Published Oct. 6, 2026. Informa announced a £2.24 billion acquisition of Clarion Events and a plan to separate its Taylor & Francis academic-publishing business, a major reshaping of the London-listed company around business-to-business events and specialist information.
In an Oct. 6 regulatory announcement, Informa said it intends to raise about £940 million in gross proceeds through an equity issue to help finance the Clarion purchase. The company described the transaction as an acquisition at an enterprise value of approximately £2.24 billion.
Clarion adds more than 100 event brands
Clarion operates business events across technology, energy, defense, travel, design and other sectors. Its portfolio includes large international exhibitions as well as U.S. consumer and professional events.
The acquisition is intended to deepen Informa’s position in live business events, where exhibitors, buyers and industry groups meet in person. Informa said its current trading remains on track with full-year expectations and expects the purchase to add to adjusted diluted earnings per share beginning in 2027.
Taylor & Francis will be separated
Alongside the deal, Informa launched a formal process to separate Taylor & Francis, its long-established academic publishing operation. The company said it will review options for the business and plans to report the outcome with its full-year results in March.
The announcement starts a process; it does not yet specify whether Taylor & Francis will be sold, spun off or transferred through another structure. Until Informa completes that review, the final ownership path remains undecided.
How the purchase is being financed
The proposed £940 million equity issue will include an institutional placing, a retail offer and a subscription. The rest of the acquisition financing is expected to come from other funding arranged for the transaction.
The Financial Times reported on Oct. 6 that Clarion is being acquired from Blackstone and that the transaction reflects continued demand for large in-person business events following the pandemic-era shutdowns.
The acquisition remains subject to its closing requirements. Forecast benefits, including earnings growth and returns on invested capital, are management expectations and may change as financing and integration proceed.
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