RELX plc stock (GB00B2B0DG97): steady growth story after latest trading update

RELX plc has confirmed further growth in revenue and profits in its latest trading update, underlining momentum in data-driven analytics and risk solutions while continuing share buybacks and dividends. Investors are watching how the information group executes its strategy in key US and European markets.

RELX plc has reported further progress in revenue and profit, supported by growth in data and analytics businesses and ongoing portfolio optimization, according to the company’s full-year 2024 results released on 02/13/2025 and its subsequent trading update published on 04/18/2025RELX investor update as of 02/13/2025RELX trading statement as of 04/18/2025. The group highlighted particularly strong trends in its Risk and Scientific, Technical & Medical segments, while continuing its multiyear share buyback and dividend growth program.

As of: 19.05.2026

By the editorial team – specialized in equity coverage.

At a glance

• Name: RELX
• Sector/industry: Information services, data & analytics, publishing
• Headquarters/country: London, United Kingdom
• Core markets: North America, Europe, global professional customers
• Key revenue drivers: Data analytics, risk solutions, scientific and legal information platforms
• Home exchange/listing venue: London Stock Exchange (ticker: REL); NYSE (ticker: RELX)
• Trading currency: GBP in London; USD on NYSE

RELX plc: core business model

RELX plc positions itself as a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The group has transformed from a traditional print publisher toward a predominantly digital and subscription-driven platform business over the last decade, focusing on data, software and analytics in regulated and information-intensive marketsRELX company profile as of 03/15/2025. This strategic shift is reflected in rising shares of revenues from online and decision-support solutions.

The company operates through four main divisions: Risk, Scientific, Technical & Medical (often abbreviated STM), Legal, and Exhibitions. In the Risk segment, RELX supports financial institutions, insurers, corporates and public sector organizations with tools to assess risk, prevent fraud and comply with regulation. These solutions are typically sold as recurring subscriptions, often deeply integrated into the workflows of banks and other institutions, which can lead to relatively sticky customer relationships and high renewal rates.

In Scientific, Technical & Medical, RELX offers research journals, databases and analytics tools primarily under the Elsevier brand. Academic institutions, corporations and healthcare organizations use these products to access peer-reviewed research, clinical information and data analytics. The division has moved further toward data-rich platforms, research analytics and decision tools, which complement traditional journal subscriptions and create additional value for institutional customers. This has helped RELX to drive digital growth even in mature journal markets.

The Legal segment provides information, workflow and analytics solutions for law firms, corporate legal departments and public sector entities. Under brands such as LexisNexis, the company offers case law databases, legal research platforms and practice management tools. Similar to the Risk division, the Legal business benefits from integrated workflows and data assets that can be difficult to replicate quickly. The Exhibitions division, operating mainly under the RX brand, organizes trade shows and events across industries and geographies. While this segment is more cyclical and was heavily impacted by pandemic-related restrictions, RELX has focused on hybrid and data-enhanced formats to strengthen its value proposition for exhibitors and visitors.

Across all divisions, RELX emphasizes investment in proprietary content, data sets, algorithms and technology infrastructure. Management has repeatedly referred to a focus on high-value analytics and decision tools rather than purely providing access to information, as underlined during its full-year 2024 results commentary on 02/13/2025RELX investor update as of 02/13/2025. This approach is intended to deepen customer integration and support sustained pricing power.

Main revenue and product drivers for RELX plc

RELX’s revenue base is predominantly recurring, with a large share coming from subscription and transactional content and analytics contracts. In the full year 2024, the company reported further revenue growth across all four divisions and highlighted especially strong underlying growth in the Risk business, according to its 02/13/2025 results releaseRELX investor update as of 02/13/2025. The Risk division’s performance was driven by demand for fraud prevention, identity verification and compliance tools, areas that are increasingly important for banks and digital platforms.

The Scientific, Technical & Medical segment continues to be anchored by Elsevier’s journal portfolio but is also seeing contributions from newer analytics offerings. Research management tools, article discovery platforms and data analytics products support researchers and institutions in evaluating research output, tracking impact and informing funding decisions. These tools can be bundled with content access, creating multi-layered products that enhance retention and revenue per customer.

Within the Legal division, digital transformation remains a key theme. LexisNexis has invested in search technology, machine learning and workflow automation to help lawyers sift through large volumes of case law and regulatory information more efficiently. Products that integrate drafting assistance, analytics on litigation trends and practical guidance sit alongside traditional legal research offerings. This integrated model helps RELX compete in a market where clients are increasingly seeking efficiency gains and cost control.

The Exhibitions business contributes a smaller portion of total group revenue compared with the analytics-focused divisions, but it plays a strategic role by connecting buyers and sellers across sectors such as manufacturing, travel, hospitality, technology and healthcare. After the pandemic period, RELX reported a recovery in event attendance and revenues, with a focus on data capture and analytics around visitor behavior, according to the company’s commentary in its 2024 results and April 2025 trading updateRELX trading statement as of 04/18/2025. The integration of digital event tools provides additional touchpoints for exhibitors and attendees.

Geographically, RELX generates a significant share of its revenues from North America, with the United States being a core market, while Europe and the rest of the world also contribute meaningfully. The company has highlighted that many of its risk and legal analytics products are deeply embedded in the US financial and legal systems, which can make its performance sensitive to US economic and regulatory trends. At the same time, the global nature of scientific research and multinational corporate clients gives RELX a diversified base across regions and sectors.

Industry trends and competitive position

RELX operates in markets characterized by the increasing importance of data, analytics and software-based decision tools. Across sectors such as financial services, healthcare and legal services, customers are dealing with rising complexity, regulatory demands and information overload. Providers that can offer curated, high-quality data combined with analytics and workflow integration have seen sustained demand in recent years, as reflected in the growth trajectories of several information and analytics companies. RELX has positioned itself in this segment, seeking to differentiate through proprietary content and technology investment.

Competition comes from both traditional peers in information and publishing as well as newer data and software providers. In risk and compliance, RELX competes with other large data and analytics firms that offer identity verification, credit risk assessment, anti-money-laundering tools and fraud prevention solutions. In scientific publishing and research analytics, it faces competition from other major journal publishers and smaller open-access and analytics-focused platforms. Legal information services also attract established competitors and technology-driven entrants that offer legal research, practice management software or contract analytics tools.

To defend and expand its position, RELX continues to invest in technology, including machine learning, natural language processing and data enrichment techniques. The company has also pursued targeted bolt-on acquisitions to strengthen specific product lines or data sets, with management describing a disciplined approach focused on strategic fit and returns, according to past investor presentations and earnings commentaryRELX investor presentations as of 03/20/2025. Integration of acquired assets into existing platforms is an ongoing task, and the company regularly highlights cross-selling opportunities.

Regulatory and competitive pressures are a central consideration for RELX’s industry. Data privacy rules such as the EU’s GDPR and various US state-level regulations influence how information providers collect, process and share data. Scientific publishing also faces pressure from funders and institutions pushing for open access to publicly funded research. RELX has responded by developing open-access options and adjusting its business models, but the evolution of these policies remains an important area to watch for investors. In legal and risk analytics, the company must continuously update its products to reflect changing laws and regulatory expectations.

Why RELX plc matters for US investors

Although RELX is headquartered in the United Kingdom, the company has a significant presence in the United States and its shares are also listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker RELX. Many of the group’s risk, legal and scientific analytics products are used extensively by US banks, insurers, law firms, corporations and academic institutions, making the company’s performance closely tied to US economic activity and regulatory frameworks. For US-based investors, the dual listing provides access to the stock in USD, while also allowing portfolio exposure to a globally diversified information and analytics group.

RELX’s risk and compliance solutions are particularly relevant in the US due to the scale of the American financial system and the complexity of federal and state regulatory regimes. Banks and credit providers rely on identity verification, fraud detection and compliance tools to meet obligations and manage risk. Demand for such solutions can be influenced by trends in digital banking, e-commerce and online lending. Additionally, macroeconomic factors such as credit cycles and regulatory changes may impact volumes or client spending priorities, creating both opportunities and risks for RELX’s US-focused products.

In scientific and medical information, US universities, research institutions and healthcare systems are among the largest customers for Elsevier’s journals and data platforms. Policy shifts around funding, open access, and research evaluation in the US can therefore influence subscription patterns and demand for analytics tools. In the legal arena, US law firms and corporate legal departments rely on LexisNexis and competing platforms for research and workflow support. The ongoing digitalization of legal services, including the adoption of AI-assisted drafting and analysis tools, provides a context in which RELX competes for technology budgets and strives to maintain or expand its market share.

What type of investor might consider RELX plc – and who should be cautious?

Investors who follow companies with recurring revenue, data and analytics exposure, and global customer bases may find RELX’s profile noteworthy. The company’s emphasis on subscription and workflow-integrated products provides a degree of visibility into revenue streams, and its presence across risk, scientific, legal and exhibitions markets offers diversification. The track record of dividend growth and share buybacks, as highlighted in recent results communications, is also a feature that income-focused investors often monitor, even though the sustainability of such policies depends on future cash flows and capital allocation prioritiesRELX shareholder information as of 03/25/2025.

At the same time, potential investors should be aware of the specific risk factors associated with RELX’s businesses. Scientific publishing is subject to ongoing debates around pricing, access and the role of large publishing groups, which can lead to reputational and policy-related challenges. Data privacy and regulatory changes may affect how risk and analytics products can use and combine data sets, potentially requiring additional investment or adjustments to business models. The exhibitions division introduces a more cyclical component, as event revenues can be sensitive to macroeconomic conditions, travel patterns and potential disruptions.

Currency movements between the British pound, US dollar and euro can also influence reported results and shareholder returns, particularly for US investors holding the stock through the New York listing. In addition, competition from technology-driven entrants and established information providers remains intense across RELX’s markets. Investors who are uncomfortable with regulatory, technology or sector-specific uncertainties may therefore view the stock with caution, especially over shorter time horizons where market sentiment can fluctuate significantly in response to news or macroeconomic developments.

Conclusion

RELX plc combines legacy strengths in scientific, legal and business information with a strategic focus on data-driven analytics and workflow tools. Recent financial updates have pointed to continued revenue and profit growth across its main divisions, with particularly solid momentum in risk and analytics solutions and an ongoing recovery in exhibitions. The group’s dual listing in London and New York, diversified customer base and emphasis on recurring revenue models make it a notable name in the global information services space.

At the same time, the company faces structural and regulatory challenges, from open-access dynamics in scientific publishing to evolving data privacy regimes and competitive pressures in legal and risk analytics. Macroeconomic conditions and event-related cyclicality also play a role, especially for the exhibitions business. For US and international investors alike, the stock reflects both the opportunities of a data and analytics-driven strategy and the complexities of operating across multiple regulated markets and customer segments. Observing how RELX continues to invest in technology, manage regulatory change and allocate capital between growth, acquisitions and shareholder returns will be central to assessing its long-term trajectory.

Disclaimer: This article does not constitute investment advice. Stocks are volatile financial instruments.