London, June 20, 2026, 22:03 (BST)
- Informa ended Friday at 875 pence, rising 1.3% for the day and bringing its gain for the week to roughly 7.2%.
- Informa said underlying revenue rose 6.4% in the first five months and kept its target for double-digit adjusted EPS growth.
- Citi lifted its rating on the stock to “buy” and bumped its price target to 990 pence from 850 pence. Morningstar
Informa ended the week higher, climbing 1.3% to 875 pence on Friday after Thursday’s trading update had investors buying for a second session. The stock is up around 7.2% since last Friday’s 816 pence close. London was shut for trading on Saturday.
Informa’s performance was out of step with the rest of the market. The FTSE 100 dropped about 1% for the week, its worst run in six weeks, as investors shied away from risk on geopolitical and political worries in Britain. The way Informa traded points to investors seeing its update as a company risk getting cut, not just a move with the overall market.
Exhibitions and academic publisher Informa said revenue rose 6.4% on an underlying basis for the five months to May. B2B live-events posted 7.6% growth, while Taylor & Francis saw 5.5% growth with non-recurring data-access contracts stripped out. The company also said it already has over $4 billion in full-year revenue traded, booked, or visible.
“Underlying” figures are meant to strip out the effects of acquisitions, disposals, the timing of events, and currency swings to give a clearer view of like-for-like trading. Informa kept its forecast for double-digit growth in adjusted earnings per share, a profit-per-share metric that leaves out certain accounting and deal-related items. Informa
About 90% of the live-events portfolio is seeing strong growth, as most markets remain untouched by the Iran conflict. But Informa has pushed more than 15 brands into 2026 and moved some new launches to 2027. The company said a busier calendar and returning brands should drive better growth next year.
“We have momentum in both our businesses, B2B Live Events and Academic Services,” Chief Executive Stephen Carter said. Growth is coming from food, healthcare, finance and beauty events, which cuts the risk of depending on one show or region. The company still faces cost and execution challenges when it has to reschedule. Trade Show News Network
Citi upgraded Informa on Friday, bumping its 12-month price target to 990 pence—about 13% above where shares finished Friday. The move followed Britain dropping its travel warning for the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Citi left its financial outlook the same but raised the valuation multiple it uses for Informa, citing reduced uncertainty around the company’s remaining Gulf events.
But there are still risks. Citi pointed to possible softer live-event revenue, more tension in the Middle East, surprises at Taylor & Francis, and ongoing uncertainty over Informa TechTarget. Delayed events might face more disruption or higher costs, so some of the 2027 gains could hinge on factors outside management’s control.
The near-term focus is whether the rally sticks, with no big financial updates on Informa’s calendar after the June 18 AGM. Shares have bounced hard, suggesting the market is removing some geopolitical risk. Still, the stock finished Friday 12.5% under its 52-week high of £10.
