Faith-based publishers reported a 70.6% year-over-year jump in hardcover sales for December, though paperback sales saw a slight dip, according to the Association of American Publishers (AAP).

Net hardcover sales from religious presses skyrocketed to $25.4 million in December 2013, a significant leap over the $14.9 million sold the same month in 2012. This helped push hardcover sales growth for the year well into the black, with 2013 hardcover sales up 3.4% from the previous year—$307.4 million, versus $297.4 million in 2012.

Meanwhile, religious presses’ e-book sales also saw significant growth—$4.2 million in December 2013 versus $3.2 million in December 2012, a 29.1% increase, helping to boost e-book sales for 2013 to $63.6 million, a 9.7% increase over the $57.9 million sold in 2012.

Net paperback sales from religious presses fell from $6.3 million in December 2012 to $6 million the same month a year later, a drop of 3.5%. Total net paperback sales for 2013 declined 5.1% compared to 2012—$119 million and $125.3 million, respectively.

Religious presses’ net sales of all titles, including e-books, grew from $31.5 million in December 2012 to $42.7 million in December 2013, a 35.9% increase. Total net sales for 2013 grew 1.9% versus 2012—$572 million versus $561.6 million, respectively.

With more than 1,200 publishers reporting, AAP's Monthly StatShot report includes data from Concordia Publishing House, Crossway, Gospel Light, Harvest House Publishers, Kregel Publications, David C Cook, InterVarsity Press and Tyndale House Publishers, among others represented by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

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