Informa posts 13.7% revenue growth in 2025 to record £4 billion

Informa delivered one of the biggest financial signals of the week for the global events industry.

The company reported £4.04 billion in revenue for 2025, marking 13.7% yearly growth and reinforcing the continued strength of large-scale B2B live events. The results highlight how major event organizers are benefiting from strong demand, expanding portfolios, and international reach.

But the wider environment remains uncertain. Continuing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect travel routes, energy costs, and global event logistics.

In this week’s edition of Snöcap, we break down Informa’s results alongside other key developments across the events industry.

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Informa posts 13.7% revenue growth in 2025 to record £4 billion

Informa PLC has reported revenue of £4.04 billion for the full year 2025, a 13.7% increase from the prior year, driven by growth across its B2B Live Events divisions.

The London-listed events and publishing group said 2025 marked a fifth consecutive year of double-digit adjusted earnings per share growth, with adjusted diluted earnings per share rising 11% to 55.6p from 50.1p in 2024.

Key financial results for 2025 included:

• Revenue: £4.04bn (2024: £3.55bn), up 13.7%
• Adjusted operating profit: £1.14bn (2024: £995 million), up 14.6%
• Adjusted operating margin: 28.2% (2024: 28%)
• Free cash flow: £884.8m (2024: £812.1m)
• Statutory operating profit: £141.7m (2024: £542.8m)

Group Chief Executive Stephen A. Carter said: “The Informa Group delivered an outstanding performance in 2025, delivering double-digit growth in revenues, adjusted earnings per share and cash flow.”

Stephen added: “The Power of Live, the value of proprietary First Party Data, deep international reach and the deployment of AI technology are driving strong customer demand for our specialist Brands, underpinning our confidence in the compounding growth opportunities for Informa.”

B2B Live Events, which comprises Informa Markets, Informa Connect and Informa Festivals, was the primary growth engine, posting underlying revenue growth of 9.5% and underlying adjusted operating profit growth of 12.6%. Total B2B Live Events revenue reached £3bn, up from £2.64bn in 2024.

The statutory operating profit fell to £141.7m from £542.8m in 2024, primarily due to a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of £484.2m related to Informa TechTarget.

Academic Markets division Taylor & Francis reported underlying revenue growth of 3.6%, excluding non-recurring data access contracts. Informa TechTarget posted adjusted operating profit of £36.6m, up from £21.4m, though it recorded a statutory operating loss of £562.5m after the impairment charge.

For 2026, Informa said it is targeting underlying revenue growth of 6% and a sixth consecutive year of double-digit underlying earnings per share growth. The company also announced it is increasing its 2026 share buyback commitment to £250m from an initial £200m, citing strong cash flow and current equity market conditions.

The company said over £2bn of 2026 revenues, representing more than 45% of its target, are already paid, booked or committed.

Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance launches as ECA 2.0 with Tommy Goodwin as first-ever president and CEO

The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), the unified public policy voice of the U.S. business and professional events industry, has announced the launch of ECA 2.0 at the SISO CEO Summit, alongside the appointment of Tommy Goodwin as its first-ever president and chief executive officer.

The initiative builds on ECA’s work since its founding in 2021 and is designed to advance its advocacy impact, expand industry engagement, and create a platform for long-term growth. The alliance represents an industry that drives more than $400bn in economic activity annually and employs 2.6 million Americans.

Fernando Fischer, chair of the ECA Board of Directors and president, Americas for RX, said: “ECA has made significant progress in a relatively short period of time, and ECA 2.0 is about building on that foundation with purpose and ambition. As our industry continues to navigate a complex policy environment, this effort will help ensure that ECA remains responsive, strengthens its connection to the industry, and expands its engagement with policymakers at all levels of government.”

Through ECA 2.0, the alliance said it will expand its advocacy work in Washington, D.C., introduce new programs, services, and tools for industry stakeholders, and build stronger connections between the industry and policymakers. The development of ECA 2.0 was supported by SG Strategy, including Christoph Schedl and Jakob Kjeldsmark, who worked with the ECA Board of Directors and member associations on the initiative.

Since 2021, ECA has secured policy wins in areas including international travel, workforce development, scam prevention, and tax policy.

Tommy, who joined ECA at its founding in 2021, most recently served as executive vice president. Hervé Sedky, secretary of the ECA Board of Directors and president and chief executive officer of Emerald, said: “From day one, Tommy has helped build ECA from the ground up and consistently delivered policy wins that matter to the industry. He has effectively brought together event and meeting organizers, exhibitors, venues, and suppliers to create a strong advocacy voice in Washington, D.C. The Board of Directors is confident that Tommy is the right leader to guide ECA through this next phase of growth and impact.”

Emerald reports 16.2% jump in 2025 revenue to $464.3 million in latest financial result

Emerald Holding, Inc. has reported full-year 2025 revenue of $463.4 million, a 16.2% increase over the prior year, driven by acquisitions and organic revenue growth.

Key full-year 2025 financial results included:

• Revenue: $463.4m (2024: $398.8m), up 16.2%
• Organic revenue: $397.0m (2024: $392.6m), up 1.1%
• Net loss: $30.7m (2024: net income of $2.2m)
• Adjusted EBITDA: $127.1m (2024: $101.7m), up 25%
• Free cash flow: $34.3m (2024: $35.5m)

Revenue growth was primarily driven by $66.4m in acquisition-related revenue from Generis, This is Beyond, and Insurtech Insights. Had these acquisitions been part of Emerald’s portfolio in the prior year, underlying organic revenue growth would have been 4.8%.

Hervé Sedky, Emerald’s president and chief executive officer, said: “2025 was a pivotal year for Emerald — marked by disciplined execution and purposeful growth. As we enter 2026, Emerald has its most resilient and dynamic portfolio in more than a decade and a clear, confident path to long-term value creation.”

David Doft, Emerald’s chief financial officer, added: “Revenue increased 16.2% year-over-year and Adjusted EBITDA grew 25.0%, supported by consistent operating performance across the business. Based on this operating performance, we are issuing full-year 2026 guidance in the range of $490–$495m in revenue and $137.5–$142.5m in Adjusted EBITDA.”

Emerald also said its board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.015 per share on March 12, 2026, payable April 2 to shareholders of record as of March 23. The company separately confirmed in December 2025 that it had begun a review of potential strategic options following acquisition inquiries.

Protracted Middle East conflict could plunge events industry into deeper crisis

The escalating conflict in the Middle East is posing a threat to the global events industry, with rising flight costs, energy price shocks, and supply chain disruptions expected to compound the damage already felt across the region.

Iran has stated it is prepared to fight for months. The continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz has halted 34% of the world’s oil supply, and Trump has flagged the possibility that Iran may deploy sea mines in the Strait, a move that would deepen the disruption to global trade.

Aviation is expected to bear the most immediate impact. David Mumford, an international operations specialist at Opsgroup, told the BBC: “The central corridor across Iran, Iraq and the Gulf is effectively closed, so most traffic is going either north via the Caucasus and Afghanistan, or south via Egypt/Saudi/Oman. Both routes are longer and busier than usual, so flight times and fuel burn are higher.”

The cost impact on travelers is already visible. According to Google Flights data reported by The Independent, direct flights from Seoul to London with Korean Air Lines on March 11 rose to $4,000 from $564 the week prior.

Venue and catering costs are also expected to climb. Energy underpins nearly every line item an event organizer faces, from venue lighting and logistics to transport and refrigeration. Catering faces additional pressure from a shortage of fertilizer, of which one third of the world’s supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia have already seen damage to their reputations as safe business destinations. Analysts warn that without a significant de-escalation, the events industry in the Middle East could take years to recover.

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