Informa, the London-listed business events group, said on Tuesday it now expects group underlying revenue growth of about 3% in 2026, down from previous guidance of about 6%, assuming no further contribution from its Saudi Arabian events this year, according to Proactive Investors.
The company said a recent escalation in Saudi Arabia had forced further changes to its events calendar in the kingdom. The 2026 Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh will be held online, with the physical event moving to October 2027, while Cityscape Global in Riyadh has been postponed to early 2027.
Informa kept its forecast for double-digit growth in underlying earnings, excluding in-year dilution from shares issued for its acquisition of Clarion Events, according to the nine-month trading update.
Underlying revenue rose 6.5% in the nine months to September 30, excluding non-recurring data contracts, or 5.4% including them in the 2025 comparison, AskTraders reported.
Its B2B Live Events business grew underlying revenue 8.0%, led by the Americas, Europe, Southeast Asia and its India, Middle East and Africa region excluding Saudi Arabia. Academic Markets grew 4.0% on the same basis, while Informa TechTarget revenue fell 1.6%.
Informa said more than 50 event brands had traded in its India, Middle East and Africa region this year, generating more than $530 million in revenue. Since its first-half results, about 30 brands have traded for more than $230 million, including more than 15 events in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia.
“Strong underlying demand for B2B Live Events, combined with the strength of our Brands and operating flexibility, is enabling us to deliver consistent growth and performance, and our international breadth is limiting the impact of specific in-market disruptions,” said Stephen A. Carter, chief executive of Informa.
Informa said all regulatory filings for the Clarion Events deal had been submitted and that it expects completion in the first two weeks of December. The deal will add more than 100 business-to-business event brands to its portfolio.
