LONDON, March 9, 2026, 23:30 GMT
Informa (INF.L) said on Monday it bought 1.363 million shares for cancellation in the week to March 6, pressing ahead with a 2026 share buyback worth at least 200 million pounds just days before annual results. The British business-to-business, or B2B, events and publishing group said total shares in issue would fall to 1,279,627,119 after settlement, and its website shows full-year 2025 results are due on Thursday. 1
The timing matters. Buybacks reduce the number of shares on issue and can lift earnings per share, a basic measure of profit per share, while also signaling management confidence. In January, Informa said 2025 revenue should top 4.0 billion pounds, adjusted earnings per share should be about 55.5 pence and adjusted free cash flow more than 860 million pounds, setting a clear bar for Thursday. 2
Chief Executive Stephen Carter said in that update that 2025 was a “strong year” and that “the Power of Live” was driving demand across Informa’s B2B brands. The company also said it was targeting about 6% growth on its underlying measure, which strips out some one-offs, in 2026 and had about 1.5 billion pounds of booked or committed revenue for the year. 3
That forward look has drawn extra attention since Informa deepened its Gulf push. Reuters reported last March that the group had agreed a partnership with Dubai World Trade Centre aimed at more than $700 million in revenue, betting on healthcare, energy, aviation, food and technology events as the in-person conferences market rebounded after the pandemic. 4
Reuters reported last week that Informa is also exploring a sale of a stake in its Monaco-based luxury events assets, including the Monaco Yacht Show and Top Marques Monaco. The portfolio generates about $200 million in annual revenue and a stake sale could raise about $200 million, one source said, though the company declined to comment. 5
The risk is that the regional backdrop stays rough. JPMorgan cut its 2026 non-oil growth forecasts for Gulf economies last week after the Iran conflict widened, saying risks were elevated, and on Monday IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned the conflict could push global inflation higher. 6
For Informa, that matters because live events remain central to the story even as the group spans Taylor & Francis, Informa Markets, Informa Connect, Informa Festivals and Informa TechTarget. That leaves the company exposed if a deeper hit to travel, exhibitor budgets or Gulf business confidence feeds through to live shows. 7
Still, Monday’s filing keeps shareholder returns in the frame. In January, Informa said the 2026 programme followed a 350 million pound buyback completed in 2025 and left scope for further repurchases through the year, meaning the next test for investors is less the buyback math than whether Thursday’s outlook holds up. 8
