Emerald Reports Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Emerald Reports Solid Earnings Momentum with Growth in Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA

Reiterates Confidence in Full Year 2025 Outlook

Emerald Holding, Inc. (NYSE: EEX) (“Emerald” or the “Company”), America’s largest producer of trade shows and their associated conferences, content and commerce, today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025.

Financial Highlights

• Revenues of $105.5 million for the second quarter 2025, an increase of $19.5 million, or 22.7%, over the second quarter 2024, primarily due to revenues from acquisitions, offset by three discontinued events that were not contributing to profitability.
  • Organic Revenues, a non-GAAP measure, which takes into account the impact of acquisitions, scheduling adjustments and discontinued events, if any, of $80.2 million for the second quarter 2025, an increase of $0.3 million, or 0.4%, from $79.9 million for the second quarter 2024. The recent acquisitions of This is Beyond, Insurtech Insights and GRC World Forums would have driven 4.6% year-over-year growth in Organic Revenues had they been part of Emerald’s portfolio in the second quarter ended June 30, 2024 (Refer to Schedule 1 for a reconciliation to revenues, the most directly comparable GAAP measure).
• Net loss of $1.4 million for the second quarter 2025, compared to net loss of $2.8 million for the second quarter 2024.
• Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, of $24.4 million for the second quarter 2025, compared to $15.3 million for the second quarter 2024, a 59.5% increase (Refer to Schedule 3 for a reconciliation to net (loss) income, the most directly comparable GAAP measure).
• Ended the quarter with $156.4 million in cash and full availability of its $110.0 million revolving credit facility.
• Emerald reaffirms its previously stated Full Year 2025 guidance of $450 - 460 million of Revenue and $120-125 million of Adjusted EBITDA.

Operational and Capital Structure Updates

• Emerald repurchased $6.9 million of its common stock in the second quarter at an average price of $4.24 per share. Year to date, Emerald repurchased $15.7 million of its common stock at an average price of $4.29 per share.
• On July 29, 2025, Emerald’s Board of Directors declared a dividend for the quarter ending September 30, 2025, of $0.015 per share.

Hervé Sedky, Emerald’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “Our second quarter results reflect focused execution and the resilience of our business model. We’ve taken meaningful steps to streamline the portfolio, concentrate on high-growth markets, and strengthen our value proposition. As a result, Emerald is evolving into a more performance-oriented platform with a strong foundation for long-term growth.

“Our strategy is grounded in creating long-term value through a customer-centric platform that delivers measurable outcomes and fosters year-round engagement. The acquisition of This is Beyond and Insurtech Insights supports this vision, broadening our reach in key growth markets that deepen client relationships and enhance our ability to scale through targeted portfolio expansion. At the same time, we’re navigating dynamic market conditions with continued discipline and focus. These efforts reflect our evolution into a more focused and operationally agile organization, well-positioned to scale with intention and deliver lasting value.”

David Doft, Emerald’s Chief Financial Officer, added, “We continued to build on our momentum in the second quarter, delivering solid year-over-year growth in both Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. As anticipated, reported organic growth was muted at 0.4% this quarter, due to event timing and mix. However, on a pro-forma basis, assuming the recently completed acquisitions were part of the portfolio in the second quarter of 2024, organic growth would have been 4.6% this quarter, a more accurate reflection of the performance of our business as it is constituted on a go-forward basis with the inclusion of these acquisitions. Similarly, while reported free cash flow was impacted by the timing of these acquisitions, underlying cash generation was stronger when adjusted for these effects. As we cycle past these transactions, we expect free cash flow conversion to improve and more accurately reflect the cash generating power of the business.

“These results are in line with expectations and reflect the disciplined execution of our focused strategy, reinforcing our confidence in achieving our full-year 2025 guidance. Encouraging booking trends into the first half of 2026, combined with trade shows consistently delivering among the highest ROI of any marketing channel, give us continued confidence in our trajectory for sustained year-over-year growth.”

Second Quarter 2025 Financial Performance and Highlights

• Second quarter 2025 revenues were $105.5 million, an increase of $19.5 million or 22.7% versus the second quarter 2024, driven primarily by $23.6 million in revenue from acquisitions and scheduling adjustments of $1.6 million, offset by prior year revenue of $2.8 million related to three discontinued events that were not contributing to profitability and a $0.3 million increase in Organic Revenues. The recent acquisitions of This is Beyond, Insurtech Insights and GRC World Forums would have driven 4.6% year-over-year growth in Organic Revenues had they been part of Emerald’s portfolio in the second quarter ended June 30, 2024.

• Second quarter 2025 Organic Revenues from the Connections reportable segment were $70.1 million, an increase of $1.2 million or 1.7% versus the second quarter 2024, due to an increase in recurring revenues.

• Second quarter 2025 Organic Revenues from the All Other category were $10.1 million, a decrease of $0.9 million or 8.2% versus the second quarter 2024, due to a $1.0 million decrease in Content revenues, offset by a $0.1 million increase in Commerce revenues.

• Second quarter 2025 net loss was $1.4 million, compared to net loss of $2.8 million for the second quarter 2024, principally as a result of higher income from ongoing operations, largely attributable to acquisitions, offset by higher non-recurring expenses, primarily related to contingent consideration remeasurement adjustments and higher provision for income taxes recognized during the quarter of 2025.

• Second quarter 2025 Adjusted EBITDA was $24.4 million, compared to $15.3 million for the second quarter 2024.

For a discussion of the Company’s presentation of Organic revenues and Adjusted EBITDA, which are non-GAAP measures, see below under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Information.” Refer to Schedule 1 for a reconciliation of Organic revenues to revenues (discussed in the first paragraph of this section), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, and refer to Schedule 3 for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss) (discussed in the second paragraph of this section), the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Cash Flow

• Second quarter 2025 net cash provided by operating activities was $15.9 million, compared to $9.8 million in the second quarter 2024.

• Second quarter 2025 capital expenditures were $2.1 million, compared to $2.7 million in the second quarter 2024.

• Second quarter 2025 Free Cash Flow excluding event cancellation insurance proceeds, net, which the Company defines as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, event cancellation insurance proceeds and taxes paid on event cancellation insurance proceeds, was $13.8 million, compared to $7.1 million in the second quarter 2024. The calculation of second quarter 2025 Free Cash Flow excluding event cancellation insurance proceeds, net, includes non-recurring acquisition related transaction costs of $1.1 million, acquisition integration and restructuring-related transition costs of $1.9 million and non-recurring financing fees charged to interest expense of $0.9 million for the January 2025 debt refinancing. The calculation of second quarter 2024 Free Cash Flow excluding event cancellation insurance proceeds, net, includes non-recurring acquisition related transaction costs of $0.9 million, acquisition integration, restructuring-related transition costs of $1.0 million, and non-recurring legal and consulting fees of $0.7 million. The total of these items is $3.9 million and $2.6 million for the quarters ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

• Free Cash Flow in second quarter 2025 as reported reflects the impact of certain acquisition-timing effects. As the This is Beyond acquisition closed shortly before its major events staged, a portion of event-related cash was reflected in the purchase price, rather than being captured in Emerald’s operating cash flow. The amount of this impact would have represented approximately $17.0 million of incremental cash flows from operations.

For a review of the Company’s presentation of Free Cash Flow, which is a non-GAAP measure, see below under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Information.” Refer to Schedule 4 for a reconciliation of Free Cash Flow to net cash provided by operating activities (discussed in the first paragraph of this section), the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Dividend

On July 29, 2025, Emerald’s Board of Director’s declared a dividend for the quarter ending September 30, 2025, of $0.015 per share payable on August 25, 2025 to holders of Emerald’s common stock as of August 14, 2025.

Emerald Share Repurchase Program

On April 30, 2025, Emerald’s Board of Directors approved an expansion of the Company’s share repurchase program that allows for the repurchase of $25.0 million of its common stock through December 31, 2025. In the three months ended June 30, 2025, Emerald bought back 1,630,679 shares for $6.9 million at an average price of $4.24 per share. Year-to-date ended June 30, 2025, Emerald bought back 3,660,124 shares for $15.7 million at an average price of $4.29 per share. At quarter end, Emerald had $20.8 million remaining available under the existing repurchase authorization.

Since the restart of the share repurchase program in 2021 through June 30, 2025, the Company has bought back a total of 16.9 million shares of common stock for an aggregate of $69.4 million.

Conference Call Webcast Details

As previously announced, the Company’s leadership will hold a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2025 results at 8:30 am EDT on Monday, August 4, 2025.

The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-800-715-9871 (domestic) or 1-646-307-1963 (international). A telephonic replay will be available beginning at 11:30 am ET by dialing 1-800-770-2030, or for international callers, 1-647-362-9199. The passcode for the replay is 1558503. The replay will be available until 11:59 pm ET on August 11, 2025.

Interested investors and other parties can access the webcast of the live conference call by visiting the Investors section of Emerald’s website at https://investor.emeraldx.com. An online replay will be available on the same website immediately following the call.

About Emerald

Emerald Holding, Inc. (NYSE: EEX) is the largest U.S.-based B2B event organizer, empowering businesses year-round by expanding meaningful connections, developing influential content, and delivering powerful commerce-driven solutions. As the owner and operator of a curated portfolio of B2B events spanning trade shows, conferences, B2C showcases and a scaled hosted buyer platform, Emerald also delivers dynamic solutions across leading industries through its robust content and e-commerce marketplace. Emerald is a trusted partner for its thousands of customers, predominantly small and medium-sized businesses, playing a pivotal role in driving ongoing commerce through streamlined buying, selling, and networking opportunities. Powered by an experienced team, Emerald is fostering impactful engagement and delivering unparalleled market access with a commitment to driving business growth 365 days a year.

Non-GAAP Financial Information

This press release presents certain “non-GAAP” financial measures. The components of these non-GAAP measures are computed by using amounts that are determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). These non-GAAP financial measures are in addition to, and not as a substitute for or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures enhance the reader’s understanding of our past financial performance and our prospects for the future. The non-GAAP financial information is presented for supplemental informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP and may be different from similarly titled non-GAAP measures used by other companies. A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release to their nearest comparable GAAP financial measures is included in the schedules attached hereto.

Organic Revenue

We define “Organic revenue growth” and “Organic revenue decline” as the growth or decline, respectively, in our revenue from one period to the next, adjusted for the revenue impact of: (i) acquisitions and dispositions, (ii) discontinued events and (iii) material show scheduling adjustments. We disclose changes in Organic revenue because we believe it assists investors and analysts in comparing Emerald’s operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe provide a fair comparison of the trends underlying our existing event portfolio given changes in timing or strategy. Management and Emerald’s board of directors evaluate changes in Organic revenue to evaluate our historical and prospective financial performance and understand underlying revenue trends of our events.

Adjusted EBITDA

We use Adjusted EBITDA because we believe it assists investors and analysts in comparing Emerald’s operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. Management and Emerald’s board of directors use Adjusted EBITDA to assess our financial performance and believe it is helpful in highlighting trends because it excludes the results of decisions that are outside the control of management, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate, and capital investments. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss) as a measure of financial performance or to cash flows from operations as a liquidity measure.

We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) before (i) interest expense, net, (ii) provision for income taxes, (iii) depreciation and amortization, (iv) stock-based compensation, (v) goodwill and other intangible asset impairment charges and (vi) other items that management believes are not part of our core operations.

We have also presented Adjusted EBITDA excluding event cancellation insurance proceeds in order to illustrate the amount of Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations.

Note: Schedule 3 provides reconciliations for 2025 and 2024 Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss), however, it is not possible, without unreasonable efforts, to estimate the impacts of show scheduling adjustments, acquisitions and certain other special items that may occur in 2025 as these items are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict. As a result, the Company is unable to quantify certain amounts that would be included in a reconciliation of 2025 projected Adjusted EBITDA to projected net income (loss) without unreasonable efforts and has not provided reconciliations for these forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures.

Free Cash Flow

We present Free Cash Flow because we believe it is a useful indicator of liquidity that provides information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated from our core operations that, after capital expenditures, can be used to maintain and grow our business, for the repayment of indebtedness, payment of dividends and to fund strategic opportunities. Free Cash Flow is a supplemental non-GAAP measure of liquidity and is not based on any standardized methodology prescribed by GAAP. Free Cash Flow should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities or other measures determined in accordance with GAAP.

We have also presented Free Cash Flow excluding event cancellation insurance proceeds, net in order to illustrate the amount of Free Cash Flow from continuing operations.

Other companies may compute these measures differently. No non-GAAP metric should be considered as an alternative to any other measure derived in accordance with GAAP.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains and our earnings call will contain certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our ability to return our business to pre-COVID levels; general economic conditions, or more specifically about the markets in which we operate, including growth of our various markets, and our expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, objectives, prospects, assumptions or future events or performance; the multiple avenues to return to organic growth; expectations regarding interest rates and economic conditions, among others; our guidance with respect to estimated revenues and Adjusted EBITDA; our ability or inability to obtain insurance coverage relating to event cancellations or interruptions; our intention to continue to pay regular quarterly dividends; our ability to successfully identify and acquire acquisition targets; our expectations arising from the ongoing impact of natural disasters, or outbreaks of contagious disease or the potential for infection (including COVID-19) on our business; how we integrate and grow acquired businesses; and how we expand our international operations. In particular, the declaration, timing and amount of any future dividends will be subject to the discretion and approval of the Board and will depend on a number of factors, including the Company’s results of operations, cash flows, financial position and capital requirements, any applicable restrictions under the Company’s debt facilities, as well as general business conditions, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions and other factors the Board deems relevant at the time it determines to declare such dividends. These statements are based on management’s current expectations as well as estimates and assumptions prepared by management as of the date hereof, and although they are believed to be reasonable, they are inherently uncertain and not guaranteed. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of the Company’s control that may cause its business, industry, strategy, financing activities or actual results to differ materially. See “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the Company’s most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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"These results are in line with expectations and reflect the disciplined execution of our focused strategy, reinforcing our confidence in achieving our full-year 2025 guidance."