Interbike and Outdoor Retailer owner files for IPO

North America’s largest trade show operator Emerald Expositions Events has filed for an initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Parent to Interbike, Outdoor Retailer and around 50 other trade shows, Emerald itself is owned by the Onex Private Equity Company, which had revenues of $323.7 million last year and $22.2 million in net income.

As reported by U.S. trade title BRaIN, also an offshoot of Emerald as published under licence by the NBDA, Friday’s filing is said in part to be a response to several opportunities for mergers and acquisitions.

The sports segment of Emerald’s show portfolio was worth some $71 million in revenue in 2016 making it the second largest category behind Gift and Home Merchandise.