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Investing.com -- Relx PLC (LON:REL), the global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools, on Thursday reported strong financial results for the first half of 2025, with underlying revenue growth of 7% to £4,741 million.
The company’s adjusted operating profit increased by 9% on an underlying basis to £1,652 million, while adjusted earnings per share grew 10% at constant currency to 63.5p.
RELX announced an interim dividend of 19.5p, representing a 7% increase from the previous year’s 18.2p. The dividend will be paid on September 11, with an ex-dividend date of August 7.
The company maintained a solid financial position with net debt to EBITDA ratio at 2.2x and achieved 100% adjusted cash flow conversion during the period.
RELX completed three acquisitions for a total of £262 million in the first half and has completed £1,000 million of its previously announced £1,500 million share buyback program. An additional £75 million has been completed since July 1, with the remaining £425 million to be deployed before year-end.
Chief Executive Officer Erik Engstrom commented on the results: "RELX delivered strong revenue and profit growth in the first half of 2025, in line with full year 2024 but with a higher quality growth profile: Risk with continued strong growth, Scientific, Technical & Medical (TASE:BLWV) with continued good growth and developing momentum, Legal with a further step up in growth, and Exhibitions now established at strong ongoing growth."
The company reaffirmed its full-year outlook, expecting "another year of strong underlying growth in revenue and adjusted operating profit, as well as strong growth in adjusted earnings per share on a constant currency basis."
RELX’s operating margin improved to 34.8% from 34.1% in the same period last year, which the company attributed to its strategy of driving continuous process innovation to manage cost growth below revenue growth.
The company’s reported operating profit was £1,490 million, up from £1,431 million in the first half of 2024. Reported earnings per share stood at 52.9p compared to 52.6p in the prior year.
RELX noted that its "improving long-term growth trajectory continues to be driven across the group by the ongoing shift in business mix towards higher growth analytics and decision tools that deliver enhanced value to our customers."