Informa to Acquire Ascential for £1.2bn

Informa (LON: INF), a leading exhibitions and events group, has agreed to acquire rival Ascential (LON: ASCL) for £1.2 billion, the companies announced Wednesday.

Ascential shareholders will receive 568 pence per share in cash, representing a 53% premium to Ascential’s closing share price on July 22nd, 2024.

Informa is expected to benefit from the acquisition of Ascential’s two leading brands: Cannes Lions (marketing) and Money20/20 (fintech). This will increase revenue opportunities through cross-selling and expansion into new markets while also generating cost savings and efficiency improvements of £12 million annually.

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“Informa is in the business of creating, nurturing and growing world class B2B brands. Lions and Money20/20 are outstanding examples of such brands,” said Stephen Carter, Chief Executive of Informa. “Combined, we can expand them into more sectors, accelerate growth and take advantage of new opportunities.”

Ascential shareholders will receive an immediate and significant cash return. Ascential will also gain access to Informa’s global platform and resources, with the opportunity to participate in Informa’s future growth.
The deal is expected to close in Q4.

Informa believes the acquisition will create a strong combination, allowing them to leverage their expertise in B2B events and Ascential’s high-quality brands.

Informa also sees significant growth potential, particularly in the FinTech sector through Money20/20.

“Informa has the operating platform and capacity. We have international reach into growth sectors. We have IIRIS, our First Party Data Platform, and we have an understanding of both the FinTech and Marketing sectors,” added Carter. “These strengths make us ideally placed to capture the growth and acceleration opportunities available to both Lions and Money20/20.”