Loveholidays eyes £1bn London IPO as soon as March
London’s public markets could be set for a blockbuster £1bn spring listing from one of Britain’s largest online travel agents, giving the bourse welcome momentum in the new year after a strong end to 2025.
Loveholidays’ private equity owners, Livingbridge, has reportedly added Investec to its roster of banks preparing to launch a listing.
According to Sky News‘ Mark Kleinman, the syndicate is preparing for a March launch date, although insiders said it could be delayed due to market conditions.
Bloomberg previously reported that the firm could seek a valuation of £1bn. Back in September, Donat Rétif, the firm’s boss, told Bloomberg that London would be a “logical” place for a listing given Loveholidays’ status as a “homegrown, British business”.
Founded in 2012, Loveholidays specialises in package holidays to sun-soaked spots, such as Spain and the Greek Islands. It also offers city-breaks and long-haul holidays.
The firm has benefitted from the unexpected post-pandemic rebound in demand for package holidays. Last summer, Barclays data showed that growth in spending on package holidays has outpaced overall travel spending, as consumers look for greater protection against cancellations, delays, and disruption.
The consultancy firm OC&C predicts that the UK, Irish and German package holiday market will continue growing in the coming years, reaching £67bn in 2028, up from £49bn in 2024.
According to its latest financial accounts, Loveholidays recorded revenue of £288m in the year to October 2024, up from £235m a year earlier. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortisation increased to £71.3m from £61.9m over the same period.
Boost for London Stock Exchange
The prospect of a major listing will also be welcome news to the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), after a spate of late listings in 2025.
There were 11 IPOs in the UK in Q4 2025 raising £1.9bn, according to data from EY-Parthenon, including closely watched IPOs from tinned tuna firm Princes Group and specialist lender Shawbrook.
Julia Hoggett, LSEG’s chief executive, said many companies were “actively preparing” for a London listing this year. All eyes in the City will be on Oslo-based software firm Visma, which could fetch a valuation of around £17bn.
A London listing from Visma would represent a rare win for the UK market at a time when it has struggled to retain and attract high-growth technology companies.
Loveholidays declined to comment. Investec and Livingbridge were contacted for comment.