Emerald Holding, Inc. (EEX)

Emerald Holding, Inc. was a business-to-business trade show and events operator headquartered in New York. The company was incorporated in 2013 and grew out of the trade show portfolio that Onex Partners assembled, with Onex as its long-time controlling shareholder. It organized in-person events across a wide range of industries, including retail and gift, design and construction, technology, equipment, and safety and security.

Beyond its live events, Emerald ran content and marketing websites, industry publications, and related digital products intended to keep buyers and sellers engaged between shows. It also built out digital tools for wholesale commerce, including the Elastic Suite and Flex platforms, which were designed to connect brands with retail buyers and to support the ordering and inventory side of wholesale buying. Management described this mix as a way to make its events more useful year-round rather than only on show days.

Emerald became a public company in 2017 when its shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EEX. The company later adopted the Emerald Holding name while keeping that ticker. Its results were closely tied to the live events calendar, so the pandemic years were especially disruptive, with many shows postponed or canceled before in-person attendance recovered. Later strategy emphasized portfolio management, acquisitions of additional shows, and expanding its digital offerings.

In 2026 Emerald agreed to be acquired by funds managed by Apollo Global Management. As part of the same arrangement, Apollo funds also acquired Questex, another business media and events company, and the two were to be combined into a single B2B events and media platform. Onex Partners, which had held a majority stake in Emerald, announced the sale of its holding to the Apollo funds.

Under the merger terms, Emerald stockholders received $5.03 per share in cash. The transaction closed in mid-July 2026, and Emerald became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Apollo-managed funds. In connection with closing, the company repaid and terminated its existing credit agreement, ended two registration rights agreements dating from 2013 and 2020, and replaced its board.

Trading of Emerald shares on the NYSE was suspended on July 14, 2026, and a Form 25 was filed to remove the stock from listing and registration on the exchange. The company stated that it intended to file a Form 15 to terminate its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, after which it would stop making public financial filings.

Leadership of the combined business was announced alongside the closing. Paul Miller, who had served as chief executive of Questex, was named to lead the combined company, while Emerald's former chief executive, Hervé Sedky, moved into a senior advisory role. Emerald's stock is no longer available for trading on any U.S. exchange.