Storytel shares jumped 10.2% to SEK 98.5 following the company's second-quarter financial report, which topped consensus on both sales and earnings metrics.
Quarterly performance
Net sales for the quarter were SEK 1,070 million, reflecting growth of 12.7% on a constant exchange rate basis. The company reported an adjusted EBITDA margin of 19.2%, up from 16.8% in the same period a year earlier. Both results were ahead of analyst estimates.
Management also raised its full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance to SEK 900 million from a prior target of SEK 870 million. In the earnings release, CEO Bodil Eriksson Torp said the company is continuing to combine profitable growth with strong margin expansion and that a robust first half justified the upward revision.
Operating profit increased 45% year-over-year to SEK 118 million. Earnings per share were SEK 1.18, more than double the SEK 0.54 reported in the year-ago quarter. The paid subscriber count rose to 2.75 million, a 7.2% increase versus the prior year, with particularly strong momentum reported in Europe.
Market context
The move in Storytel's stock appeared to be company-specific. The broader Swedish equity benchmark OMXS30 traded in a narrow range on the day, providing little directional lift. In the United States, the S&P 500 was marginally lower while the Dow Jones inched higher, but those shifts did not materially influence sentiment for the Stockholm-listed name.
Investor takeaway
A combination of a revenue beat, a margin beat and an upward guidance revision gave investors a clear rationale to re-rate the shares in a single session. The rally pushed the stock toward the upper reaches of its 52-week trading band, which spans SEK 67.2 to SEK 107.9.
Data points highlighted in the report
- Quarterly net sales: SEK 1,070 million (12.7% growth at constant exchange rates)
- Adjusted EBITDA margin: 19.2% (up from 16.8% year-over-year)
- Revised full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA target: SEK 900 million (previously SEK 870 million)
- Operating profit: SEK 118 million (up 45% year-over-year)
- Earnings per share: SEK 1.18 (vs SEK 0.54 year-ago)
- Paying subscribers: 2.75 million (up 7.2% year-over-year), with Europe noted as a strong region