Informa is a professional information provider, with a focus on academic and professional publishing, and informational events. Informa has 150 offices in 40 countries.

To achieve its goal of being “the world’s best knowledge provider," Informa develops corporate subscriptions, mainly for digital services, seeking growth via geographic expansion and events. Almost three quarters of its publishing revenues come from digital services.

Informa is defined by research-based, proprietary information for an expert audience. Informa publishes over 2,500 subscription products and services. delivered electronically and in hardcopy, and 45,000 books.

Informa includes well known academic brands such as Taylor & Francis.

This ranking accounts for the Academic and Scientific and the Professional division, but not the Commercial division, which mainly organizes events.

Key Company Developments in 2012 & 2013

Financial:

Informa’s profit figures grew from 336 million GBP to 350 million GBP, despite an overall revenue decline due to a combination of disposals (Robbins Gioia and European Conference businesses) and proactive product pruning. The organic revenue decline was 1.2%.

The Academic Information division accounts for 28% of corporate revenue at 340 million GBP, up from 324 million GBP in 2011. The increase was fuelled by strong book sales in the U.S. and emerging markets.

The professional and commercial information division now accounts for 29% of group revenues. Its revenue dropped from 371 million GBP to 357 million GBP due to downsizing in the financial services industry and new regulations for banks. Profits were boosted by improvements and the full year of cost initiatives.

Ownership, Mergers & Acquisition, Internal Organization:

In 2012, Informa acquired Focal Press and Hodder's list for the academic division. Zephyr Associates, Inc., a digital subscriptions business, was acquired in October for the professional and commercial information division. The most significant investments in 2012 was the re-launch of Datamonitor Healthcare Knowledge Centre. Healthcare business accounts for the biggest sector of this divison with 60% of segment revenue.

International:

In 2012, 18% of revenue was generated in emerging markets, up from 14% last year, reflecting growth in Brazil, Middle East and Russia generated by Informa’s exhibition business. The largest regions are the Middle East (6% of revenue) and Latin America (4% of revenue). The Academic information division currently generates about 14% of its revenue from emerging markets, mainly India, China and Taiwan. A Chinese healthcare initiative is expected to drive international revenue for the professional and commercial information division, which currently has the lowest emerging market penetration at 8%.

Digital:

74% of publishing revenues are derived from digital sales. The academic segment experienced a further shift towards digital products, aided by the re-launched academic platform T&F Online which carries all our digital academic content.

Key Points for Analysis & Conclusions:

In recent years, Informa saw continuous growth in revenues and profits, with a strategic shift toward renewable print subscriptions as digital accounts for three quarters of its revenues.

International expansion, particualrly with academic content in Russia and the “geo cloning” of events, reflect the company's strategic outlook.

Earlier Developments:

Recent organizational change: In early 2009, financial analysts acknowledged growing concern about Informa’s debt, which had accumulated to 1.34 billion GBP, cutting its final dividend. In May, Informa announced the move of its tax domicile from the UK to Switzerland to escape “double taxation.” The company also announced plans to reduce its debt below 900 million GBP by the end of 2009.

“On 30 June 2009, pursuant to a Scheme of Arrangement (the Scheme) under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006, Informa plc (Informa), a public company limited by shares, incorporated in Jersey with number 102786 and domiciled in Switzerland, became the new parent holding company of the Informa group” (Annual report ).

The Group introduced five newly identified reportable divisions in 2009: Academic Information (AI), which includes the Taylor & Francis publishing business and provides a portfolio of online and print publications for academic users across the science and technology spectrum; Humanities and Social Sciences; and Professional and Commercial Information (PCI). This division, which includes Datamonitor, Informa Business Information, and Informa Financial Information, provides information across a range of formats on a global basis to a variety of sectors: Medical, Pharmaceutical, Financial, Law, Commerce, Commodities, Maritime and Telecoms.

Informa called 2009 “an extremely demanding year,” with revenues declining on an organic basis by 14%.

Informa is an STM business. It's assets include Taylor & Francis, Lloyd's List, and Routledge academic books. Informa provides specialist, high value information to the global Academic & Scientific, Professional, and Commercial markets via Publishing, Performance Improvement and Events.

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