Periodical Publishers NAICS 513120
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Industry Summary
The 3,600 periodical publishers in the US produce and distribute magazines and other periodicals in print or electronic form. General interest publications focus on a broad topic, such as arts, culture, leisure, entertainment, politics, business, or news. Other types of periodicals cater to a specific market and include trade publications, such as scholarly, medical, or scientific journals.
Competition From Alternative Media
Periodical publishers compete with a variety of alternative forms of media, including television, radio, newspapers, books, and digital media.
Variable Costs
Periodical publishers are exposed to risks associated with the cost of paper and postage.
Recent Developments
May 12, 2026 - USPS Announces Discounts, Warns Of Severe Financial Crisis
- New US Postal Service (USPS) discounts for periodical publishers will become effective July 12. A simplified structure removes the bundle and container components but maintains the per-piece and per-pound components. The discounts were established to further the efficient flow of periodicals through the Postal Service network, the USPS states. The USPS reiterated, however, that it is facing a severe financial crisis and rising operational costs. "In about a year from now, the Postal Service would be unable to deliver the mail if we continue the status quo," Postmaster General David Steiner told legislators in March.
- The Atlantic is returning to publishing monthly two decades after decreasing to 10 issues a year. The magazine also added nearly 50 new journalists in 2025, financed in part by circulation growth. The Atlantic now has 1.4 million subscribers, a little more than half of them digital only. That’s up from about 400,000 print subscribers in the late 2010s, when the website was not behind a pay wall. Circulation increased 14% in both 2023 and 2024, the magazine said. Readership was up 20% year over year by the middle of 2025.
- More magazine publishers are relaunching print editions. Magazines including The Onion, Sports Illustrated, and Field & Stream have relaunched print editions in the past year, driven primarily by demand from millennials, according to Quill Magazine. Revenue growth for print has been slow and steady since plummeting in 2020 but remains negative, according to Quill Magazine. The audience for print magazines consists largely of elder millennials and just plain elders, according to Quill.
- Periodical publishing industry employment decreased slightly and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first two months of 2026, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Periodical publishers kept prices unchanged during the first three months of 2026, according to the BLS. Periodical publisher sales are forecast to decrease at a 1.25% compounded annual rate from 2025 to 2029, slower than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc.
Industry Revenue
Periodical Publishers
Industry Structure
Industry size & Structure
The average periodical publisher operates out of a single location, employs about 18 workers, and generates about $7.8 million annually.
- The periodical publishing industry consists of about 3,600 companies that employ about 65,400 workers and generate $27.6 billion annually.
- The industry is concentrated at the top and fragmented at the bottom; the top 50 companies account for 64% of industry revenue.
- Large publishing houses include RELX Group, International Data Group, and Meredith Corporation. Large firms typically hold portfolios with multiple titles and may also operate in related categories, such as broadcast (TV) media and book publishing.
- Small companies include city and regional magazines and highly targeted trade publications. Many markets can only support one subscription-based lifestyle publication, according to Folio Magazine.
Industry Forecast
Industry Forecast
Periodical Publishers Industry Growth
Source: Vertical IQ and Inforum
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