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Finance

UK's Informa cuts revenue guidance after Saudi Arabia attacks disrupt events calendar

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on October 27, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: October 27, 2026

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Informa Cuts Revenue Forecast After Saudi Arabia Events Disrupted by Attacks

Informa Revises Annual Revenue Growth Outlook Amid Middle East Tensions

Oct 27 (Reuters) - Britain's Informa trimmed its annual revenue growth outlook on Tuesday after more events in Saudi Arabia were forced to reschedule following recent attacks in the region. 

Key Details on Revenue Forecast and Guidance

Here are some more details:

Updated Revenue Growth Expectations

• The world's largest exhibitions group now expects full-year group underlying revenue growth of around 3%, down from prior guidance of about 6% as it assumes no further contribution from the kingdom for the rest of the year

Impact of Regional Conflict

• The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran-aligned Houthis has intensified in recent weeks, with both sides launching fresh strikes that have caused casualties and heightened regional tensions

Event Rescheduling and Format Changes

• Informa said the recent escalation has led to further events being rescheduled, including the 2026 edition of the Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh moving to a virtual format and Cityscape Global shifting to January 2027

• The company had previously rescheduled events for more than 15 brands in the Middle East for 2026

Outlook for Future Growth

• In June, Informa signalled stronger growth for 2027 after its live events business recovered from a temporary ceasefire in the Iran war

• Informa reaffirmed its earnings growth target for the year and said underlying revenue grew 6.5% in the nine months to September 30

Reporting and Editorial Credits

(Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Rashmi Aich)

Key Takeaways

  • Informa now anticipates ~3% underlying revenue growth for 2026, halved from prior ~6% guidance, assuming no further Saudi contribution this year.
  • Escalating Houthi missile and drone attacks have severely disrupted Saudi air travel—up to 86% of Riyadh flights cancelled—forcing event postponements or shifts to virtual formats.
  • Major events like the Global Health Exhibition and Cityscape Global have been deferred or moved online; Informa previously rescheduled 15+ Middle East brands for 2026 and remains cautiously optimistic about 2027 growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Informa lower its revenue guidance for the year?
Informa lowered its revenue guidance due to more events in Saudi Arabia being rescheduled following recent regional attacks, impacting their expected growth.
What is Informa's updated annual revenue growth outlook?
Informa now expects full-year group underlying revenue growth of around 3%, down from about 6% previously forecast.
Which events have been affected by the Saudi Arabia attacks?
Events such as the Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh have moved to a virtual format and Cityscape Global has shifted to January 2027.
Has Informa changed its earnings growth target?
No, Informa has reaffirmed its earnings growth target for the year despite the lower revenue outlook.
What recent developments led to the disruption of events in Saudi Arabia?
Escalating conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran-aligned Houthis has caused fresh strikes and regional tensions, leading to the rescheduling of events.

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