Ascential and Informa face up to the events dilemma

Ascential (ASCL) and Informa (INF) add a bit of razzle-dazzle to the London Stock Exchange. Between them, they host yacht shows in Florida, advertising festivals in Cannes and beauty conventions in Shanghai.

Their focus on big, in-person conferences meant they were hit hard during the pandemic. Since then, however, they have doubled down on events, selling off businesses considered to be extraneous. This leaves investors with a dilemma. Are these companies, with their new-found abundance of cash and slimmed-down operations, more or less attractive than they were before?