London, March 6, 2026, 09:00 GMT
RELX PLC stuck to its 2026 growth targets in a March investor deck published Thursday, pointing to wider adoption of artificial intelligence in its product lineup as a driver for both customer value and profits. The latest update, posted after a tough stretch for legal and data names, keeps the FTSE 100 information company pressing its advantage.
The question hanging over RELX right now: will generative AI shore up the company’s businesses, or undercut them? The past month has seen investors wrestling with that. Back in early February, Reuters highlighted how Anthropic’s legal AI tools helped spark a wave of selling in RELX, along with Thomson Reuters and Wolters Kluwer. Yet Thursday saw RELX claw back 2.74%, ending the session at 2,623 pence. The FTSE 100 dropped 1.45%.
The slide deck stuck to RELX’s usual script, forecasting “another year of strong underlying growth” for both revenue and adjusted operating profit. Here, “underlying” backs out currency moves and select portfolio shifts. The deck confirmed 2025 revenue guidance at 9.59 billion pounds, with adjusted operating profit pinned at 3.342 billion pounds, and called for 10% constant-currency growth in adjusted earnings per share. Chief Executive Erik Engstrom pointed to AI, saying it’s set to be “a key driver of customer value and growth in our business for many years to come.” Relx
February’s numbers back up management’s favored narrative. Risk, the top division at RELX, delivered 2025 revenue of 3.485 billion pounds, notching 8% underlying growth. Legal climbed 9%, lifted by the likes of Lexis+ AI and Protégé—AI-powered offerings that drove robust renewals and fresh sales across major segments, according to the company.
RELX highlighted new product moves within its faster-growing segments. On March 5, LexisNexis Risk Solutions announced it’s bringing expanded identity verification tools to the Epic Connection Hub used by U.S. hospitals. Next up: adding IDVerse, an AI-driven system built to spot deepfakes, document forgeries, and other types of fraud.
“Striking a balance between user experience and security is critical in an industry that’s still a prime target for cybercrime,” Jonathan Shannon, AVP of healthcare strategy at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, said in the announcement. LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Not everyone’s convinced this rally makes sense. On March 5, Morningstar’s Rob Hales said, “We still view Thomson, RELX, and Wolters stock as undervalued,” and pointed to “heavy pessimism about the sector” already baked into current prices. Morningstar, Inc.
But the risk hasn’t disappeared. Reuters noted last month that Anthropic’s debut erased value from software and professional-services shares, and this week Goldman Sachs executive Mahesh Saireddy flagged that AI-related uncertainty is making lending decisions trickier. For RELX, the fundamental question lingers: can proprietary data and deeply integrated workflows defend pricing power, or will faster-moving, AI-native newcomers take the lead?
RELX hasn’t let up on cash returns as it continues to push its case. In February, the company outlined a 2.25 billion pound buyback for 2026, followed by a proposed final dividend of 48.0 pence per share. The annual meeting is set for April 23.
Thursday’s bounce didn’t close the gap—shares are still trading roughly 37% under their 52-week high. Investors remain unconvinced; RELX needs to show it can pivot the AI story from risk to real, lasting growth.
