Informa's Buy Rating Kept as Berenberg Notes Re-rating Potential from B2B Events Focus

07:17 AM EDT, 10/08/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Berenberg maintained its buy rating on Informa (INF.L), saying that potential portfolio developments to transform it into a pure-play business-to-business events company should drive a re-rating. "The acquisition of Clarion and potential exit of Taylor & Francis (T&F) transform Informa into a pure-play B2B events business. The Clarion deal is low-single-digit accretive for FY 2027 on our numbers, but accretion improves in outer years as synergies are realised. The exit of T&F (likely through a sale) should generate proceeds of (GBP)2.8bn, which will strengthen the balance sheet and provide a potential return of capital to shareholders," analysts said Thursday. "We think that the improved through-cycle earnings profile of the business and cleaner equity story should also result in an improved rating." If both deals go through, the research firm expects B2B events to make up 96% of the London-listed events, digital services and academic research group's adjusted operating profit. Analysts noted the possibility of 8% growth in B2B events, based on expected 10% organic growth for Clarion in 2027 and 7% from Informa's own portfolio. Combined with small margin accretion from the One Informa strategy and share buybacks, that could deliver mid-teens EPS growth through the cycle. Berenberg maintained its 2026 sales and EBIT forecasts, while trimming its EPS estimate. For 2027 and 2028, analysts, meanwhile, raised their projections. The stock's price target of 10.40 pounds sterling was left unchanged.