After a Year of Big Buys, Emerald is Exploring a Sale
Photo Credit: Emerald's Kitchen & Bath Industry Show Emerald
Skift Take
After a 2025 spree of acquisitions targeting high-growth markets, Emerald is now attracting buyers of its own.
Business-to-business event organizer Emerald is exploring a possible sale after a year marked by major acquisitions and double‑digit revenue growth. The company told investors it’s conducting a formal strategic review after fielding interest in acquisitions, with the help of Goldman Sachs.
Emerald’s 2025 results underscore its momentum: revenue rose 16.2% to $463.4 million, while adjusted EBITDA jumped 25% to $127.1 million. The company reported a $30.7 million net loss, largely tied to deal costs, offering a clear explanation for potential buyers. Looking ahead, Emerald expects 2026 revenue of $490 million to $495 million and adjusted EBITDA of $137.5 million to $142.5 million.
“2025 was a pivotal year for Emerald — marked by disciplined execution and purposeful growth. Through targeted acquisitions, including This is Beyond, Insurtech Insights, and Generis, we expanded our presence in structurally higher‑growth markets and added meaningful scale to our portfolio,” said Hervé Sedky, Emerald’s president and CEO.
Millions of Dollars of Acquisitions
In March of 2025, Emerald acquired Insurtech Insights, which produces live events and webinars for the insurance technology community, for $26 million, plus contingent future payments based on business performance. Emerald funded this transaction with cash from operations.
In May of 2025, Emerald acquired This is Beyond, an experiential luxury travel company, for $138 million. And in August of 2-25, it acquired the Generis Group, a Canada-based organizer of B2B executive summits, for a reported $60 million.
At the same time, Emerald discontinued 26 events, representing $11 million in historic run-rate revenue, as part of a portfolio rationalization aimed at strengthening long-term performance.
The company said that if the three acquisitions had been part of the portfolio for all of 2025, underlying organic revenue growth would have been higher than the reported 1.1%.
“We delivered solid financial results, met our full‑year objectives, and exited the year with strong momentum supported by healthy customer demand and rebooking activity,” Sedky added. “As we enter 2026, Emerald has its most resilient and dynamic portfolio in more than a decade and a clear, confident path to long‑term value creation.”
