Capital Markets Event and Trading Update

29 November 2016

Ascential plc

Capital Markets Event on Digital Information Services and Trading Update

Ascential plc ("the Group" / LSE: ASCL.L), the international, business-to-business media company with a focused portfolio of market-leading events and information services products, is hosting a capital markets event in London this afternoon.

The event will be hosted by Duncan Painter, CEO, and Mandy Gradden, CFO, and will cover the Group's Information Services division with a focus on the Group's largest product, WGSN, and newest product, One Click Retail, with presentations and demonstrations by the leaders of those product brands. No material new information will be provided and the presentations will be available on the Group's website from the start of the event.

Due to the proximity of this event to the year end, Ascential today confirms that the Group is trading in line with its expectations.

The second half has seen a good performance in Exhibitions and Festivals driven by strong, double digit growth at the fifth edition of Money20/20 USA. In Information Services, similar to the first half and as expected, the good growth contributed by digital information services such as WGSN has been offset by continued structural print advertising headwinds in the Group's subscription-led businesses. Print advertising now accounts for less than 3% of the Group's revenue.

The capabilities and offering of One Click Retail which was acquired in August 2016 as a new digital information service are being well received by customers. Integration is proceeding well and trading is in line with business case.

About Ascential

Ascential plc is a leading international media company that informs and connects business professionals in 150 countries through market-leading Exhibitions & Festivals and Information Services.

Ascential exists to provide customers with world class content and connections empowering their businesses to be the best informed and best connected. Our products enable focus, growth and value. Ascential powers the prestigious Cannes Lions festival for the branded communications industry, the world's premier payments and financial services congress Money20/20, Spring Fair/Autumn Fair, the global fashion trend forecasting service WGSN and environmental risk data business Groundsure. 23 of Ascential's 32 product lines are market-leading and occupy number one positions.