Catapult Book Group sold, operations end October 30

Catapult Book Group's assets are being sold and the company's operations are scheduled to end October 30, Publishers Weekly reported. The buyer has not been publicly identified, and employees were told they will not continue working for the prospective buyer, according to the outlet. Catapult's website lists 25 employees, including CEO Elizabeth Koch and publisher Alyson Forbes, Publishers Weekly reported; the Catapult Workers Collective says it has about 20 members across publishing departments.

The future of 16 books scheduled for spring 2027 across Catapult's four imprints remains unclear following the sale, according to Publishers Weekly. Catapult's current group took shape through acquisitions, including a 2016 merger with Counterpoint Press that brought in Soft Skull Press, the Los Angeles Times reported, and the December 2025 acquisition of Hawthorne Books, as Deadline reported. In 2023, the company closed its online magazine and writing-classes program to focus on book publishing, Publishers Weekly reported.

The Catapult Workers Collective says staff learned of the planned sale while employees were considering unionization, and the union is now negotiating a separation agreement with the company, Publishers Weekly reported. During the organizing drive, employees cited concerns about job security, wages and transparency and joined UAW Local 2110, according to the outlet's earlier coverage.