# Informa achieves a strong 2022 performance, with revenue of more than £2,380m

- Link: https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/informa-achieves-a-strong-2022-performance-with-revenue-of-more-than-2380m/4121098594
- Published: 2023-01-19T08:32:13+00:00
- Author: Amilia Stone

**[Informa plc](https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/ftse-company/informa-plc/inf.l)**(
LON:INF), the international Academic Markets, B2B Markets and Digital Services Group,
has issued a trading update ahead of its 2022 Full Year Results on 9 March 2023.

**Strong performance in 2022**

**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+;

**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;

**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;

**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);

**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;

**ESG – [sustainability](https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/sustainability-green-stocks-news)
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**

**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;

**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;

**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;

**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;

**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_;

**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.

**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.”

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