CTS EVENTIM, Europe's leading ticketing and live entertainment company and the world's second-largest provider, reported an 8.1% increase in consolidated revenue to EUR 2.322 billion for the first nine months of 2026, compared with the same period a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA rose 6.3% to EUR 359.1 million, yielding a margin of 15.5%. The results, announced via NEWMEDIAWIRE, underscore the company's ability to deliver profitable growth despite a challenging economic environment.
The Ticketing segment was a key driver, with revenue climbing 13.1% to EUR 708.7 million. Adjusted EBITDA in the segment grew 3.0% to EUR 265.5 million, and the margin reached 37.5%. Growth was fueled by a favorable price mix and an increase in retail ticket sales from 121.3 million to 123.2 million. However, earnings continued to be impacted by expenses related to the Operational Excellence program. In the third quarter alone, Ticketing revenue rose 11.5% to EUR 235.4 million, with adjusted EBITDA up 2.2% to EUR 93.0 million.
Live Entertainment also performed well, with revenue up 5.7% to EUR 1.646 billion in the nine-month period. Adjusted EBITDA surged 17.0% to EUR 93.7 million, lifting the margin to 5.7%. The growth was largely due to well-attended, high-revenue events and festivals, as well as the consolidation of additional entities. In the third quarter, however, segment revenue fell 11.7% to EUR 585.6 million, and adjusted EBITDA dropped 12.0% to EUR 40.8 million, primarily due to the timing of major tours and a particularly strong prior-year quarter that included a high-revenue international tour.
CEO Klaus-Peter Schulenberg commented, "CTS EVENTIM is remaining firmly on its path of profitable growth. We are dynamically expanding our business internationally and, at the same time, strengthening our earnings power. The results for the first nine months of 2026 confirm our strategic direction." The company upheld its full-year forecast and expressed optimism for the remainder of 2026.
This performance is significant for the live entertainment industry, as it highlights the resilience of consumer demand for concerts and events even amid economic uncertainty. CTS EVENTIM's international expansion and focus on operational efficiency position it well to capitalize on the ongoing recovery of the global events sector. Detailed figures for the period are available in the linked FIGURES Q3-9M 2026.
