• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, February 25, 2008

Rodale turned in a strong performance in 2007, with overall revenues increasing 7.8%, on the strength of a 23% increase in ad revenue at its various magazines. Total ad pages rose 14.9%. Although the company doesn't release specific dollar figures, the Group Publishers' Report from TNS Media Intelligence pegged the company's total magazine revenue, based on rate-card figures, at $547.9 million in 2007--up from $466.8 million in 2006.

Strong performers in the health and lifestyle publisher's stable included Men's Health, where ad pages rose 11.8%, Prevention, up 6.9%, and Runner's World, where ad pages were flat but revenue grew 8.2%. Best Life, a relative newcomer in the men's lifestyle category, continued to enjoy an ad boom, with pages jumping 37.3%, while Women's Health, another new-ish title, grew 48.3%.

The magazines also reported positive newsstand results, with Men's Health single-copy sales up 4% to 540,000 in the second half of 2007, compared to the same period in 2006, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Runner's World newsstand sales rose 11.9% to 93,146. Meanwhile, Women's Health saw newsstand sales soar 42.7% to 282,431, as subscriptions rose 38.7% to 625,407. Best Life subscriptions grew 20.5% to 416,288.

The company also reported robust sales of books, based on its various brands, including popular diet and exercise books from Men's Health and Prevention. Altogether, the company had 13 books on The New York Times bestseller list in 2007.

Rodale's online properties are also surging, thanks to both subscription and ad revenue. Total revenues from its magazine-branded Web sites rose 82.6%, compared to 2006, with the Men's Health site up 163%, Runner's World 121.7%, Women's Health 250% and Best Life 434%.