By Amy-Jo Crowley LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - London-listed exhibitions group Informa is exploring selling a stake in its portfolio of Monaco-based luxury events, which include the Monaco Yacht Show
Informa Considers Selling Stake in Monaco-Based Luxury Event Portfolio
Informa's Strategic Review of Monaco Luxury Events
By Amy-Jo Crowley
Overview of the Potential Stake Sale
LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - London-listed exhibitions group Informa is exploring selling a stake in its portfolio of Monaco-based luxury events, which include the Monaco Yacht Show and Top Marques Monaco, two people familiar with the matter said.
Informa, valued at nearly $14 billion, is working with an investment bank to gauge interest in the package, the people said.
The collection generates around $200 million in annual revenue, and a stake sale could generate about $200 million, one added.
A spokesperson for Informa declined to comment.
Confidentiality and Uncertainty Surrounding the Deal
The sources, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private, said talks are ongoing and there is no certainty a transaction will take place.
Potential Bidders and Market Context
Possible Bidders May Include Sovereign Wealth Funds
POSSIBLE BIDDERS MAY INCLUDE SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUNDS
Reuters could not determine how the recent Middle East conflict might affect the process. Informa said in recent days that the vast majority of its business to business operations were unaffected.
Its shares fell 11% on Monday before recovering.
Possible bidders for a stake are likely to include sovereign wealth funds, the person said.
Monaco-Based Assets and Division Details
The Monaco-based assets sit within Informa's Luxury & Lifestyle division, which comprises the Art Monte-Carlo and Boat International Publishing Group, the Palm Beach Boat Show, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and Art Miami.
Sovereign Wealth Funds' Investment Strategies
Sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf have been investing heavily in the media and entertainment sector as well as in the events business as they look to diversify their oil-rich economies and attract increasing foreign investment and people to the region.
For example, ADNEC, which is backed by Abu Dhabi, hosts one of the biggest energy conferences in the Middle East, while Qatar's QIA is a majority shareholder in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns team franchises, venues and media networks across the U.S.
Informa's Broader Business Interests
Informa is also active in academic publishing via Taylor & Francis and data and marketing services via TechTarget, in which it holds a 58% stake, according to LSEG data.
(Reporting by Amy-Jo Crowley in London. Additional reporting Federico Maccioni. Editing by Anousha Sakoui and Jan Harvey)
