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The move comes just weeks after the German powerhouse announced it would return to the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
By Lisa Henderson on 01 Feb 2024
DEAG CEO Peter Schwenkow
German live entertainment powerhouse DEAG is postponing its return to the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
The group was due to list in Q1 2024 with an offer consisting of a capital increase of €40-50 million, together with an additional offering of existing shares from the holdings of current shareholders.
However, DEAG today (1 February) announced that the management board has decided to continue conversations with investors at a later date as it is “currently in advanced conversations with several acquisition targets in accordance with its growth strategy, particularly in the Ticketing segment”.
The Berlin-headquartered firm first went public in 1998 and delisted in January 2021 in the wake of the pandemic after accepting a takeover offer from its largest single shareholder Apeiron Investment Group and its Malta-based subsidiary Musai Capital.
“The management board has decided to continue conversations with investors at a later date”
The company announced it would re-list on 18 January 2024, adding that the proceeds would be primarily used to further accelerate its growth “in line with its Buy & Build acquisition strategy”, with a focus on “high margin” ticketing businesses and live entertainment opportunities.
According to DEAG, the news was met with “overwhelming positive feedback” and resulted in “numerous conversations with investors on the growth of the company and new entertainment formats”.
DEAG subsidiaries include Kilimanjaro Group (UK), Wizard Promotions (DE), UK Live, My Ticket (DE, AT, UK) and Belladrum Tartan Heart festival (UK). The live entertainment group announced a “consolidation break” in early 2023 after acquiring 15 companies in the previous two and a half years, including Scottish promoter Regular Music, Ireland’s tickets.ie. platform and German festivals Indian Spirit, Classic Open Air and Airbeat One, along with CSB Island Entertainment, Fane Productions, Gigantic.com and C² Concerts.
In its most recent financial results, released last November, DEAG reported a decline in sales from €235.1 million to €213.3m and in EBITDA from €20.3m to €13.8m in the first nine months of the corresponding financial year.
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