Informa H2 Earnings Call Highlights

Core Insights - The company emphasizes strong momentum in face-to-face experiences, highlighting the uniqueness of live events and the opportunities arising from increased specialization across industries [1][5] B2B Live Events Performance - The B2B live events business grew nearly 10% like-for-like in 2025, contributing approximately £4 billion (around $5 billion) to the company's revenue, which now constitutes about 75% of the overall business [2][3][7] - Management described 2025 as a remarkable year with double-digit revenue growth, margin expansion, and record free cash flow of close to £900 million [4][7] Geographic and Market Insights - The revenue distribution is approximately 50% from the Americas, 20% from Asia, 14% from India/Middle East/Africa, and 16% from Europe, with the U.K. representing about 5% and declining [3] Future Growth Strategies - The company plans to launch 20 brand extensions and new launches in 2026, targeting at least 5% growth in every region through pricing, geographic expansion, and service monetization [6][8] - Management outlined six focus areas for driving growth, including pricing for value, market penetration, geographic expansion, brand syndication, attendee value monetization, and service enhancements [9] Academic and Digital Services - In academic publishing, the business aims for 4% growth in 2026 after achieving 3.6% growth in 2025, with a focus on open access research submissions and licensing opportunities [14] - The B2B digital services segment had a challenging first year, with a goal to return to growth in 2026, focusing on major customers in North American enterprise technology markets [16] AI and Operational Strategy - The company is leveraging AI as both an operational tool and a market opportunity, having invested in a proprietary data warehouse to enhance data collection and customer engagement [17] - AI-related content is already integrated into the events portfolio, with over 800,000 paying attendees across 50+ B2B live events focused on enterprise technology [18] Financial Health and Capital Allocation - The company reported a free cash flow of close to £900 million in 2025, the highest annual level achieved, with expectations for mid-single-digit percentage growth in 2026 [19] - Management reiterated a commitment to a progressive dividend and share repurchases, while focusing on organic performance and integration rather than acquisitions [20]