Contemplating a venture into the stock market: Travel agency Loveholidays considers public stock offering
Loveholidays, a major British online travel agency, is reportedly exploring the possibility of a stock market listing, according to recent industry reports. The company, which specialises in holidays to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, has a vast inventory of 35,000 hotels and covers 99% of all flights, offering over 500 billion possible holiday packages.
Founded by Alex Francis and Jonny Marsh in 2012, Loveholidays has grown significantly under the ownership of the private equity firm Livingbridge, which invested in the company in 2018. However, the exact identity of the unspecified owner remains undisclosed.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted the travel industry worldwide, Loveholidays has shown a remarkable resurgence in demand from holidaymakers. The company reportedly saw pre-tax profits rise by a fifth to £67.6m on sales of £284m in the year to October 2024.
In the past, bidders including CVC Capital Partners had examined offers for a controlling stake in Loveholidays. However, the most recent information focuses on Livingbridge's debt financing and investment to fuel the company's growth rather than a public listing. As a result, there is no publicly available information on the expected valuation for a stock market listing at this time.
Initial meetings with institutional investors have been scheduled, although further details of a potential listing are unclear. The company's potential flotation could deliver a boost to London's pipeline for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs).
When the process for a controlling stake was curtailed, Loveholidays reportedly explored the sale of a minority stake. However, it is not clear if any minority stake sale has been finalized, nor is it specified if the exploration of a minority stake sale is still ongoing.
Loveholidays currently employs hundreds of people and ranks among the UK's biggest travel agents. The private equity firm Livingbridge declined to comment on the matter.
[1] Based on available search results as of mid-2025.
Finance plays a significant role in Loveholidays' growth, as evidenced by their reported pre-tax profits of £67.6m on sales of £284m. [2] The company's potential flotation could boost London's pipeline for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), showing the financial potential of the travel industry's recovery post-COVID-19.
