Website & contact details
- Website
Penguin Books Limited
- Incorporated
- 15 October 1965 (61 years)
- Industry
- Book publishing (58110)
- Owned by
- Accounts type
- Full
- Region
- Greater London
- Address
- One Embassy Gardens8 Viaduct GardensLondonSW11 7BW
Filing status
- Accounts due
- 30 September 2027
- Last accounts
- 31 December 2025
- Conf. stmt due
- 20 April 2027
- Last conf. stmt
- 6 April 2026
Officers 5 active
Officer details are public data from the Companies House register.
Indian,American
Born November 1974
Director · Appointed 31 January 2017
British
Born April 1970 (56)
Martin, Sinead Mary
Secretary · Appointed 30 June 2016
Director · Appointed 31 March 2014
British
Born April 1961 (65)
Director · Appointed 1 January 2010
British
Born August 1963 (63)
Officer history (53 former)
1 January 2023
31 December 2022
31 January 2017
31 January 2017
1 January 2017
31 December 2016
30 June 2016
Appointed Martin, Sinead Mary as Secretary
30 June 2016
31 March 2014
31 March 2014
31 December 2012
1 January 2010
31 December 2009
31 July 2009
6 July 2009
31 March 2008
15 October 2007
1 July 2007
1 January 2007
31 December 2006
31 December 2005
7 October 2005
7 October 2005
29 July 2005
29 July 2005
Resigned Annan, Juliet as Director
29 July 2005
28 February 2005
20 May 2003
28 February 2003
1 June 2002
31 May 2002
15 April 2002
31 December 2001
5 October 2001
23 August 2001
31 March 2001
30 September 2000
8 June 2000
1 February 2000
31 January 2000
31 January 2000
1 December 1999
22 October 1999
16 August 1999
6 April 1999
1 March 1999
12 February 1999
31 January 1999
14 September 1998
14 September 1998
14 August 1998
3 August 1998
29 June 1998
31 January 1998
31 January 1998
31 December 1997
Resigned Mccarthy, Patrick John as Director
31 December 1997
29 September 1997
1 August 1997
30 June 1997
Resigned Yglesias, Jonathan Roy Ramon as Director
7 April 1997
Appointed Annan, Juliet as Director
10 February 1997
31 January 1997
27 January 1997
31 December 1996
6 December 1996
12 November 1996
12 November 1996
31 August 1996
Resigned Supple, Frances as Director
1 June 1996
29 February 1996
Resigned Bristow, Kevin Michael as Director
19 January 1996
18 January 1996
29 November 1995
24 November 1995
24 November 1995
6 November 1995
Appointed Supple, Frances as Director
26 September 1995
18 September 1995
1 September 1995
14 July 1995
11 July 1995
Appointed Bristow, Kevin Michael as Director
11 July 1995
3 March 1995
3 March 1995
Appointed Mccarthy, Patrick John as Director
1 March 1995
24 October 1994
29 September 1994
13 July 1994
31 December 1993
Resigned Peck, John James as Director
29 November 1993
Ownership 1 active
People and entities with significant control, from the Companies House PSC register
Corporate entity · Notified 6 April 2016
Owns 75–100% of shares
Holds 75–100% of voting rights
Right to appoint and remove directors
Limited Company
Reg. no. 734421
Group structure 36 shown
Ownership group derived from the Companies House PSC register
Arvato Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Arvato SCM UK Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Bertelsmann Global Business Services Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Penguin Random House Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Caterpillar Books Ltd Owns 75–100% of shares
Dorling Kindersley Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Canelo Digital Publishing Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Dorling Kindersley Vision Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Funfax Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Flaname 0 Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Flaname 1 Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Flaname 2 Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Flaname 3 Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Flaname 4 Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Flaname 5 Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Flaname 6 Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Flaname 7 Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Flaname 8 Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Hay House UK Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Hugo's Language Books Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Little Tiger Press Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Penguin Books Limited This company Owns 75–100% of shares
Allen Lane the Penguin Press Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Children's Character Books Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Frederick Warne & Co Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Hamish Hamilton Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Ladybird Books Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Michael Joseph Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Penguin Pension Trustee Limited Holds 75–100% of voting rights
Snowman Enterprises Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Ventura Publishing Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Prinovis UK Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Riverty UK Limited Owns 75–100% of shares
Financials
Figures from 2024 accounts. Newer accounts, made up to 31 December 2025, are filed but not read yet. See them on Companies House
- Net Assets
- £138,519,000
- Cash
- £7,157,000
- Turnover
- £247,168,000
- Profit Before Tax
- £56,511,000
- Employees
- 792
- Debt Ratio
- 45%
- Current Ratio
- 2.5x
- Profit Margin
- 23%
- Return on Equity
- 33%
Trend
Turnover
Balance sheet detail
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed Assets | £11,327,000 | £22,698,000 |
| Current Assets | £242,809,000 | £262,032,000 |
| Cash | £7,157,000 | £549,000 |
| Creditors (< 1 year) | £96,431,000 | £112,042,000 |
| Creditors (> 1 year) | £7,358,000 | £18,147,000 |
| Net Current Assets | £146,378,000 | £149,990,000 |
| Net Assets | £138,519,000 | £143,062,000 |
| Shareholder Funds | £138,519,000 | £143,062,000 |
| Turnover | £247,168,000 | £230,928,000 |
| Cost of Sales | £109,031,000 | £109,048,000 |
| Gross Profit | £138,137,000 | £121,880,000 |
| Admin Expenses | £120,301,000 | £122,390,000 |
| Staff Costs | £54,504,000 | £61,062,000 |
| Operating Profit | £39,002,000 | £29,131,000 |
| Profit Before Tax | £56,511,000 | £51,039,000 |
| Tax | £10,754,000 | £7,707,000 |
| Profit for Period | £45,757,000 | £43,332,000 |
What Penguin Books say about themselves
“Explore the world of Penguin Books. Lose yourself in a book, find your next read and hear from the authors you love.”
Filings
Recent filings only. See the full history on Companies House
| Date | Description | Made Up To | Pages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 September 2026 | Full accounts | 31 December 2025 | ||
| 8 April 2026 | Confirmation statement with no updates | 6 April 2026 | ||
| 18 September 2025 | Full accounts | 31 December 2024 | ||
| 8 April 2025 | Confirmation statement with no updates | 6 April 2025 | ||
| 4 November 2024 | Registered office address changed |
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