Software Publishers

Industry Profile Report

Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters

Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.

Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.

Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.

Industry Profile Excerpts

Industry Overview

The 12,700 software publishers in the US produce and distribute computer software. Major product categories include application software publishing, system software publishing, and resale of merchandise. Firms are increasingly delivering software through cloud-based services (Software-as-a-Service or SaaS), in addition to on-premise products.

Technology Drives Constant Change And Investment

The information technology industry is characterized by rapid change and constant evolution.

Talent Shortage

Software developers are in short supply and many publishers are resource-constrained due to a shortage of skilled workers.

Industry size & Structure

The average software publisher employs 52 workers and generates about $35 million annually.

    • The software publishing industry consists of about 12,700 firms with 16,600 establishments that employ over 656,000 workers and generate about $446 billion annually.
    • The industry is concentrated at the top; the top 50 companies account for about 69% of industry revenue.
    • Large companies include Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, and Symantec. Large firms may generate a substantial percentage of sales overseas.
    • Companies that offer primarily cloud-based services may be classified under the Census as Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services. Software publishers may offer hybrid products that combine on-premise, private cloud, and public cloud services.
                                    Industry Forecast
                                    Software Publishers Industry Growth
                                    Source: Vertical IQ and Inforum

                                    Recent Developments

                                    Oct 1, 2024 - Commercial Bankruptcies Increase
                                    • Commercial chapter 11 bankruptcy filings increased 40% year over year in July, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. Overall commercial filings increased 17%. Software publishers may be negatively impacted if investment in technology decreases as a result. “We continue to see a strong and steady rise in bankruptcy filings across the board, reflecting ongoing financial pressures faced by both businesses and individuals,” Michael Hunter, vice president of Epiq AACER, said. “Based on current trends and economic indicators, I expect bankruptcy filing volumes to continue this steady increase throughout the remainder of 2024 and into 2025.”
                                    • Turmoil in the video games industry will continue through 2024 and likely into 2025, games industry leaders have told GamesIndustry.biz. Publishing, development, and investment heads have said that high interest rates, oversaturated video game stores, and cautious investors will result in more restructures, layoffs, and closures. The fate of any particular company may depend on its size, according to Wired. Large companies like Microsoft, Unity, Electronic Arts, or Ubisoft can reduce staffing levels to cut costs but the company itself still exists. Independent game makers are often run by small teams of fewer than a few dozen people, however, so shutting down may be the only option.
                                    • Industry leaders including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms have been cutting dozens or a few hundred employees at a time as executives keep tight controls on costs, according to The Wall Street Journal. There is a reallocation of resources from noncore areas to projects such as AI rather than hiring new people, said Adam Ward, a founding partner at recruiting advisory firm Growth by Design Talent. “There’s a second look at costs, at lines of business, and where investments are going to be next year. The output are these microcuts,” said Ward. “This will be a new normal.”
                                    • Software publishers increased prices slightly during the first seven months of 2024, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Software publishing industry employment and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first seven months of 2024, according to the BLS. Software publisher sales are forecast to grow at a 5.63% compounded annual rate from 2024 to 2028, faster than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc.
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