CTS EVENTIM Reports Strong Q1 2026 Growth with 23% Revenue Increase

CTS EVENTIM, the leading ticketing and live entertainment company in Europe and second worldwide, reported strong financial results for the first quarter of 2026, with consolidated revenue rising 23.0% to EUR 613.5 million and adjusted EBITDA increasing 18.5% to EUR 118.9 million compared to the prior-year period. The company's performance underscores its sustained growth trajectory, driven particularly by a remarkable surge in its Live Entertainment segment.

In the Live Entertainment segment, adjusted EBITDA jumped by 151.1% to EUR 29.1 million in the first three months of the year, with revenue climbing 38.3% to EUR 403.6 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 7.2% from 4.0% a year earlier. This growth was fueled by successful tours and events across multiple markets, including US tours and highly popular events in Germany. Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CEO of CTS EVENTIM, stated: "CTS EVENTIM has made a successful start to 2026, maintaining its trajectory of profitable growth. The Live Entertainment segment performed particularly strongly in the first quarter."

The Ticketing segment also showed resilience, with revenue increasing 2.5% year-on-year to EUR 219.0 million and adjusted EBITDA rising 1.2% to EUR 89.8 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin remained stable at 41.0%. As noted in the company's press release, changes to the partnership with Stage Entertainment affected comparability with the prior year. Adjusted for this effect, ticketing revenue expanded by a good 6%. The contract with Stage Entertainment has been extended for the long term in the form of a retail partnership, as reported in April 2026.

Venue activities also contributed positively. The new Unipol Dome in Milan hosted the ice hockey tournaments of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, with 53 matches attended by more than 400,000 fans in total. This highlights the company's expanding venue portfolio and its ability to host major international events.

After the first quarter, the Executive Board considers the performance of the Group and its two segments to be in line with expectations for the full year 2026. CTS EVENTIM, which markets over 300 million tickets annually through its systems and is the second-biggest promoter globally according to Pollstar's 2025 rankings, generated revenue of EUR 3.1 billion across more than 25 countries in 2025.

The strong Q1 results reinforce CTS EVENTIM's position as a dominant player in the live entertainment industry. The company's international footprint and close cooperation with promoters, artists, and partners provide solid foundations for sustained growth. Investors and industry observers will be watching closely to see if this momentum continues throughout the year.