CTS EVENTIM, the number one for ticketing and live entertainment in Europe and number two worldwide, has started the 2026 financial year with further increases in revenue and earnings. According to the company's first-quarter results, consolidated revenue rose by 23.0% to EUR 613.5 million, while adjusted EBITDA increased by 18.5% to EUR 118.9 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin remained virtually unchanged at 19.4%.
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. Our international position and close cooperation with promoters, artists and partners continue to provide strong foundations for the sustained growth of our business."
In the Ticketing segment, revenue went up by 2.5% year on year to EUR 219.0 million, with adjusted EBITDA advancing by 1.2% to EUR 89.8 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin amounted to 41.0%. As expected, changes to the partnership with Stage Entertainment affected comparability with the first quarter of 2025. Adjusted for this effect, ticketing revenue expanded by a good 6%. As reported in April 2026, the contract with Stage Entertainment has been extended for the long term in the form of a retail partnership.
The Live Entertainment segment recorded revenue of EUR 403.6 million in the first quarter of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 38.3%. Adjusted EBITDA jumped by 151.1% to EUR 29.1 million, causing the adjusted EBITDA margin to climb to 7.2%. The growth was primarily driven by tours and events in a number of markets, including successful US tours and highly popular events in Germany. Additionally, venue activities contributed positively, with the new Unipol Dome in Milan hosting the ice hockey tournaments of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, where 53 matches were attended by more than 400,000 fans in total.
After the first quarter, the Executive Board considers the performance of the Group and the two segments to be in line with its expectations for the year as a whole. The company's strong start to 2026 underscores its ability to capitalize on the recovering live entertainment market and its strategic positioning across key markets. With over 300 million tickets marketed annually and a presence in more than 25 countries, CTS EVENTIM continues to solidify its status as a global leader in ticketing and live entertainment. For more details, refer to the original release on NewMediaWire.