama adaptation of the original Halo novel 'Halo: The Fall of Reach,' to celebrate the franchise's 25th anniversary. The adaptation features original voice actors Steve Downes as Master Chief, Jen Taylor as Cortana and Dr. Halsey, and Tim Dadabo as narrator. The audio drama is based on an updated version included in the 'Halo: The Master Chief Omnibus,' with pre-orders at $29.99 and a scheduled November 2026 release.
• Dolphin Entertainment and Copper BooksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 May 2026Dolphin Entertainment launched a new publishing imprint in partnership with Copper Books, providing an end-to-end publishing pathway from editorial development to retail distribution through Simon & Schuster. Dolphin CEO Bill O'Dowd noted the partnership enables clients to go from initial idea to bookstore shelves nationwide, with potential for adaptation to screen through their production division.
• Delhi Police (India) and Penguin Random House IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026In March 2026, Penguin Random House India alongside Simon & Schuster India collaborated with Delhi Police to seize over 20,000 pirated books from a Rohini-based piracy racket, uncovering an illegal printing press and distribution network. This anti-piracy enforcement action targeted the sale of pirated bestsellers by international and Indian authors in Delhi markets.
• Radius Book GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 April 2026Radius Book Group published 'The Story Economy' by William Welser IV and uses Simon & Schuster for global distribution of the title, leveraging S&S's retail and wholesale distribution network to make the book available worldwide.
• Indigo River PublishingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 April 2026Indigo River Publishing released 'The Yoga of Marketing' by Jeanna Valenti, with global distribution through Simon & Schuster, using S&S's distribution infrastructure to reach retail and digital bookshelves globally.
• Health Communications IncminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 21 April 2026Health Communications Inc published 'The Peace Guidebook' alongside Simon & Schuster, indicating a co-publishing or distribution partnership for the title with Simon & Schuster's distribution infrastructure.
• 1888 Mills GlobalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 March 20261888 Mills Global, a textile company, launched a licensed children's product line featuring 'Chicka Chicka Boom Boom'-themed plush throws and beach towels in partnership with Simon & Schuster. Select programs pair products with the book for gifting and promotional placements, marking 1888 Mills' expansion into licensed children's products.
• Advantage | The Authority CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 March 2026Simon & Schuster entered into a distribution agreement with Advantage | The Authority Company, the largest global hybrid business book publisher, under which Simon & Schuster handles worldwide sales and distribution for Advantage's core imprints. Advantage's founder described this as the company's biggest move in expanding its global footprint and providing authors with greater visibility through Simon & Schuster's distribution infrastructure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Workman Publishing: Independent trade publisher focused on lifestyle, cooking, and gift books with strong backlist. A smaller-scale competitor to S&S in the specialty and gift book categories.
• Sourcebooks: Independent publisher with strengths in romance, women's fiction, and children's books—categories that overlap with several S&S imprints. A growing challenger in the trade space.

Others

• Audible (Amazon): Dominant audiobook distribution platform and a key channel for Simon & Schuster Audio titles. While not a direct publisher competitor, Audible is the most important partner/dependency in S&S's audio business and a key source of platform concentration risk.

Direct peers

• HarperCollins: Another Big Five trade publisher with comparable imprints across fiction, nonfiction, children's, and audio. HarperCollins competes directly with Simon & Schuster for bestselling authors and global distribution scale.
• Penguin Random House: The largest of the Big Five U.S. trade publishers and Simon & Schuster's closest peer, publishing across all major genres in print, digital, and audio formats with global distribution. Both compete head-to-head for literary agent manuscript submissions and retail shelf placement.
• Macmillan Publishers: Big Five trade publisher with overlapping imprints (e.g., Celadon, Flatiron, Henry Holt). Competes directly with S&S imprints like Scribner, Atria, and Avid Reader Press for literary fiction and nonfiction authors.
• Bloomsbury Publishing: U.K.-based trade publisher with a strong presence in fiction, nonfiction, children's, and academic publishing. Competes with S&S internationally, particularly through its Harry Potter imprint, and overlaps in U.K. and Commonwealth markets.
• Hachette Book Group: Big Five U.S. trade publisher with similar portfolio breadth across general interest, children's, and audio. Hachette is one of the five publishers Simon & Schuster is benchmarked against in the Big Five.

Broad incumbents

• Scholastic: Major publisher with a leading children's books business, comparable to S&S's Simon Kids and Simon Teen divisions. Overlaps significantly in children's and YA trade publishing categories.
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Publishing company with trade and education divisions, overlapping with S&S in trade publishing and Simon & Schuster's Educators & Librarians business for educational content.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SimonSchuster
• YouTubeyoutube.com/simonandschuster
• Facebookfacebook.com/simonandschuster
• Instagraminstagram.com/simonandschuster
• TikToktiktok.com/@simonandschuster
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/simon-and-schuster

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Simon & Schuster