GlobalData company profile: Business model, financials, and growth outlook (2025 Edition)

What Does GlobalData Do and How Does It Make Money?

GlobalData is a London-based intelligence platform company that offers industry-specific analytics, proprietary research, and consulting services to clients across vital sectors. Founded in 1999, GlobalData has evolved into a subscription-first platform delivering unified data services powered by AI, domain experts, and industry modeling. With over 3,700 employees across the UK, US, India, and other regions, the company operates as a digital-first alternative to Bloomberg or S&P Global — but with a cross-sectoral, rather than purely financial, focus. Revenue is largely derived from annual subscriptions to its platform, with contract values often exceeding £20,000, supplemented by advisory and bespoke research engagements.

Which Industries Does GlobalData Operate In Today?

GlobalData’s integrated platform delivers insights across over 20 sectors, with its strongest commercial traction in healthcare, consumer goods, technology, financial services, and energy. Its structure allows clients to access deep sector-specific data and analysis while drawing macro and inter-industry linkages. The unified delivery model is a key differentiator — users access data, analyst commentary, market sizing tools, and real-time news through a single pane of glass. The company’s growing appeal lies in this cross-functional capability, especially for global corporations navigating complex regulatory and supply chain environments. The use of NLP, machine learning, and data enrichment pipelines enhances both timeliness and accuracy of insights.

How Much Revenue Did GlobalData Generate in 2024?

For the year ended December 31, 2024, GlobalData reported revenue of £285.5 million, a 5% increase from £273.1 million in 2023. The company’s adjusted EBITDA rose to £116.8 million, reflecting a robust margin of 41%. Profit before tax surged to £54.9 million, marking a 32% jump from the prior year. A major driver of this margin expansion was the 68% decline in finance costs, which fell to £10.2 million due to lower interest expenses and disciplined capital allocation. Deferred revenue reached £146.6 million by year-end, offering strong forward visibility. CEO Mike Danson emphasized that 2024 was a “transformational year” thanks to strong organic growth and disciplined acquisitions.

What Were GlobalData’s Earnings and Key Developments in Q4 FY2024?

Although GlobalData does not follow a US-style quarterly earnings cadence, its Q4 2024 was notable for integrating four acquisitions closed in the second half of the year. These transactions, representing a combined equity investment of £88 million, are expected to add £42 million in FY2025 revenue. These bolt-ons were focused on strengthening domain depth in healthcare and technology intelligence, as well as enhancing platform-based delivery models. GlobalData also maintained a positive net cash position exiting 2024, which management indicated would support further inorganic activity. The company’s premium listing on the London Stock Exchange, effective in Q1 2025, marks a governance upgrade and positions it to attract greater institutional interest.

What Is GlobalData’s Strategy for Growth in 2025 and Beyond?

GlobalData has publicly targeted £500 million in revenue by 2026, and its 2025 roadmap reflects a twin-engine growth model. The first engine is organic — expanding wallet share by deepening vertical coverage, improving AI tooling, and enhancing client dashboards. The second is inorganic — acquiring domain-specific content and analytics firms that plug into the existing platform. India remains crucial, both as a delivery hub and innovation center. Teams based in Hyderabad and Bangalore are developing AI summarization tools and vertical taxonomies that automate insight extraction across news, filings, and primary research. Meanwhile, new go-to-market efforts are focused on healthcare analytics in North America and ESG intelligence for European corporates.

How Is GlobalData Stock Performing in 2025?

Traded under the ticker DATA on the London Stock Exchange, GlobalData shares have experienced moderate underperformance so far in 2025. As of May 30, the GlobalData share price stood at approximately 178.00p, down roughly 15% year-to-date. However, broker consensus suggests an average target price of 263.75p, representing potential upside of over 40%. The company trades at an EV/EBITDA multiple of around 16x, which is viewed as reasonable relative to peers in the data-as-a-service and SaaS sectors. Its return on equity (ROE) in 2024 was 12.99%, with net profit margins at 11.96%. Despite the lack of a formal share buyback program, GlobalData’s capital allocation focus remains on expansion and acquisition.

How Actively Is GlobalData Stock Traded? Market Data Snapshot (May 2025)

As of May 30, 2025, GlobalData shares were trading at 179.00p, down 1.10% for the day. The stock remains listed on the AIM segment of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DATA, with a nominal value of 1/100p per ordinary share. The most recent 52-week trading range spans 128.00p to 233.00p, illustrating the volatility seen earlier in the year during takeover speculation.

On May 29, the company recorded a total trading volume of 3,234,777 shares, while the volume on May 30 reached 2,396,458 shares. The on-book turnover stood at approximately £3.59 million, reflecting moderate institutional interest and short-term repositioning following recent M&A updates. Liquidity has improved in the last quarter relative to the first two months of 2025, when average daily volumes dipped below 1.5 million shares.

GlobalData’s market capitalization is currently £1.46 billion, based on available data, and its earnings per share (EPS) is reported at 0.04, which underscores the stock’s valuation as primarily growth- or reinvestment-oriented. The stock is cleared through the SETSqx trading service and registered in the UK under ISIN GB00B8RDVF43. JPMorgan Securities plc serves as the company’s nominated adviser.

The increased turnover and tighter bid-offer spreads observed in May 2025 suggest that liquidity conditions are stabilizing. This could set the stage for stronger institutional positioning, particularly if the ICG takeover discussions proceed to a formal offer stage.

Who Owns GlobalData Shares and What Are Institutions Doing?

Global institutional interest in GlobalData has remained high, bolstered by M&A speculation throughout early 2025. In April, buyout firm KKR explored a possible takeover bid but ultimately withdrew. Meanwhile, Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) has been granted an extension under the UK Takeover Panel’s Rule 2.6 to continue its evaluation. While no formal proposal has emerged, the fact that two large private equity firms have evaluated GlobalData reinforces its strategic appeal. Institutional investors have reacted cautiously, with some rotation into the stock during bid speculation. A potential acquisition remains a wildcard event for valuation but has helped anchor the stock in a volatile macro environment.

Is GlobalData ESG-Compliant and How Is It Governed?

GlobalData aligns with the UK Corporate Governance Code and has shown steady progress in environmental and social disclosures. Sustainalytics assigns it a “Medium Risk” ESG rating, with governance metrics leading its overall score. CEO Mike Danson remains the majority shareholder, but the board includes experienced independent directors such as Chairman Murray Legg. The firm maintains an active audit committee and a structured remuneration policy. On the operational side, GlobalData has committed to net-zero emissions across its core global locations by 2027. ESG-related datasets and compliance trackers have also been added to the platform, particularly targeting corporate clients navigating sustainability reporting mandates.

What Is the Analyst Outlook for GlobalData Stock in 2025?

Analysts continue to back GlobalData as a mid-cap UK tech stock with defensible margins and recurring revenue strength. Most research desks covering the stock rate it as “Buy” or “Outperform,” citing stable EBITDA margins, improving deferred revenue, and inorganic growth momentum. The company’s focus on vertical AI, structured acquisition discipline, and recurring enterprise contracts makes it appealing to long-term investors. While short-term volatility may persist due to M&A noise, analysts believe the stock is undervalued relative to its scalable platform economics and expanding client base. Achieving the £500 million revenue target by 2026 could serve as a key re-rating catalyst if organic and inorganic initiatives stay on track.

GlobalData’s evolution from a niche research provider into a platform-centric intelligence powerhouse reflects a deliberate strategy to capture a growing share of enterprise data spending. With scalable infrastructure, strong financial visibility, and growing institutional attention, it remains a top-tier candidate for investors seeking long-term exposure to industry-specific analytics. As the lines blur between consulting, data delivery, and AI-generated insights, GlobalData appears well-positioned to grow both its topline and strategic relevance in the years ahead.