REG - Informa PLC - Strong 2022 performance, further growth in 2023

InformaAnnouncement

19/01/2023 07:00

For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below:
http://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20230119:nRSS1914Na&default-theme=true

RNS Number : 1914N  Informa PLC  19 January 2023

 Informa LEI: 5493006VM2LKUPSEDU20

 

Informa PLC Full Year Trading Update

19 January 2023

Strong 2022 performance, further growth in 2023

Informa closes 2022 with a strong performance and begins 2023 with continuing
momentum

Informa (LSE: INF.L), the international Academic Markets, B2B Markets and
Digital Services Group today issued a trading update ahead of its 2022 Full
Year Results on 9 March 2023.

 Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive, said:

 "Informa finished 2022 strongly and has entered 2023 with continuing
 momentum."

 He added: "Strong performances in both Academic Markets and B2B Markets,
 combined with our strengthened balance sheet, mean Informa will deliver
 further strong underlying growth, continuing organic investment and additional
 targeted expansion, alongside enhanced shareholder returns."

Strong performance in 2022

á      Strong growth in revenue, profits & cash flow...Informa
expects to report 2022 revenue of more than £2,380m, adjusted operating
profit of £530m+ and free cash flow of £440m+;

á      Consistent strength in Academic Markets...Continued strong
performance in traditional pay-to-read publishing combined with further
progress in Open Research is expected to deliver c.3% underlying revenue
growth in 2022, up from 2.4% in 2021;

á      Growth and momentum in Live & On-Demand B2B
Events...Accelerating performance across our B2B Events portfolio is expected
to deliver c.70% underlying revenue growth in Live Events in 2022, up from
65%+ at the ten-month stage, with particular strength in the US;

á      Growth and expansion in B2B Digital Services...Further strong
growth in B2B Digital Services underpinned by our customer data engine, IIRIS
(First Party Specialist Data) and recent additions, NetLine (Content
Syndication / Lead Generation) and Industry Dive (Specialist Content /
Audience Development);

á      Balance sheet strength...Improving financial performance and
strong cash conversion to deliver £440m+ free cash flow in 2022; Combined
with c£2.5bn of value from divestments, this will deliver a neutral/positive
net cash position (ex-leases) in 2022, with over £550m of share buybacks and
ordinary dividends;

á      ESG - sustainability outperformance...Strong commitment and
investment in sustainable business practices through FasterForward programme
delivers A- score in the Carbon Disclosure Project and a fifth year in Dow
Jones Sustainability Index, including a second consecutive year as the number
one company in the media sector globally.

Continuing momentum

á      Strength in Specialisation...We continue to monitor the macro and
geopolitical backdrop and whilst uncertainties prevail, Informa operates with
specialist brands serving specialist markets, providing resilience and growth
opportunities in the vast majority of our chosen categories;

á      Increased focus, digital depth and operating momentum...Our GAP 2
strategy is delivering significant balance sheet strength and a more focused
portfolio, built around two businesses with world leading brands, good forward
visibility and growing digital and data capabilities;

á      Strong underlying growth...Continuing strong growth in Live and
On-Demand B2B Events in North America, EMEA, ASEAN, South Asia and LatAm,
growing monetisation of First Party Specialist Data and improving growth in
Academic Markets delivering strong underlying growth;

á      Growth acceleration...China has announced and is implementing a
post-COVID reopening programme. We welcome this shift and are working closely
with customers on our forward B2B Events schedule. We continue to see
incremental growth from China once full return is complete, likely towards the
back end of 2023 and into 2024.

A successful China reopening will be combined with our proven ability to
successfully buy, integrate and operate portfolio businesses around the world
(100+ completed over the last decade), where our focus will be on
consolidating strengths in Live and On-Demand Events, building a position in
adjacent B2B Digital Services and expanding our range of author and Open
Research services;

á      Growth through organic investment...Further GAP 2 investment is
combined with additional 2023 investment in recent acquisitions, including a
product launch in the Lead Generation / Digital Demand market (Intentive) at
NetLine and the accelerated rollout of new subject dives at Industry Dive,
starting with Direct-to-Consumer Dive;

á      Improving shareholder returns...Ongoing capital returns through
£725m share buyback programme, with just over £500m of buybacks completed in
2022; additional shareholder returns through further growth in ordinary
dividends, with an ongoing commitment to pay out a minimum of 40% of the
Group's continuing adjusted earnings.

 Enquiries
 Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive                  +44 (0) 20 8052 0400
 Gareth Wright, Group Finance Director                     +44 (0) 20 8052 0400
 Richard Menzies-Gow, Director of IR & Communications      +44 (0) 20 8052 2787
 Tim Burt / Simon Duke - Teneo                             +44 (0) 7583 413254 / +44 (0) 7815 779225

 

The Informa Group Portfolio

Informa is focused on its two leadership businesses in Academic Markets and
B2B Markets, providing specialist products and services into specialist end
markets and geographies.

Academic Markets & Knowledge Services

Taylor & Francis Group: Specialist Knowledge and Open Research Services

Brands/Imprints: Taylor & Francis, Routledge, CRC Press, F1000, Dove Press

Subject Categories: Physical Sciences, Bioscience, Chemistry, Environment
& Sustainability, Food Science & Technology, Information Science,
Haematology, Neurology, Oncology, Psychology, Engineering, Education,
Behavioural Science, Business & Management, Philosophy, Economics,
Sociology

Geographies: US, UK, China, Germany, Japan, Australia, India, New Zealand,
South Africa, Singapore

B2B Markets & Digital Services

Informa Markets: International Live & On-Demand B2B Events and B2B Market Access

Brands: CPhI Worldwide, Natural Products Expo West, World of Concrete, China
Beauty Expo, Magic, Marintec, Seatrade, Hotelex, MRO Americas,

Specialist Markets: Healthcare & Pharma, Health & Nutrition,
Infrastructure & Construction, Beauty & Aesthetics, Fashion &
Apparel, Maritime, Transport & Logistics, Manufacturing Machinery &
Equipment, Hospitality Food & Beverage, Aviation

Geographies: US, China, UAE, ASEAN, India, Brazil, Germany and Monaco

Informa Connect: Live & On-Demand B2B Experiences

Brands: SuperReturn, IM Power, Finovate, Inside ETFs, Bio-Europe, BioPharm
America, BioProcess International, TIDES, TMRE, FanExpo, Greenbuild, Zephyr,
IGM

Specialist Markets: BioTech & Pharma, Fintech, Private Equity, Fund
Management, Wealth Management, Sustainability, Maritime, Market Research &
Marketing, Food Service & Hospitality

Geographies: US, Canada, Australia, UAE, Switzerland, UK, Singapore

Informa Tech: Market Insights and Market Access for International Tech Communities

Brands: NetLine, Industry Dive, Omdia, Black Hat, GDC, London Tech Week, AI
Summit, Internet of Things World, Enterprise Connect, Light Reading, Heavy
Reading

Specialist Markets: Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Enterprise IT,
Gaming, Internet of Things, Media & Entertainment, Service Providers,
Components & Devices

Geographies: US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, UK, Germany

IIRIS: First Party Specialist Data

Data Services: IIRIS Tracker, IIRIS Passport, IIRIS Recommend, IIRIS Segment,
IIRIS Insights

Informa Retained Investments

 Brand                        Category                                             Equity Interest
 Norstella                    Pharma intelligence                                  7.6%
 Lloyd's List Maritime        Maritime intelligence                                20.0%
 Curinos                      Retail Banking intelligence                          56.2%
 Founder's Forum              Live & On-Demand B2B Events and B2B Communities      22.3%
 Independent Television News  Creative Content Production                          20.0%
 PA Media Group               Specialist Media and News Services                   18.2%
 Bridge Events Technologies   On-Demand Event Technology                           14.9%

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact
rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com)
 or visit
www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/)
.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our
Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy)
.   END  TSTGPUCPGUPWGBR