CTS EVENTIM, the leading ticketing and live entertainment company in Europe and second worldwide, reported robust financial results for the first quarter of 2026, continuing its trajectory of profitable growth. Consolidated revenue increased by 23.0% to EUR 613.5 million, while adjusted EBITDA rose by 18.5% to EUR 118.9 million, with the adjusted EBITDA margin remaining virtually unchanged at 19.4%.
The Live Entertainment segment was the standout performer, with revenue surging 38.3% to EUR 403.6 million and adjusted EBITDA jumping 151.1% to EUR 29.1 million, driving the adjusted EBITDA margin to 7.2%. This growth was fueled by successful tours and events across multiple markets, including US tours and popular events in Germany. Additionally, venue activities contributed positively, notably the Unipol Dome in Milan, which hosted the ice hockey tournaments of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, drawing over 400,000 fans across 53 matches.
In the Ticketing segment, revenue grew by 2.5% to EUR 219.0 million, with adjusted EBITDA advancing 1.2% to EUR 89.8 million. The adjusted EBITDA margin held steady at 41.0%. Comparability with the prior-year period was affected by changes to the partnership with Stage Entertainment; however, adjusted for this effect, ticketing revenue expanded by over 6%. As reported in April 2026, the contract with Stage Entertainment has been extended long-term as a retail partnership, as detailed in the original press release.
CEO Klaus-Peter Schulenberg commented: “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.”
After the first quarter, the Executive Board considers the Group's performance to be in line with its expectations for the full year. CTS EVENTIM, which markets over 300 million tickets annually through its systems, is also the second-biggest promoter globally according to Pollstar's 2025 rankings. The company operates some of Europe's most renowned venues and generated EUR 3.1 billion in revenue across more than 25 countries in 2025.
