CTS EVENTIM, Europe's leading ticketing and live entertainment provider and second-largest worldwide, reported a strong start to 2026 with consolidated revenue rising 23.0% to EUR 613.5 million and adjusted EBITDA increasing 18.5% to EUR 118.9 million in the first quarter. The Live Entertainment segment was a standout performer, with adjusted EBITDA soaring 151.1% to EUR 29.1 million, while the Ticketing segment delivered steady growth despite a high prior-year comparison.
The group's adjusted EBITDA margin remained stable at 19.4%, reflecting disciplined cost management amid expansion. CEO Klaus-Peter Schulenberg attributed the performance to the company's international positioning and close partnerships with promoters, artists, and venues. "CTS EVENTIM has made a successful start to 2026, maintaining its trajectory of profitable growth," Schulenberg said. "The Live Entertainment segment performed particularly strongly in the first quarter."
In the Ticketing segment, revenue increased 2.5% year-on-year to EUR 219.0 million, with adjusted EBITDA rising 1.2% to EUR 89.8 million. The segment's margin remained nearly unchanged at 41.0%. However, the company noted that changes to its partnership with Stage Entertainment affected comparability; adjusting for this effect, ticketing revenue expanded by approximately 6%. In April 2026, CTS EVENTIM announced a long-term extension of its contract with Stage Entertainment in the form of a retail partnership.
The Live Entertainment segment generated revenue of EUR 403.6 million, up 38.3% from the prior-year period. Adjusted EBITDA jumped to EUR 29.1 million, pushing the margin to 7.2% from 4.5% a year earlier. Growth was driven by successful tours and events across multiple markets, including highly popular US tours and events in Germany. The company also benefited from venue activities, such as the new Unipol Dome in Milan, which hosted ice hockey tournaments for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, attracting over 400,000 fans across 53 matches.
CTS EVENTIM's Executive Board confirmed that the first-quarter performance aligns with expectations for the full year. The company, which markets over 300 million tickets annually through its systems, continues to leverage its position as the second-largest promoter globally according to Pollstar's 2025 rankings. In 2025, the group generated revenue of EUR 3.1 billion across more than 25 countries.
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