Wolters Kluwer 2024 Full-Year Report
Wolters Kluwer reported strong 2024 financial results with revenues of €5,916 million, showing 6% organic growth. The company's recurring revenues (82% of total) grew 7% organically, while cloud software (19% of total) increased 16% organically.
Key financial metrics include adjusted operating profit of €1,600 million (up 8% in constant currencies), with a margin of 27.1%. Diluted adjusted EPS reached €4.97, up 11% in constant currencies. The company announced a €1 billion share buyback for 2025 and proposed a 12% increase in total dividend to €2.33 per share.
Notable announcements include CEO Nancy McKinstry's planned retirement in early 2026, with Stacey Caywood nominated as successor. The company also revealed plans to acquire Registered Agent Solutions (RASi) for approximately $415 million and expects good organic revenue growth in 2025.
Wolters Kluwer ha riportato risultati finanziari solidi per il 2024, con ricavi di €5.916 milioni, mostrando una crescita organica del 6%. I ricavi ricorrenti dell'azienda (82% del totale) sono cresciuti del 7% in modo organico, mentre il software cloud (19% del totale) è aumentato del 16% in modo organico.
I principali indicatori finanziari includono un utile operativo rettificato di €1.600 milioni (in aumento dell'8% a valute costanti), con un margine del 27,1%. L'utile per azione rettificato diluito ha raggiunto €4,97, in aumento dell'11% a valute costanti. L'azienda ha annunciato un programma di riacquisto di azioni da €1 miliardo per il 2025 e ha proposto un incremento del 12% del dividendo totale a €2,33 per azione.
Tra gli annunci significativi si segnala il ritiro programmato della CEO Nancy McKinstry all'inizio del 2026, con Stacey Caywood nominata come successore. L'azienda ha anche rivelato piani per acquisire Registered Agent Solutions (RASi) per circa $415 milioni e si aspetta una buona crescita organica dei ricavi nel 2025.
Wolters Kluwer reportó resultados financieros sólidos para 2024, con ingresos de €5,916 millones, mostrando un crecimiento orgánico del 6%. Los ingresos recurrentes de la empresa (82% del total) crecieron un 7% orgánicamente, mientras que el software en la nube (19% del total) aumentó un 16% orgánicamente.
Los principales indicadores financieros incluyen un beneficio operativo ajustado de €1,600 millones (un aumento del 8% en monedas constantes), con un margen del 27.1%. El EPS ajustado diluido alcanzó €4.97, un aumento del 11% en monedas constantes. La empresa anunció un programa de recompra de acciones de €1 mil millones para 2025 y propuso un aumento del 12% en el dividendo total a €2.33 por acción.
Los anuncios notables incluyen la jubilación planificada de la CEO Nancy McKinstry a principios de 2026, con Stacey Caywood nominada como sucesora. La empresa también reveló planes para adquirir Registered Agent Solutions (RASi) por aproximadamente $415 millones y espera un buen crecimiento orgánico de ingresos en 2025.
Wolters Kluwer는 2024년 강력한 재무 결과를 보고하였으며, 수익은 €5,916백만으로 6%의 유기적 성장을 보였습니다. 회사의 재 recurring revenue (총액의 82%)는 유기적으로 7% 증가하였고, 클라우드 소프트웨어 (총액의 19%)는 유기적으로 16% 증가하였습니다.
주요 재무 지표에는 조정된 운영 이익이 €1,600백만 (상수 통화 기준 8% 증가)이며, 마진은 27.1%입니다. 희석 조정 EPS는 €4.97에 도달하였고, 상수 통화 기준으로 11% 증가하였습니다. 회사는 2025년을 위한 €10억의 자사주 매입 프로그램을 발표하였고, 총 배당금을 €2.33로 12% 인상할 것을 제안하였습니다.
주목할 만한 발표에는 CEO Nancy McKinstry의 2026년 초 은퇴 계획과 Stacey Caywood의 후임 지명이 포함됩니다. 회사는 또한 Registered Agent Solutions (RASi)를 약 $415백만에 인수할 계획을 밝혔으며, 2025년에는 좋은 유기적 수익 성장을 기대하고 있습니다.
Wolters Kluwer a annoncé des résultats financiers solides pour 2024, avec des revenus de €5,916 millions, affichant une croissance organique de 6%. Les revenus récurrents de l'entreprise (82% du total) ont augmenté de 7% de manière organique, tandis que le logiciel cloud (19% du total) a connu une augmentation organique de 16%.
Les principaux indicateurs financiers incluent un bénéfice opérationnel ajusté de €1,600 millions (en hausse de 8% en monnaies constantes), avec une marge de 27,1%. Le BPA ajusté dilué a atteint €4,97, en hausse de 11% en monnaies constantes. L'entreprise a annoncé un programme de rachat d'actions de €1 milliard pour 2025 et a proposé une augmentation de 12% du dividende total à €2,33 par action.
Parmi les annonces notables, on trouve la retraite prévue de la PDG Nancy McKinstry début 2026, avec Stacey Caywood nommée comme successeur. L'entreprise a également révélé des plans pour acquérir Registered Agent Solutions (RASi) pour environ $415 millions et s'attend à une bonne croissance organique des revenus en 2025.
Wolters Kluwer hat starke Finanzergebnisse für 2024 gemeldet, mit Einnahmen von €5.916 Millionen, was einem organischen Wachstum von 6% entspricht. Die wiederkehrenden Einnahmen des Unternehmens (82% des Gesamtbetrags) wuchsen organisch um 7%, während die Cloud-Software (19% des Gesamtbetrags) organisch um 16% zunahm.
Wichtige Finanzkennzahlen umfassen einen bereinigten Betriebsgewinn von €1.600 Millionen (ein Anstieg von 8% in konstanten Währungen) mit einer Marge von 27,1%. Der verwässerte bereinigte EPS erreichte €4,97, was einem Anstieg von 11% in konstanten Währungen entspricht. Das Unternehmen kündigte ein Aktienrückkaufprogramm von €1 Milliarde für 2025 an und schlug eine Erhöhung der Gesamtdividende um 12% auf €2,33 pro Aktie vor.
Bemerkenswerte Ankündigungen umfassen den geplanten Rücktritt von CEO Nancy McKinstry Anfang 2026, wobei Stacey Caywood als Nachfolgerin nominiert wurde. Das Unternehmen gab außerdem Pläne bekannt, Registered Agent Solutions (RASi) für etwa $415 Millionen zu erwerben, und erwartet ein gutes organisches Umsatzwachstum im Jahr 2025.
- Revenue growth of 6% organically to €5,916 million
- Cloud software revenue grew 16% organically
- Adjusted operating profit increased 8% to €1,600 million
- Diluted adjusted EPS up 11% to €4.97
- €1 billion share buyback announced for 2025
- 12% increase in dividend to €2.33 per share
- Higher financing costs expected in 2025
- Benchmark tax rate expected to rise in 2025
- More modest organic growth expected in first two quarters of 2025
- Increased restructuring costs of €28 million in 2024
Wolters Kluwer 2024 Full-Year Report
Alphen aan den Rijn, February 26, 2025 – Wolters Kluwer, a global leader in professional information solutions, software and services, today releases its full-year 2024 results.
Highlights
- Revenues
€5,916 million , up6% in constant currencies and up6% organically.- Recurring revenues (
82% of total revenues) up7% organically; non-recurring trends varied. - Expert solutions (
59% of total revenues) grew7% organically. - Cloud software (
19% of total revenues) grew16% organically.
- Recurring revenues (
- Adjusted operating profit
€1,600 million , up8% in constant currencies.- Adjusted operating profit margin of
27.1% . - Includes a
€27 million one-time pension gain and restructuring costs of€28 million .
- Adjusted operating profit margin of
- Diluted adjusted EPS
€4.97 , up9% overall and up11% in constant currencies. - Adjusted free cash flow
€1,276 million , up9% in constant currencies, ahead of expectation. - Net-debt-to-EBITDA of 1.6x; return on invested capital (ROIC) improved to
18.1% . - Proposed 2024 total dividend
€2.33 per share, an increase of12% . - Announcing 2025 share buyback of up to
€1 billion , of which€100 million completed in the year to date. - Outlook 2025: expect good organic revenue growth and adjusted operating profit margin improvement, with mid-single-digit growth in diluted adjusted EPS reflecting higher financing cost and tax.
- Nancy McKinstry to retire in early 2026; Stacey Caywood nominated successor.
Full-Year Report of the Executive Board
Nancy McKinstry, CEO and Chair of the Executive Board, commented: “Wolters Kluwer delivered another year of
Key Figures – Year ended December 31 | |||||
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Business performance – benchmark figures | |||||
Revenues | 5,916 | 5,584 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit | 1,600 | 1,476 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||
Adjusted net profit | 1,185 | 1,119 | + | + | |
Diluted adjusted EPS (€) | 4.97 | 4.55 | + | + | |
Adjusted free cash flow | 1,276 | 1,164 | + | + | |
Net debt | 3,134 | 2,612 | + | ||
ROIC | |||||
IFRS reported results | |||||
Revenues | 5,916 | 5,584 | + | ||
Operating profit | 1,441 | 1,323 | + | ||
Profit for the period | 1,079 | 1,007 | + | ||
Diluted EPS (€) | 4.52 | 4.09 | + | ||
Net cash from operating activities | 1,654 | 1,545 | + | ||
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Full-Year 2025 Outlook
Our guidance for full-year 2025 is provided in the table below. We expect to achieve full-year 2025 organic growth in line with the prior year (
Full-Year 2025 Outlook | ||
Performance indicators | 2025 Guidance | 2024 Actual |
Adjusted operating profit margin* | ||
Adjusted free cash flow** | ||
ROIC* | 18 | |
Diluted adjusted EPS growth** | Mid-single-digit growth | |
*Guidance for adjusted operating profit margin and ROIC is in reporting currency and assumes an average EUR/USD rate in 2025 of €/ Guidance reflects share repurchases of |
In 2024, Wolters Kluwer generated over
Restructuring costs are included in adjusted operating profit. We expect 2025 restructuring costs to be in the range of
Capital expenditures are expected to be in the range of
Our guidance assumes no additional significant change to the scope of operations. We may make further acquisitions or disposals which can be dilutive to margins, earnings, and ROIC in the near term. The acquisition of RASi, if completed, is expected to have an immaterial impact on near term adjusted earnings.
2025 outlook by division
Our guidance for 2025 organic revenue growth by division is based on a pro forma view reflecting the transfer of our Finance, Risk & Reporting (FRR)2 unit to the Financial & Corporate Compliance division (See Appendix 4).
Health: we expect full-year 2025 organic growth to be in line with or slightly below prior year (FY 2024:
Tax & Accounting: we expect full-year 2025 organic growth to be in line with prior year (FY 2024:
Financial & Corporate Compliance: we expect full-year 2025 organic growth to be slightly below prior year (FY 2024:
Legal Regulatory: we expect full-year 2025 organic growth to be in line with prior year (FY 2024:
Corporate Performance & ESG: we expect full-year 2025 organic growth to be above prior year (FY 2024:
Strategic priorities 2025-2027
Our strategic plan for the next three years (2025-2027) marks a further evolution of the direction we have been following. Our goal is to drive long-term sustainable value and profitable revenue growth by providing expert solutions and services that deliver increased productivity and improved outcomes for professionals. Expert solutions combine deep domain knowledge with state-of-the-art technology to deliver information and actionable insights as part of automated and integrated workflows.
In 2024, expert solutions, which include our software products and certain advanced information solutions, accounted for
Our strategy is centered on organic growth and product innovation, supplemented by selective acquisitions that enhance our value. Our three-year plan envisages spending approximately
- Scale expert solutions: we intend to increase penetration of cloud-based expert solutions promoting subscription revenue models (SaaS). We will continue to embed artificial intelligence (AI) into customer workflows and to harness our content and data to deliver insights for customers.
- Accelerate growth: we will continue pursuing high-growth adjacencies with a build, buy, or partner approach. We will accelerate innovation which advances customer productivity and outcomes while further developing partnerships to extend our market reach.
- Evolve capabilities: we intend to enhance our go-to-market capabilities and sales effectiveness. We will embrace new technologies to drive operational performance and foster a great place to work and best-in-class ESG performance.
A more detailed discussion of our business model and strategy can be found in our annual report.
CEO succession plan
In a separate release today, Wolters Kluwer announced that Nancy McKinstry, Chief Executive Officer, will retire in February 2026 following a one-year transition period. At the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in May, the Supervisory Board will nominate Stacey Caywood, the current CEO of Wolters Kluwer Health, as a member of the Executive Board, with the intention of appointing her as CEO of Wolters Kluwer in February 2026. As CEO of Health, Ms. Caywood has been leading the further evolution of our healthcare solutions by leveraging generative AI and other technologies with our leading content. As CEO of the Legal & Regulatory, she led a strategic transformation which returned the business to growth and good margins.
Divisional management update
Steve Meirink, who led our Financial & Corporate Compliance division, informed us of his decision to pursue opportunities outside of Wolters Kluwer as of January 2025. We expect to announce the new CEO of Financial & Corporate Compliance in a matter of weeks. Until such time, the role is being fulfilled by Nancy McKinstry.
Agreement to acquire Registered Agent Solutions, Inc.
On February 7, 2025, we announced an agreement to acquire Registered Agent Solutions, Inc. (RASi) for approximately
Transfer of Finance, Risk & Reporting to Financial & Corporate Compliance division
As per January 1, 2025, our Finance, Risk & Reporting unit (FRR) was transferred into the Financial & Corporate Compliance division where it will be more closely aligned to our other banking software and services. FRR was part of the Corporate Performance & ESG (CP&ESG) division in 2023 and 2024 and had revenues of
Capital allocation and target leverage range
We use our free cash flow to invest in the business organically and through acquisitions, to maintain optimal leverage, and to provide returns to shareholders. We regularly assess our financial position and evaluate the appropriate level of debt in view of our expectations for cash flow, investment plans, interest rates, and capital market conditions.
Since 2011, our twelve months’ rolling net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio has fluctuated between 1.3x and 2.4x, providing a strong and secure financial foundation for our business. As we execute on our strategic priorities, we will aim to maintain leverage in the range of 1.5x to 2.5x. We may temporarily deviate from this range, but our high proportion of recurring revenues and resilient free cash flows give us the ability to rapidly return to this range.
Dividend policy and proposed final dividend 2024
Wolters Kluwer remains committed to a progressive dividend policy, under which we aim to increase the dividend per share in euros each year, independent of currency fluctuations. The payout ratio3 can therefore vary from year to year. Proposed annual increases in the dividend per share consider our financial performance, market conditions, and our need for financial flexibility. The policy considers the characteristics of our business, our expectations for future cash flows, and our plans for organic investment in innovation and productivity, or for acquisitions. We balance these factors with the objective of maintaining a strong balance sheet.
At the 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, we will propose a final dividend of
Share buybacks 2024 and 2025
As a matter of policy since 2012, Wolters Kluwer will offset the dilution caused by our annual incentive share issuance with share repurchases (Anti-Dilution Policy). In addition, when appropriate, we return capital to shareholders through share buyback programs. Shares repurchased by the company are added to and held as treasury shares and are either cancelled or utilized to meet future obligations arising from share-based incentive plans.
In 2024, we completed share repurchases of
We are today announcing our intention to repurchase shares for up to
The share repurchase program may be suspended, discontinued, or modified at any time. For the period starting February 28, 2025, up to and including May 5, 2025, we have mandated a third party to execute
Full-Year 2024 Results
Benchmark figures
Group revenues were
Revenues from North America accounted for
Adjusted operating profit was
Investment in product development spending (including capitalized spend) increased
Adjusted net financing costs increased to
Adjusted profit before tax was
Adjusted net profit was
Diluted adjusted EPS was
IFRS reported figures
Reported operating profit increased
Reported financing results amounted to a net cost of
The reported effective tax rate reduced to
Net profit for the year increased
Cash flow
Adjusted operating cash flow was
Net interest paid, excluding lease interest paid, increased to
Total acquisition spending, net of cash acquired and including transaction costs, was
Net debt, leverage, credit facility, and liquidity
As of December 31, 2024, net debt was
Sustainability and ESG achievements 2024
In 2024, we continued efforts to attract, develop, motivate, and retain talent globally. Our employee turnover rate improved to
In 2024, our scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are based on energy purchased and consumed in our offices around the world, were reduced by
Our ESG risk rating from Morningstar Sustainalytics improved to 11.37 (2023: 14.35), which continues to qualify Wolters Kluwer as top-rated in the Software & Services sector, ranked in the leading
Our 2024 sustainability statements have been prepared in accordance with European Sustainability Reporting Standards following a mandatory framework set by the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
Divisional Review
Overall organic revenue growth was
Divisional Summary – Year ended December 31 | ||||||
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG | |
Revenues | ||||||
Health | 1,584 | 1,508 | + | + | + | |
Tax & Accounting | 1,561 | 1,466 | + | + | + | |
Financial & Corporate Compliance | 1,105 | 1,052 | + | + | + | |
Legal & Regulatory | 946 | 875 | + | + | + | |
Corporate Performance & ESG | 720 | 683 | + | + | + | |
Total revenues | 5,916 | 5,584 | + | + | + | |
Adjusted operating profit | ||||||
Health | 480 | 454 | + | + | + | |
Tax & Accounting | 519 | 479 | + | + | + | |
Financial & Corporate Compliance | 433 | 403 | + | + | + | |
Legal & Regulatory | 176 | 138 | + | + | + | |
Corporate Performance & ESG | 61 | 68 | - | - | - | |
Corporate | (69) | (66) | + | + | + | |
Total adjusted operating profit | 1,600 | 1,476 | + | + | + | |
Adjusted operating profit margin | ||||||
Health | ||||||
Tax & Accounting | ||||||
Financial & Corporate Compliance | ||||||
Legal & Regulatory | ||||||
Corporate Performance & ESG | ||||||
Total adjusted operating profit margin | ||||||
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Total recurring revenues, which include subscriptions and other renewing revenue streams, accounted for
Total non-recurring revenues increased
Revenues by Type – Year ended December 31 | |||||
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Digital and service subscription | 4,458 | 4,134 | + | + | + |
Print subscription | 125 | 136 | - | - | - |
Other recurring | 285 | 273 | + | + | + |
Total recurring revenues | 4,868 | 4,543 | + | + | + |
Transactional | 436 | 411 | + | + | + |
Print books | 120 | 120 | 25 | ||
Other non-recurring | 492 | 510 | - | - | - |
Total non-recurring revenues | 1,048 | 1,041 | + | + | + |
Total revenues | 5,916 | 5,584 | + | + | + |
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Health
- Organic growth
6% , led by Clinical Solutions up7% . - Learning, Research & Practice grew
4% organically, driven by nursing education solutions. - Margin reflects operational gearing and mix shift, partly offset by one-time write-offs.
Health – Year ended December 31 | |||||
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Revenues | 1,584 | 1,508 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit | 480 | 454 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||
Operating profit | 440 | 406 | + | ||
Net capital expenditure | 43 | 49 | |||
Ultimo FTEs | 3,401 | 3,333 | |||
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Health revenues increased
Adjusted operating profit increased
Clinical Solutions (
Learning, Research & Practice (
Tax & Accounting
- Organic growth
7% , with strong performances across North America and Europe. - Recurring revenues (
92% of division) rose8% organically, buoyed by19% growth in cloud software revenues. - Margin increase driven by operational gearing and cost efficiencies.
Tax & Accounting – Year ended December 31 | |||||
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Revenues | 1,561 | 1,466 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit | 519 | 479 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||
Operating profit | 497 | 460 | + | ||
Net capital expenditure | 68 | 74 | |||
Ultimo FTEs | 7,159 | 7,276 | |||
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Tax & Accounting revenues increased
Tax & Accounting North America (
Tax & Accounting Europe (
Tax & Accounting Asia Pacific & Rest of World (
Financial & Corporate Compliance
- Organic growth
5% , led by Legal Services up7% . - Recurring revenues grew
6% organically, while non-recurring revenues returned to growth. - Margin increase mainly reflects operational gearing and cost efficiencies.
Financial & Corporate Compliance – Year ended December 31 | |||||
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Revenues | 1,105 | 1,052 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit | 433 | 403 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||
Operating profit | 415 | 383 | + | ||
Net capital expenditure | 54 | 58 | |||
Ultimo FTEs | 3,030 | 3,056 | |||
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Financial & Corporate Compliance revenues increased
The adjusted operating profit margin increased 90 basis points, driven by operational gearing and cost efficiencies. IFRS operating profit increased
In Legal Services (
Financial Services (
On February 7, 2025, we announced an agreement to acquire Registered Agent Solutions, Inc. (RASi) for
Legal & Regulatory
- Organic growth
5% , led by growth in digital information solutions up7% . - Legal & Regulatory Software grew
6% organically. - Margin increase reflects gearing, mix shift, efficiencies, as well as a one-time pension gain.
Legal & Regulatory – Year ended December 31 | |||||
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Revenues | 946 | 875 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit | 176 | 138 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||
Operating profit | 145 | 114 | + | ||
Net capital expenditure | 53 | 58 | |||
Ultimo FTEs | 4,147 | 4,033 | |||
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Legal & Regulatory revenues increased
Adjusted operating profit increased
Legal & Regulatory Information Solutions (
Legal & Regulatory Software (
Corporate Performance & ESG
- Organic growth
5% , driven by recurring cloud software revenues up20% . - Margin decline reflects lower software license revenues and increased investment.
- In 2025, Finance, Risk & Reporting (FRR) transferred to Financial & Corporate Compliance.
Corporate Performance & ESG – Year ended December 31 | |||||
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Revenues | 720 | 683 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit | 61 | 68 | - | - | - |
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||
Operating profit | 13 | 26 | - | ||
Net capital expenditure | 95 | 84 | |||
Ultimo FTEs | 3,315 | 3,215 | |||
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Corporate Performance & ESG revenues increased
Adjusted operating profit declined
In EHS & ESG9 (
In Corporate Performance, Corporate Tax, Audit & Assurance (
Finance, Risk & Reporting11 (
Corporate
Net corporate expenses increased
Corporate – Year ended December 31 | |||||
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Adjusted operating profit | (69) | (66) | + | + | + |
Operating profit | (69) | (66) | + | ||
Net capital expenditure | 0 | 0 | |||
Ultimo FTEs | 148 | 143 | |||
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended December 31, 2024, and 2023
The full-year figures for 2024 and 2023 in this report are derived from the 2024 consolidated financial statements, which are prepared in accordance with IFRS and which will be published on March 12, 2025.
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Total Equity
Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss
(in millions of euros, unless otherwise stated)
Note | Full year | ||
2024 | 2023 | ||
Revenues | 4 | 5,916 | 5,584 |
Cost of revenues | (1,626) | (1,576) | |
Gross profit | 4,290 | 4,008 | |
Sales costs | (969) | (929) | |
General and administrative costs | (1,870) | (1,749) | |
Total operating expenses | (2,839) | (2,678) | |
Other gains and (losses) | 3 | (10) | (7) |
Operating profit | 1,441 | 1,323 | |
Financing results | (65) | (27) | |
Share of profit of equity-accounted associates, net of tax | 2 | 1 | |
Profit before tax | 1,378 | 1,297 | |
Income tax expense | (299) | (290) | |
Profit for the year | 1,079 | 1,007 | |
Attributable to: | |||
| 1,079 | 1,007 | |
| 0 | 0 | |
Profit for the year | 1,079 | 1,007 | |
Earnings per share (EPS) (€) | |||
Basic EPS | 5 | 4.54 | 4.11 |
Diluted EPS | 5 | 4.52 | 4.09 |
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
(in millions of euros)
Full Year | ||
2024 | 2023 | |
Comprehensive income | ||
Profit for the year | 1,079 | 1,007 |
Other comprehensive income | ||
Items that are or may be reclassified subsequently to the statement of profit or loss: | ||
Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations | 227 | (127) |
Recycling of foreign exchange differences on loss of control | (1) | – |
Net gains/(losses) on hedges of net investments | (12) | 3 |
Net gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges | (7) | (7) |
Items that will not be reclassified to the statement of profit or loss: | ||
Remeasurements on defined benefit plans | (5) | (1) |
Other comprehensive income/(loss) for the year, before tax | 202 | (132) |
Income tax on items that are or may be reclassified subsequently to the statement of profit or loss | 4 | 0 |
Income tax on items that will not be reclassified to the statement of profit or loss | 1 | 0 |
Income tax on other comprehensive income | 5 | 0 |
Other comprehensive income/(loss) for the year, net of tax | 207 | (132) |
Total comprehensive income for the year | 1,286 | 875 |
Attributable to: | ||
| 1,285 | 875 |
| 1 | 0 |
Total comprehensive income for the year | 1,286 | 875 |
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
(in millions of euros)
Note | Full Year | |||
2024 | 2023 | |||
Cash flows from operating activities | ||||
Profit for the year | 1,079 | 1,007 | ||
Adjustments for: | ||||
Income tax expense | 299 | 290 | ||
Share of profit of equity-accounted associates, net of tax | (2) | (1) | ||
Financing results | 65 | 27 | ||
Amortization, impairments, and depreciation | 479 | 445 | ||
Book (profit)/loss on disposal of operations and non-current assets | (5) | (4) | ||
Fair value changes of contingent considerations | 0 | – | ||
Additions to and releases of provisions | 14 | 12 | ||
Appropriation of provisions | (9) | (10) | ||
Changes in employee benefit provisions | (24) | (7) | ||
Share-based payments | 31 | 31 | ||
Autonomous movements in working capital | 82 | 98 | ||
Other adjustments | 5 | 8 | ||
Total adjustments | 935 | 889 | ||
Interest paid and received (including the interest portion of lease payments) | (42) | (26) | ||
Paid income tax | (318) | (325) | ||
Net cash from operating activities | 1,654 | 1,545 | ||
Cash flows from investing activities | ||||
Net capital expenditure | (313) | (323) | ||
Acquisition spending, net of cash acquired 6 | (335) | (61) | ||
Receipts from divestments, net of cash disposed 6 | 1 | 8 | ||
Dividends received | 1 | 0 | ||
Cash used for settlement of net investment hedges | (6) | 2 | ||
Net cash used in investing activities | (652) | (374) | ||
Cash flows from financing activities | ||||
Repayment of loans | (738) | (926) | ||
Proceeds from new loans | 1,237 | 977 | ||
Repayment of principal portion of lease liabilities | (62) | (65) | ||
Collateral received/(paid) | (2) | ‒ | ||
Repurchased shares | (1,000) | (1,000) | ||
Dividends paid | (521) | (467) | ||
Net cash used in financing activities | (1,086) | (1,481) | ||
Net cash flow before effect of exchange differences | (84) | (310) | ||
Exchange differences on cash and cash equivalents and bank overdrafts | 40 | (31) | ||
Net change in cash and cash equivalents less bank overdrafts | (44) | (341) | ||
Cash and cash equivalents less bank overdrafts at January 1 | 989 | 1,330 | ||
Cash and cash equivalents less bank overdrafts at December 31 | 945 | 989 | ||
Add: Bank overdrafts at December 31 | 9 | 146 | ||
Cash and cash equivalents in the statement of financial position at December 31 | 954 | 1,135 |
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
(in millions of euros)
Note | December 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||
Non-current assets | |||||
Goodwill | 4,710 | 4,322 | |||
Intangible assets other than goodwill | 1,735 | 1,598 | |||
Property, plant, and equipment | 79 | 79 | |||
Right-of-use assets | 214 | 241 | |||
Investments in equity-accounted associates | 13 | 11 | |||
Financial assets and other receivables | 16 | 20 | |||
Non-current contract assets | 18 | 18 | |||
Deferred tax assets | 56 | 51 | |||
Total non-current assets | 6,841 | 6,340 | |||
Current assets | |||||
Inventories | 79 | 84 | |||
Contract assets | 148 | 160 | |||
Trade and other receivables | 1,394 | 1,289 | |||
Current income tax assets | 82 | 86 | |||
Cash and cash equivalents | 954 | 1,135 | |||
Total current assets | 2,657 | 2,754 | |||
Total assets | 9,498 | 9,094 | |||
Equity | |||||
Issued share capital | 29 | 30 | |||
Share premium reserve | 87 | 87 | |||
Other reserves | 1,429 | 1,632 | |||
Equity attributable to owners of the company | 1,545 | 1,749 | |||
Non-controlling interests | 0 | 0 | |||
Total equity | 1,545 | 1,749 | |||
Non-current liabilities | |||||
Long-term debt, excl. lease liabilities | 7 | 3,484 | 2,877 | ||
Lease liabilities | 7 | 179 | 209 | ||
Deferred tax liabilities | 324 | 281 | |||
Employee benefits | 67 | 81 | |||
Provisions | 5 | 5 | |||
Non-current deferred income | 110 | 102 | |||
Total non-current liabilities | 4,169 | 3,555 | |||
Current liabilities | |||||
Deferred income | 2,054 | 1,899 | |||
Other contract liabilities | 76 | 86 | |||
Trade and other payables | 1,087 | 997 | |||
Current income tax liabilities | 117 | 128 | |||
Short-term provisions | 28 | 21 | |||
Borrowings and bank overdrafts | 7 | 359 | 196 | ||
Short-term bonds | 7 | ‒ | 400 | ||
Short-term lease liabilities | 7 | 63 | 63 | ||
Total current liabilities | 3,784 | 3,790 | |||
Total liabilities | 7,953 | 7,345 | |||
Total equity and liabilities | 9,498 | 9,094 |
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes in Total Equity
(in millions of euros)
2024 | |||
Equity attributable to the owners of the company | Non-controlling interests | Total equity | |
Balance at January 1 | 1,749 | 0 | 1,749 |
Total comprehensive income for the year | 1,285 | 1 | 1,286 |
Share-based payments | 31 | – | 31 |
Final cash dividend 2023 | (324) | (1) | (325) |
Interim cash dividend 2024 | (196) | – | (196) |
Repurchased shares | (1,000) | – | (1,000) |
Balance at December 31 | 1,545 | 0 | 1,545 |
2023 | |||
Equity attributable to the owners of the company | Non-controlling interests | Total equity | |
Balance at January 1 | 2,310 | 0 | 2,310 |
Total comprehensive income for the year | 875 | 0 | 875 |
Share-based payments | 31 | – | 31 |
Final cash dividend 2022 | (291) | 0 | (291) |
Interim cash dividend 2023 | (176) | – | (176) |
Repurchased shares | (1,000) | – | (1,000) |
Balance at December 31 | 1,749 | 0 | 1,749 |
Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1 Reporting entity
Wolters Kluwer N.V. ('the company') with its subsidiaries (together referred to as 'the group', and individually as ‘group entities’) is a global provider of information, software solutions, and services for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, financial and corporate compliance, legal and regulatory, and corporate performance and ESG sectors. Our expert solutions combine deep domain knowledge with technology to deliver both content and workflow automation to drive improved outcomes and productivity for our customers.
These condensed consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, comprise the group and the group’s interests in associates.
Note 2 Basis of preparation
Statement of compliance
The accounting policies applied in these condensed consolidated financial statements are the same as those applied in the 2024 Annual Report which will be published on March 12, 2025. The consolidated financial statements included in the 2024 Annual Report were authorized for issuance by the Executive Board and Supervisory Board on February 25, 2025. Deloitte Accountants B.V. has completed its external audit. The unqualified auditor’s opinion will be published in the 2024 Annual Report, which will be submitted for adoption to the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on May 15, 2025.
These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the IFRS® Accounting Standards (‘IFRS Accounting Standards’), as adopted by the European Union, except they do not include all the information required for a complete set of IFRS financial statements. Selected explanatory notes are included to explain events and transactions that are significant to an understanding of the changes in the group’s financial position and performance since the last annual consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Effect of new accounting standards
The group has applied the following amendments for the first time for the annual reporting period commencing January 1, 2024:
- Supplier finance arrangements (amendments to IAS 7 and IFRS 7);
- Classification of liabilities as current or non-current (amendments to IAS 1);
- Non-current liabilities with covenants (amendments to IAS 1); and
- Lease liability in a sale and leaseback (amendments to IFRS 16).
The application of the abovementioned amendments has not had any material impact on the
amounts reported or disclosed in these financial statements.
Effect of forthcoming accounting standards
A number of new standards and amendments are not yet effective for the year ended December 31, 2024, and have not been early adopted in these condensed consolidated financial statements. With the exception of IFRS 18 – Presentation and Disclosures in Financial Statements, the group expects no significant changes because of these amendments and new standards.
Presentation currency
The condensed consolidated financial statements are presented in euros and rounded to the nearest million, unless otherwise indicated.
Exchange rates to the euro | 2024 | 2023 |
U.S. dollar (average) | 1.08 | 1.08 |
U.S. dollar (at December 31) | 1.04 | 1.11 |
Estimates and judgments
The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with IFRS requires management to make estimates, judgments, and assumptions that affect the application of policies and reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosed amounts of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported amounts of income and expense, that are not clear from other sources. The estimates, judgments, and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from those estimates and may result in material adjustments in the
next financial year(s).
The impact of climate-related matters was considered while preparing the financial statements, with a focus on the potential financial impact on estimates and judgments related to the impairment of non-financial assets. Hereby management considered the outcome of the double materiality assessment and the group’s emission reduction targets and associated abatement plans. Management concluded that the financial impact of climaterelated matters on estimates and judgments is not material.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognized in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods. Judgments made by management in the application of IFRS that could have an effect on the financial statements and estimates with the risk of a material adjustment in future years are further discussed in the corresponding notes to the consolidated statements of profit or loss and financial position:
- Revenue recognition;
- Accounting for income taxes; and
- Valuation, measurement, and impairment testing of goodwill and intangible assets other than goodwill.
Management believes that risks are adequately covered in its estimates and judgments.
Note 3 Benchmark Figures
Wherever used in this report, the term ‘adjusted’ refers to figures adjusted for non-benchmark items and, where applicable, amortization and (reversal of) impairment of acquired identifiable intangible assets and goodwill.
Adjusted figures are non-IFRS compliant financial figures but are internally regarded as key performance indicators to measure the underlying performance of the business from continuing operations. These figures are presented as additional information and do not replace the information in the condensed consolidated statement of profit or loss and in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows. The term ‘adjusted’ is not a defined term under IFRS.
Reconciliation of benchmark figures
Revenue bridge
€ million | % | |
Revenues 2023 | 5,584 | |
Organic change | 325 | 6 |
Acquisitions | 17 | 0 |
Divestments | (9) | 0 |
Currency impact | (1) | 0 |
Revenues 2024 | 5,916 | 6 |
U.S.
Reconciliation between operating profit and adjusted operating profit
(in millions of euros) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Operating profit | 1,441 | 1,323 |
Amortization and impairment of acquired identifiable intangible assets and goodwill | 149 | 146 |
Non-benchmark items in operating profit | 10 | 7 |
Adjusted operating profit | 1,600 | 1,476 |
Reconciliation between total financing results and adjusted net financing costs
(in millions of euros) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Total financing results | (65) | (27) |
Non-benchmark items in total financing results | 3 | 0 |
Adjusted net financing costs | (62) | (27) |
Reconciliation between profit for the year and adjusted net profit
(in millions of euros) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Profit for the year attributable to the owners of the company (A) | 1,079 | 1,007 |
Amortization and impairment of acquired identifiable intangible assets and goodwill | 149 | 146 |
Tax benefits on amortization and impairment of acquired identifiable intangible assets and goodwill | (38) | (37) |
Non-benchmark items, net of tax | (5) | 3 |
Adjusted net profit (B) | 1,185 | 1,119 |
Summary of non-benchmark items
(in millions of euros) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Divestment-related results | (3) | 4 |
Acquisition-related costs | (7) | (7) |
Additions to acquisition integration provisions | 0 | (4) |
Other gains and (losses) in operating profit | (10) | (7) |
Included in financing results: | ||
Results on divestments of investments available for sale | ‒ | 3 |
Financing component employee benefits | (3) | (3) |
Total non-benchmark items in financing results | (3) | 0 |
Total non-benchmark items, before tax | (13) | (7) |
Tax benefits/(charges) on non-benchmark items | 18 | 4 |
Impact of changes in tax rates | 0 | 0 |
Non-benchmark items, net of tax | 5 | (3) |
Reconciliation between net cash from operating activities and adjusted free cash flow
(in millions of euros) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Net cash from operating activities | 1,654 | 1,545 |
Net capital expenditure | (313) | (323) |
Repayment of principal portion of lease liabilities | (62) | (65) |
Paid acquisition-related costs | 7 | 7 |
Paid divestment expenses | 5 | 0 |
Dividends received | 1 | 0 |
Income tax paid/(received) on divested assets | (16) | 0 |
Adjusted free cash flow (C) | 1,276 | 1,164 |
Return on invested capital (ROIC) calculation
(in millions of euros, unless otherwise stated) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Adjusted operating profit | 1,600 | 1,476 |
Allocated tax | (370) | (338) |
Net operating profit after allocated tax (NOPAT) (D) | 1,230 | 1,138 |
Average invested capital (E) | 6,788 | 6,780 |
ROIC-ratio (D/E) (%) | 18.1 | 16.8 |
Per share information
(in euros, unless otherwise stated) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Total number of ordinary shares outstanding at December 311 | 234.4 | 240.5 |
Weighted-average number of ordinary shares (F)1 | 237.5 | 244.9 |
Diluted weighted-average number of ordinary shares (G)1 | 238.4 | 246.0 |
Adjusted EPS (B/F) | 4.99 | 4.57 |
Diluted adjusted EPS (B/G) | 4.97 | 4.55 |
Diluted adjusted EPS in constant currencies | 5.01 | 4.53 |
Basic EPS (A/F) | 4.54 | 4.11 |
Diluted EPS (A/G) | 4.52 | 4.09 |
Adjusted free cash flow per share (C/F) | 5.37 | 4.75 |
Diluted adjusted free cash flow per share (C/G) | 5.35 | 4.73 |
1 In millions of shares.
Benchmark tax rate
(in millions of euros, unless otherwise stated) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Income tax expense | 299 | 290 |
Tax benefits on amortization and impairment of acquired identifiable intangibles | 38 | 37 |
Tax benefits/(charges) on non-benchmark items | 18 | 4 |
Impact of changes in tax rates | 0 | 0 |
Tax on adjusted profit before tax (H) | 355 | 331 |
Adjusted net profit | 1,185 | 1,119 |
Adjustment for non-controlling interests | 0 | 0 |
Adjusted profit before tax (I) | 1,540 | 1,450 |
Benchmark tax rate (H/I) (%) | 23.1 | 22.9 |
Cash conversion ratio
(in millions of euros, unless otherwise stated) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Operating profit | 1,441 | 1,323 |
Amortization, depreciation, and impairments | 479 | 445 |
EBITDA | 1,920 | 1,768 |
Non-benchmark items in operating profit | 10 | 7 |
Adjusted EBITDA | 1,930 | 1,775 |
Autonomous movements in working capital | 82 | 98 |
Net capital expenditure | (313) | (323) |
Book (profit)/loss on sale of non-current assets | (2) | 0 |
Repayment of principal portion of lease liabilities | (62) | (65) |
Interest portion of lease payments | (8) | (9) |
Adjusted operating cash flow (J) | 1,627 | 1,476 |
Adjusted operating profit (K) | 1,600 | 1,476 |
Cash conversion ratio (J/K) (%) | 102 | 100 |
Note 4 Segment Reporting
Divisional revenues and operating profit
(in millions of euros) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Revenues | ||
Health | 1,584 | 1,508 |
Tax & Accounting | 1,561 | 1,466 |
Financial & Corporate Compliance | 1,105 | 1,052 |
Legal & Regulatory | 946 | 875 |
Corporate Performance & ESG | 720 | 683 |
Total revenues | 5,916 | 5,584 |
Operating profit/(loss) | ||
Health | 440 | 406 |
Tax & Accounting | 497 | 460 |
Financial & Corporate Compliance | 415 | 383 |
Legal & Regulatory | 145 | 114 |
Corporate Performance & ESG | 13 | 26 |
Corporate | (69) | (66) |
Total operating profit | 1,441 | 1,323 |
Disaggregation of revenues
The group disaggregates revenues by media format and by revenue type as part of the management information discussed by the Executive Board. Reference is made to Appendix 1, 2, and 3 of this report.
Note 5 Earnings per share
Earnings per share (EPS)
(in millions of euros, unless otherwise stated) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Profit for the year attributable to the owners of the company (A) | 1,079 | 1,007 |
Weighted-average number of ordinary shares, in millions of shares | ||
Outstanding ordinary shares at January 1 | 248.5 | 257.5 |
Effect of cancellation of shares | (2.9) | (3.4) |
Effect of repurchased shares | (8.1) | (9.2) |
Weighted-average number of ordinary shares for the year (F) | 237.5 | 244.9 |
Basic EPS (€) (A/F) | 4.54 | 4.11 |
Diluted weighted-average number of ordinary shares, in millions of shares | ||
Weighted-average number of ordinary shares (F) | 237.5 | 244.9 |
Effect of Long-Term Incentive Plan | 0.9 | 1.1 |
Diluted weighted-average number of ordinary shares for the year (G) | 238.4 | 246.0 |
Diluted EPS (€) (A/G) | 4.52 | 4.09 |
Note 6 Acquisitions and Divestments
Acquisitions
On September 5, 2024, Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting completed the acquisition of
In addition, other smaller acquisitions were completed, with a combined total consideration of
The fair values of the identifiable assets and liabilities of the abovementioned acquisitions, as reported at December 31, 2024, are provisional, but no material deviations from these fair values are expected.
In 2024, acquisition-related costs amounted to
The goodwill relating to the 2024 acquisitions represents future economic benefits specific to the group arising from assets that do not qualify for separate recognition as intangible assets. These benefits include revenues from expected new customers and from new capabilities of the acquired product platforms, as well as expected synergies that will arise following the acquisitions.
Of the goodwill recognized in 2024, none was deductible for income tax purposes (2023: none).
The following table provides information in aggregate for all business combinations in 2024:
(in millions of euros) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Consideration payable in cash | 357 | 60 |
Deferred and contingent considerations | 0 | 4 |
Total consideration | 357 | 64 |
Non-current assets | 189 | 51 |
Current assets | 33 | 7 |
Non-current liabilities | (5) | (1) |
Current liabilities | (12) | (9) |
Deferred tax liabilities | (45) | (10) |
Fair value of net identifiable assets/(liabilities) | 160 | 38 |
Goodwill on acquisitions | 197 | 26 |
Cash effect of acquisitions: | ||
Consideration payable in cash | 357 | 60 |
Cash acquired | (25) | (2) |
Deferred and contingent considerations paid | 3 | 3 |
Acquisition spending, net of cash acquired | 335 | 61 |
The fair value of the identifiable assets and liabilities will be revised if new information, obtained within one year from the acquisition date, about facts and circumstances that existed at the acquisition date, causes adjustments to the above amounts, or for any additional provisions that existed at the acquisition date.
The acquisitions completed in 2024 resulted in a maximum achievable undiscounted deferred and contingent consideration of
Divestments
In 2024, net divestment proceeds amounted to
Divestment-related results on operations
(in millions of euros) | Full Year | |
2024 | 2023 | |
Divestment of operations: | ||
Consideration receivable in cash | 1 | 5 |
Consideration receivable | 1 | 5 |
Non-current assets | 3 | – |
Current assets (incl. assets held for sale) | 3 | – |
Current liabilities (incl. liabilities held for sale) | (6) | – |
Deferred tax assets/(liabilities) | (1) | 1 |
Net identifiable assets/(liabilities) | (1) | 1 |
Reclassification of foreign exchange differences on loss of control to profit or loss, previously recognized in other comprehensive income | 1 | – |
Book profit/(loss) on divestments of operations | 3 | 4 |
Divestment-related costs | (5) | 0 |
Restructuring of stranded costs following divestments | (1) | – |
Divestment-related results, included in other gains and (losses) | (3) | 4 |
Divestment of equity-accounted associates and financial assets | ||
Consideration receivable in cash | – | 3 |
Carrying value of financial assets | – | 0 |
Divestment-related results, included in financing results | 0 | 3 |
Cash effect of divestments: | ||
Consideration receivable in cash | 1 | 8 |
Cash included in divested operations | 0 | – |
Receipts from divestments, net of cash disposed | 1 | 8 |
Note 7 Net Debt
Reconciliation gross debt to net debt
(in millions of euros, unless otherwise stated) | December 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 |
Bonds | 3,324 | 2,723 |
Private placements | 122 | 127 |
Other long-term debt | 21 | 21 |
Deferred and contingent acquisition payables | 0 | 1 |
Derivative financial instruments | 17 | 5 |
Total long-term debt, excl. lease liabilities | 3,484 | 2,877 |
Lease liabilities | 179 | 209 |
Total long-term debt | 3,663 | 3,086 |
Borrowings and bank overdrafts | 359 | 196 |
Short-term bonds | ‒ | 400 |
Short-term lease liabilities | 63 | 63 |
Deferred and contingent acquisition payables | 2 | 4 |
Derivative financial instruments | 3 | ‒ |
Total short-term debt | 427 | 663 |
Gross debt | 4,090 | 3,749 |
Minus: | ||
Cash and cash equivalents | (954) | (1,135) |
Collateral | (2) | ‒ |
Derivative financial instruments: | ||
Non-current assets | – | – |
Current assets | – | (2) |
Net debt | 3,134 | 2,612 |
Net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio | 1.6 | 1.5 |
Note 8 Equity, Dividends, and LTIP
In 2024, the group executed a share buyback of
Repurchased shares are added to and held as treasury shares. Part of the shares held in treasury are retained and used to meet future obligations under share-based incentive plans. In 2024, the group used 0.6 million shares held in treasury for the vesting of the LTIP grant 2021-23.
On September 13, 2024, the company canceled 10.0 million treasury shares as approved by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting in May 2024 (2023: 9.0 million shares). Following the share cancelation, the number of issued ordinary shares is 238.5 million, of which 4.2 million are held in treasury as at
December 31, 2024.
The 2023 dividend of
As announced on February 22, 2024, the Supervisory Board and Executive Board of Wolters Kluwer resolved to distribute an interim dividend for the year 2024 at
The LTIP 2021-23 vested on December 31, 2023. On Total Shareholder Return (TSR), Wolters Kluwer ranked third relative to its peer group of 15 companies, resulting in a payout of
The LTIP 2022-24 vested on December 31, 2024. The EPS- and ROIC-related shares resulted in a payout of
Under the 2023-25 LTIP grant, 338,699 shares were conditionally awarded to the Executive Board and other senior managers in the year 2023. In 2023 and 2024, a total of 989 and 33,494 shares were forfeited, respectively.
Under the 2024-26 LTIP grant, 263,249 shares were conditionally awarded to the Executive Board and other senior managers in the year 2024. In 2024, a total of 7,362 shares were forfeited.
In 2023, the company launched a new equity-settled share-based payment plan, comprised of Restricted
Stock Units (RSUs). RSU shares are granted and vest over time with vesting conditioned on continued participation. In 2024,
At December 31, 2024, the Executive Board jointly held 487,952 shares (2023: 412,167 shares), of which 427,202 shares (2023: 372,131 shares) were held by Ms. McKinstry and 60,750 shares (2023: 40,036) by Mr. Entricken.
At December 31, 2024, Mrs. A.E. Ziegler holds 1,894 American Depositary Receipts of shares of the company (2023: 1,894 ADRs).
Note 9 Events after the Reporting Period
Subsequent events were evaluated up to February 25, 2025, which is the date the consolidated financial statements were authorized for issuance by the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board.
As per January 1, 2025, our Finance, Risk & Reporting unit (FRR) was transferred into the Financial & Corporate Compliance division where it will be more closely aligned to our other banking software and services. FRR was part of the Corporate Performance & ESG (CP&ESG) division in 2023 and 2024 and had revenues of
On February 7, 2025, Wolters Kluwer Financial & Corporate Compliance (“FCC”) has signed an agreement with Lexitas, a legal services provider backed by funds advised by Apax Partners (“Apax”), to acquire Registered Agent Solutions, Inc. (“RASi”) for approximately
RASi serves thousands of customers across all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 2002, RASi is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and employs approximately 180 professionals. In addition to registered agent services, the company provides a suite of corporate services including business licenses, UCC search and filing, beneficial ownership filing, business formation services, and entity management and compliance solutions.
Appendix 1 Divisional Supplemental Information – Year ended December 31
(€ million, unless otherwise stated) | Change: | ||||||
2024 | 2023 | Organic | Acquisition/ Divestment | Currency | |||
Health | |||||||
Revenues | 1,584 | 1,508 | 85 | (7) | (2) | ||
Adjusted operating profit | 480 | 454 | 27 | (1) | 0 | ||
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||||
Tax & Accounting | |||||||
Revenues | 1,561 | 1,466 | 106 | (9) | (2) | ||
Adjusted operating profit | 519 | 479 | 46 | (4) | (2) | ||
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||||
Financial & Corporate Compliance | |||||||
Revenues | 1,105 | 1,052 | 54 | ‒ | (1) | ||
Adjusted operating profit | 433 | 403 | 30 | ‒ | 0 | ||
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||||
Legal & Regulatory | |||||||
Revenues | 946 | 875 | 44 | 24 | 3 | ||
Adjusted operating profit | 176 | 138 | 28 | 8 | 2 | ||
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||||
Corporate Performance & ESG | |||||||
Revenues | 720 | 683 | 36 | ‒ | 1 | ||
Adjusted operating profit | 61 | 68 | (6) | ‒ | (1) | ||
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||||
Corporate | |||||||
Adjusted operating profit | (69) | (66) | (3) | ‒ | 0 | ||
Total Wolters Kluwer | |||||||
Revenues | 5,916 | 5,584 | 325 | 8 | (1) | ||
Adjusted operating profit | 1,600 | 1,476 | 122 | 3 | (1) | ||
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||||
Note: Acquisition/divestment column includes the contribution from 2024 and 2023 acquisitions before these became organic (12 months from their acquisition date), the impact of 2024 and 2023 divestments, and the effect of asset transfers between divisions, if any. |
Appendix 2 Revenues by Media Format – Year ended December 31
(€ million, unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Software | 2,690 | 2,515 | + | + | + |
Other digital | 2,345 | 2,208 | + | + | + |
Digital | 5,035 | 4,723 | + | + | + |
Services | 569 | 534 | + | + | + |
312 | 327 | - | - | - | |
Total revenues | 5,916 | 5,584 | + | + | + |
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Appendix 3 Divisional Revenues by Type – Year ended December 31
(€ million, unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Health | |||||
Digital and service subscription | 1,279 | 1,204 | + | + | + |
Print subscription | 41 | 45 | - | - | - |
Other recurring | 129 | 125 | + | + | + |
Total recurring revenues | 1,449 | 1,374 | + | + | + |
Print books | 60 | 59 | + | + | + |
Other non-recurring | 75 | 75 | |||
Total Health | 1,584 | 1,508 | + | + | + |
Tax & Accounting | |||||
Digital and service subscription | 1,273 | 1,188 | + | + | + |
Print subscription | 14 | 16 | - | - | - |
Other recurring | 144 | 135 | + | + | + |
Total recurring revenues | 1,431 | 1,339 | + | + | + |
Print books | 18 | 18 | - | + | |
Other non-recurring | 112 | 109 | + | + | + |
Total Tax & Accounting | 1,561 | 1,466 | + | + | + |
Financial & Corporate Compliance | |||||
Digital and service subscription* | 744 | 704 | + | + | + |
Total recurring revenues | 744 | 704 | + | + | + |
LS transactional | 206 | 192 | + | + | + |
FS transactional | 130 | 128 | + | + | + |
Other non-recurring | 25 | 28 | - | - | - |
Total Financial & Corporate Compliance | 1,105 | 1,052 | + | + | + |
Legal & Regulatory | |||||
Digital and service subscription | 664 | 596 | + | + | + |
Print subscription | 70 | 74 | - | - | - |
Other recurring | 12 | 13 | - | - | - |
Total recurring revenues | 746 | 683 | + | + | + |
Print books | 42 | 43 | - | - | - |
ELM transactional | 100 | 91 | + | + | + |
Other non-recurring | 58 | 58 | - | ||
Total Legal & Regulatory | 946 | 875 | + | + | + |
Corporate Performance & ESG | |||||
Digital and service subscription | 498 | 443 | + | + | + |
Total recurring revenues | 498 | 443 | + | + | + |
Other non-recurring | 222 | 240 | - | - | - |
Total Corporate Performance & ESG | 720 | 683 | + | + | + |
Total Wolters Kluwer | |||||
Digital and service subscription | 4,458 | 4,134 | + | + | + |
Print subscription | 125 | 136 | - | - | - |
Other recurring | 285 | 273 | + | + | + |
Total recurring revenues | 4,868 | 4,543 | + | + | + |
Transactional | 436 | 411 | + | + | + |
Print books | 120 | 120 | |||
Other non-recurring | 492 | 510 | - | - | - |
Total non-recurring revenues | 1,048 | 1,041 | + | + | + |
Total Wolters Kluwer | 5,916 | 5,584 | + | + | + |
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
Appendix 4 Pro Forma Divisional Summary – Year ended December 31
As of January 1, 2025, Finance, Risk & Reporting (FRR) was transferred from Corporate Performance & ESG to Financial & Corporate Compliance. The table below provides pro forma divisional revenue and adjusted operating profit.
Pro forma divisional summary
€ million (unless otherwise stated) | 2024 | 2023 | ∆ | ∆ CC | ∆ OG |
Revenues | |||||
Health | 1,584 | 1,508 | + | + | + |
Tax & Accounting | 1,561 | 1,466 | + | + | + |
Financial & Corporate Compliance | 1,228 | 1,172 | + | + | + |
Legal & Regulatory | 946 | 875 | + | + | + |
Corporate Performance & ESG | 597 | 563 | + | + | + |
Total revenues | 5,916 | 5,584 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit | |||||
Health | 480 | 454 | + | + | + |
Tax & Accounting | 519 | 479 | + | + | + |
Financial & Corporate Compliance | 433 | 403 | + | + | + |
Legal & Regulatory | 176 | 138 | + | + | + |
Corporate Performance & ESG | 61 | 68 | - | - | - |
Corporate | (69) | (66) | + | + | + |
Total operating profit | 1,600 | 1,476 | + | + | + |
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||
Health | |||||
Tax & Accounting | |||||
Financial & Corporate Compliance | |||||
Legal & Regulatory | |||||
Corporate Performance & ESG | |||||
Adjusted operating profit margin | |||||
∆: % Change; ∆ CC: % Change in constant currencies (€/ |
About Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information solutions, software and services for professionals in healthcare; tax and accounting; financial and corporate compliance; legal and regulatory; corporate performance and ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services.
Wolters Kluwer reported 2024 annual revenues of
Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX, Euro Stoxx 50, and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).
For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram
Financial Calendar
March 12, 2025 Publication of 2024 Annual Report
May 7, 2025 First-Quarter 2025 Trading Update
May 15, 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
May 19, 2025 Ex-dividend date: 2024 final dividend ordinary shares
May 20, 2025 Record date: 2024 final dividend
June 11, 2025 Payment date: 2024 final dividend ordinary shares
June 18, 2025 Payment date: 2024 final dividend ADRs
July 30, 2025 Half-Year 2025 Results
August 26, 2025 Ex-dividend date: 2025 interim dividend ordinary shares
August 27, 2025 Record date: 2025 interim dividend
September 18, 2025 Payment date: 2025 interim dividend
September 25, 2025 Payment date: 2025 interim dividend ADRs
November 5, 2025 Nine-Month 2025 Trading Update
February 25, 2026 Full-Year 2025 Results
March 11, 2026 Publication of 2025 Annual Report
Media | Investors/Analysts |
Stefan Kloet | Meg Geldens |
Associate Director, Global Communications | Investor Relations |
m +31 (0)612 22 36 57 | t +31 (0)172-641-407 |
press@wolterskluwer.com | ir@wolterskluwer.com |
Forward-looking Statements and Other Important Legal Information
This report contains forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by words such as “expect”, “should”, “could”, “shall” and similar expressions. Wolters Kluwer cautions that such forward-looking statements are qualified by certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from what is contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, general economic conditions; conditions in the markets in which Wolters Kluwer is engaged; conditions created by global pandemics, such as COVID-19; behavior of customers, suppliers, and competitors; technological developments; the implementation and execution of new ICT systems or outsourcing; and legal, tax, and regulatory rules affecting Wolters Kluwer’s businesses, as well as risks related to mergers, acquisitions, and divestments. In addition, financial risks such as currency movements, interest rate fluctuations, liquidity, and credit risks could influence future results. The foregoing list of factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Wolters Kluwer disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Elements of this press release contain or may contain inside information about Wolters Kluwer within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014/EU). Trademarks referenced are owned by Wolters Kluwer N.V. and its subsidiaries and may be registered in various countries.
1 Adjusted net financing costs include lease interest charges.
2 As of January 1, 2025, Finance, Risk & Reporting (FRR) was transferred from Corporate Performance & ESG to Financial & Corporate Compliance.
3 Dividend payout ratio: dividend per share divided by adjusted earnings per share.
4 Approximately half of the Dutch pension fund amendment gain was recorded in our Legal & Regulatory division with the remainder distributed across divisions based on FTEs in the plan.
5 Total cash and cash equivalents of
6 Adjusted gender pay-gap ratio considers factors such as job level, geographic location, and experience.
7 CDP is a non-profit organization which operates an environmental data disclosure platform.
8 AUR = Anti-microbial Use and Resistance
9 EHS = environmental, health, and safety; ESG = environmental, social, and governance (Enablon suite).
10 Excluding U.S. Corporate Tax (SureTax).
11 As of January 1, 2025, Finance, Risk & Reporting (FRR) was transferred from Corporate Performance & ESG to Financial & Corporate Compliance. See Appendix 4 for a pro forma view.
Attachment
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