Business Reports First-Half Loss; Increases Projected Full-Year Adjusted Profits, Estimated Sales Forecast; Shares Surge Following Announcement
Informa PLC, a leading publishing, business intelligence, and exhibitions group, has announced an upgrade to its fiscal 2025 outlook following a robust performance in the first half of the year.
The company reported a significant increase in key financial metrics for the first half of 2025. Adjusted profit before tax rose to 515.9 million pounds, up from 441.2 million pounds in the previous year. Adjusted operating profit also saw a substantial jump, reaching 578.9 million pounds compared to 466.9 million pounds in the same period last year.
Revenue for the first half of 2025 stood at 1.02 billion pounds, a substantial increase from 850 million pounds in the same period last year. This represents a growth of 20% compared to the first half of 2024.
Informa's growth in Live B2B Events is expected to be over 8% for the full year. This growth is reflected in the company's updated outlook, which includes an upgrade in the underlying revenue growth guidance from over 5% to around 6%±. The adjusted earnings growth guidance has also been increased to 10%+ for the full year.
The company's strong performance is despite currency headwinds, demonstrating its resilience and confidence in continued growth across its key business segments.
Informa's interim dividend has been increased by 9% to 7.0 pence. The company also announced an additional 150 million pounds in buybacks for the second half of 2025.
Despite reporting a statutory loss before tax in the first half of the year, Informa's operating margins are improving. The company's current underlying revenue growth is over 5%, and in the first half of 2025, Informa delivered strong results with underlying revenue growth of 7.8% and adjusted operating profit growth of 9.2%.
Informa's shares are currently trading 4.53% higher at 863.43 pence on the London Stock Exchange, reflecting investor confidence in the company's growth prospects.
The outlook revision reflects higher first-half revenues and a solid outlook for the rest of the year. The company's updated fiscal 2025 outlook includes a raised adjusted earnings growth target to over 10% and a maintained full-year revenue guidance at around 4 billion pounds.
In conclusion, Informa PLC's strong first-half performance and upgraded outlook for fiscal 2025 indicate a promising future for the company, despite currency headwinds. The company's focus on growth in Live B2B Events, share buybacks, and dividend increases demonstrate its commitment to delivering value to shareholders.
The significant financial growth of Informa PLC, as seen in the increased adjusted profit before tax, operating profit, revenue, and interim dividend, underscores the company's robust business performance. This positive financial trajectory is a testament to Informa's resilience and confidence in its growth prospects across various business segments.
