Relx (NYSE:RELX) Announces Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.42 EPS

Relx (NYSE:RELX) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The technology company reported $0.43 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.85 by ($0.42), FiscalAI reports. The business had revenue of $3.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.70 billion.

Here are the key takeaways from Relx’s conference call:

• Delivered a strong 2025 financial performance with underlying revenue +7%, underlying adjusted operating profit +9%, adjusted EPS +10% (constant currency), a 34.8% adjusted operating margin, 99% cash conversion, a proposed 7% dividend increase and completion of a £1.5bn buyback.
• Growth is being driven by AI- and content-enabled products across businesses — Legal adoption (Lexis+ AI enterprise subscriptions more than doubled, hundreds of thousands of users), Risk is >90% machine-to-machine, and the group is rolling out Protégé workflows (~300) and Scopus AI with early positive customer feedback.
• Capital allocation remains shareholder-friendly and disciplined — year-end net debt £7.2bn with leverage at 2.0x, £270m of acquisitions (including IDVerse), and a new £2.25bn buyback program for 2026 (£250m deployed so far), while organic investment remains the priority.
• Portfolio and print-related changes weighed on reported revenue growth — print/print‑related revenue fell by >20%, leaving total constant‑currency revenue growth at +4% (sterling +2%); management expects print profits to continue declining in the high single digits annually.
• Management’s outlook remains constructive — they expect continued strong underlying revenue growth with adjusted operating profit growth outpacing revenue across divisions (Risk, STM, Legal, Exhibitions) as product innovation and AI embedding continue.

Relx Trading Up 3.9%

Shares of Relx stock opened at $28.81 on Friday. Relx has a twelve month low of $27.57 and a twelve month high of $56.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.55, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.47. The company’s 50 day moving average is $38.67 and its 200 day moving average is $43.24.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Relx

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Capital International Investors increased its position in Relx by 66.7% during the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 10,662,595 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $433,887,000 after acquiring an additional 4,264,474 shares during the last quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC increased its position in shares of Relx by 622.0% during the 2nd quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC now owns 1,350,189 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $73,369,000 after purchasing an additional 1,163,189 shares during the last quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Relx in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $39,737,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Relx by 47.9% in the fourth quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 1,490,558 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $60,248,000 after buying an additional 482,637 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Optiver Holding B.V. purchased a new position in shares of Relx in the third quarter worth approximately $20,570,000. 15.02% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on RELX shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Relx in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Relx from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Relx in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Relx in a report on Monday, January 12th. They issued a “neutral” rating for the company. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Relx from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Buy”.

Key Stories Impacting Relx

Here are the key news stories impacting Relx this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Management announced a larger-than-expected £2.25bn share buyback, which investors viewed as a direct capital-return signal that helps offset AI-related sell pressure. RELX rebounds as results and £2.25bn buyback take edge off AI fears
• Positive Sentiment: Major brokers (Deutsche Bank, UBS) kept RELX as a buy after results, showing institutional support for the investment case despite market worries. RELX: Brokers back the investment story despite AI fears, targets cut on de-rating
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded RELX to a Rank #1 (Strong Buy), adding momentum from the income/earnings optimism side. RELX (RELX) Upgraded to Strong Buy: What Does It Mean for the Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Full Q4 2025 earnings call transcript is available for investors who want details on management guidance, AI strategy and segment performance (useful for longer-term positioning). RELX PLC (RELX) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Reported Q4 results showed a clear miss: $0.43 EPS vs. $0.85 expected and revenue of $3.19bn vs. $6.70bn consensus — a material shortfall that undermines near-term earnings visibility. Relx earnings report and materials
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts cut price targets citing sector de-rating and higher discount rates (Deutsche Bank and UBS trimmed PTs materially), which can cap upside even as ratings remain buys. RELX: Brokers back the investment story despite AI fears, targets cut on de-rating
• Negative Sentiment: Broader AI disruption concerns continue to pressure valuation for data and publishing businesses; market fears have driven a sharp pullback in the stock over recent months. Relx reassures as AI fears hit data stocks

Relx Company Profile

RELX plc is a global provider of information, analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The company supplies content, data and analytical services that support decision-making across scientific, technical and medical research, legal and regulatory practice, and risk and business analytics. RELX’s offerings are largely delivered via digital platforms and subscription services designed for institutions, corporations and professionals who require specialized, high-value information and workflow solutions.

RELX operates through distinct business lines that include Elsevier, which provides scientific, technical and medical journals, books and online platforms such as research and discovery tools; Legal and Professional services, which deliver legal, regulatory and compliance content and workflow solutions; Risk & Business Analytics, which offers data, analytics and decision tools for insurance, banking, corporate and government risk assessment; and Exhibitions, which organizes industry trade shows and events.