The Il Sole 24 Ore Group has posted a profit of €1.2 million for the half-year. EBITDA stood at €11.3 million

The net financial position as at 30 June 2026 was a negative €14.3 million, compared with a positive €6.1 million as at 31 December 2025. The change is mainly attributable to the repayment of the loan agreement acquired following the completion of the reverse merger with Zenit S.p.A., which followed the completion of the voluntary takeover bid launched by Zenit for the special-class shares of Il Sole 24 ORE not held by Confindustria.

Shareholders’ equity stands at €17 million, compared with €36.6 million as at 31 December 2025, mainly due to the impact of the reverse merger with Zenit S.p.A., combined with the performance for the period.

As regards circulation figures, the daily newspaper *Il Sole 24 ORE* recorded a total circulation (print + digital) of 107,728 copies per day on average for the period January–May 2026 (-8.2% compared with the same period in 2025, with the market as a whole recording a decline of -8.4%). The figure for copies sold by *Il Sole 24 ORE*, the Total Paid-For Circulation for the first half of 2026, was calculated at an average of 215,757 copies per day, up 31.8% compared with the same period in 2025, including all multiple digital copies sold, but which cannot be declared as distributed for ADS purposes and are therefore not included in the relevant declaration.

Growing figures for the www.ilsole24ore.com portal: in the period January–June 2026, it recorded a daily average of over 1 million unique visitors, up 16.7% compared with the same period in 2025 (source: Mapp Intelligence). The video section performed exceptionally well, recording an average of 20.8 million monthly views, including live streams, up 17.4% compared with the first half of 2025.

Performance on social media has also been excellent: at the end of June 2026, *Il Sole 24 ORE* had a total fanbase of 6.4 million followers, with steady growth across virtually all platforms. In the first half of 2026, *Il Sole 24 Ore* also retained its position as the leading publisher by number of followers on LinkedIn, the social network dedicated to the professional world, with its native newsletter *Management 24* (WhatsApp Web +15.3%, TikTok +16.0%, YouTube +8.9%, Instagram +9.3%, LinkedIn +3.7%, Facebook +4.4%, X-Twitter -3.0%; sources: WhatsApp, YouTube Analytics, TikTok Analytics, Meta Analytics, LinkedIn Analytics, X-Twitter Analytics). These figures are complemented by the total social media audience of the Il Sole 24 ORE Group, comprising the social media profiles of Radio 24, Radiocor, IlSole24OreTV, HTSI, 24 ORE Eventi, 24 ORE Cultura, Il Sole 24 ORE Professionale and L’Esperto Risponde, which rose to 10.4 million followers in July 2026.

In the first quarter of 2026, Radio 24 recorded an all-time high in listener figures with 2,685,000 listeners, and in the second quarter of 2026, it stood at 2,530,000 listeners on an average day, a figure consistently above 2.5 million daily listeners, confirming the public’s strong appreciation for the station’s programming (source: Audiradio, first and second quarters of 2026). These figures are complemented by the results of the innovative Radio 24 – 4.0 platform, which recorded an average of 9.1 million page views per month during the period January–June 2026; the number of unique users reached a monthly average of 1.5 million (source: Mapp Intelligence – January–June 2026).

During 2026, the 24 ORE Podcast initiative saw further development with the launch of 24OrePodcast.com, the new dedicated platform showcasing the range of original podcasts from Radio 24, Il Sole 24 Ore and the entire Group.

Between January and June 2026, audio streams (downloads and on-demand streaming) of Radio 24 and *Il Sole 24 Ore* podcasts – available via the Radio 24 website and app for mobile, smart TVs and in-car devices, Alexa smart speakers, via the Il Sole 24 Ore website and app, and on the main third-party platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music), totalled 56.8 million, representing a monthly average of 9.4 million downloads (sources: January–June 2026 Audiometrix for the website and app, Spotify Metrix for Spotify, Apple Analytics for Apple, Amazon Analytics for Amazon).

Federico Silvestri, AD Gruppo Il Sole 24 ORE

In January 2026, following the conclusion of the celebrations marking the newspaper’s 160th anniversary, which took place in 2025, the Group launched a major rebranding initiative, which saw the introduction of a new name, a new visual identity and a new logo, all designed to highlight the evolution of the entire publishing group. The project encompassed the entire brand architecture, strengthening the unified identity of the Il Sole 24 ORE Group and making the integration between the various publications, initiatives and business areas – newspaper, digital, radio, news agency, television, podcasts, events, training and professional services – more recognisable. The new brand system, accompanied by a contemporary and consistent visual identity across all touchpoints, embodies innovation, the interconnection of expertise and the Group’s ability to generate value through an integrated ecosystem of publishing brands and expertise. The new name – Il Sole 24 ORE Group – celebrates a history spanning over 160 years, bringing the newspaper back to the centre, whilst the new logo symbolises the integration of tradition and innovation, combining newspaper pages with a pixelated heart – a metaphor for digital evolution and the Group’s increasingly integrated multimedia identity. With its new logo and the new tagline “Presenti al futuro” (Present in the future), the Il Sole 24 ORE Group looks to the future as a dynamic reality, capable of innovating without losing its solidity, authority and credibility.

In the first half of 2026, the Il Sole 24 ORE Group launched three major projects focused on multimedia, multi-channel distribution and strategic innovation: the new Sole24Ore.com homepage, which showcases the multimedia content across all the Group’s media outlets, introduces new formats and fully integrates 24 ORE AI, a conversational assistant that provides access to the entire body of information held by Il Sole 24 ORE; the revamp of the digital newspapers aimed at professionals and the public sector, Norme&Tributi Plus, featuring a new content architecture and enhanced AI-powered search; the new 24 ORE NextMed platform, previewed to the national and international business community at the Trento Festival of Economics, and officially launched in June 2026. 24 ORE NextMed is an editorial and strategic platform dedicated to the wider Mediterranean region, with the aim of positioning the Il Sole 24 ORE Group as a point of reference for businesses, institutions and stakeholders in the area. The project integrates a multimedia ecosystem with a permanent observatory designed to facilitate analysis, discussion and networking on key geopolitical and economic issues. Through content, research, events and business intelligence activities, 24 ORE NextMed strengthens the Group’s role as a facilitator of relationships and a promoter of dialogue between Europe, Africa, the Balkans and the Gulf States, helping to highlight Italia’s strategic centrality in the Mediterranean.

24 ORE NextMed marks a new phase in the internationalisation strategy of the Il Sole 24 ORE Group, which in the first half of 2026 supported Italian businesses with new publishing initiatives and services dedicated to overseas markets: the Italy-Japan Observatory, established following the experience of Expo Osaka 2025 to explore economic opportunities between Italy and Japan, and ExPAnD, the platform developed in collaboration with Confindustria that supports businesses and professionals in analysing export opportunities through up-to-date data and indicators.

The first half of 2026 also saw the gradual development of the IlSole24OreTV television project through the expansion of its content with original productions and editorial partnerships with market leaders, as well as an increasingly integrated distribution across digital terrestrial television, streaming, FAST platforms and OEMs, culminating in the channel being assigned a new DTT channel number: from 24 June, IlSole24OreTV will move to channel 63. This strategic move strengthens the channel’s accessibility, recognisability and central role within the national television landscape.

The 24ORE Salute multimedia and cross-media platform continues to be a key resource for businesses, institutions and the public on issues relating to health, medicine, research and the healthcare system, thanks to its ability to combine the authority, reliability and communicative power of *Il Sole 24 Ore*’s news coverage, Radio 24 and Radiocor, and the innovative approach across all areas of the Group. The implementation of AI in *Il Sole 24 Ore*’s professional databases – already adopted by over 9,000 clients – and in the new *Valore24 AI Office* solution, chosen by over 3,000 clients, is continuing successfully. Finally, the success of the Trento Festival of Economics – the flagship event among those organised by the Group – was confirmed, with 45,000 attendees at the venue, over 3.2 million views (+52% compared with 2025) and more than 2.1 million unique users reached on official social media channels, in addition to 1 million views of live streams on the Sole 24 Ore website.

The first half of 2026 also saw the company’s commitment to content production recognised with three major awards: the Digital News Report 2026, conducted in 48 countries by the Reuters Institute at the University of Oxford, recognised *Il Sole 24 ORE* as Italy’s most reliable daily newspaper for the ninth consecutive year.

In June, the Audicom Print 2026/1 survey was published, which tracks readership figures for daily newspapers and periodicals. In this survey, *Il Sole 24 Ore*, with 698,000 readers on an average day, ranked among the top performers among national daily newspapers, recording a 4.5 per cent increase compared with the previous period – a significant growth also confirmed when compared with the same period last year (+3.1 per cent). This result was achieved, on the one hand, by maintaining a stable readership for the print edition – a particularly significant achievement in a market characterised by the closure of newsagents and a general decline in print sales – and, on the other hand, by recording a double-digit increase in readers of the digital edition, amounting to +13%. This figure takes on an even more positive significance when considering the national context, in which daily newspaper readership fell by 2.7 per cent compared with the immediately preceding survey (Audicom Sistema Audipress 2025/III) and by 6.4 per cent year-on-year (Audicom Sistema Audipress 2025/I).

Finally, as part of the 20th edition of the NC Awards organised by ADC Group, the Group’s Chief Executive, Federico Silvestri, was awarded the Media Person of the Year prize for leading the transformation of the Il Sole 24 ORE Group through the rebranding to mark the newspaper’s 160th anniversary, the launch of its TV channel and the integration of multimedia and artificial intelligence, thereby building a unique publishing ecosystem and strengthening the Group’s role in the country’s economic, institutional and cultural landscape.

The Board of Directors has approved the 2025 Sustainability Report, drawn up on a voluntary basis in accordance with the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards 2021. In 2025, the Il Sole 24 ORE Group consolidated its sustainability journey with tangible results, confirming the integration of sustainability into the Group’s strategy through measurable objectives and a development model geared towards creating shared value for people, the environment and communities.

When it comes to people, developing human capital remains a priority: the Group, with 734 employees, 53 per cent of whom are women, has renewed its UNI/PdR 125:2022, and has invested in skills development through 5,352 hours of training and the participation of over 700 people in the Corporate Academy’s programmes dedicated to digital technology, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

In terms of environmental performance, the Group reduced its energy consumption by 5.6% compared with the previous year; 63 per cent of the energy purchased from the grid comes from renewable sources with a Guarantee of Origin, and a new photovoltaic system has come into operation at the Milan office, in addition to the one already installed on the building’s roof. In terms of responsible paper management, 5,243 tonnes of paper were used in 2025, representing a 7.4% reduction compared with 2024. The pink paper used by the Group comes from suppliers holding recognised certifications – FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and/or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) – guaranteeing that the wood originates from forests managed responsibly in accordance with environmental, social and economic criteria.

As regards cultural and social impact, 2025 will also see the Group reaffirm its ability to generate positive impacts across all its areas of activity, whilst continuing to promote knowledge and awareness of sustainability issues through editorial content, radio programmes, podcasts, publications, professional platforms and research projects. This approach includes initiatives such as the Sustainability Channel on IlSole24Ore.com and the ESG Observatory on listed SMEs, which help to spread knowledge and awareness of the key issues surrounding the sustainable transition; the health and social welfare information platform 24 ORE Salute; Alley Oop’s editorial coverage of diversity and inclusion; HTSI’s activities dedicated to social and cultural transformation, Radio 24’s programmes, and the specialist offering of the Professional Division through SMART24 ESG, SMART24 HSE, publications, courses and discussion forums dedicated to sustainability.

Through 24 ORE Cultura and 24 ORE Eventi, the Group has also strengthened its dialogue with local areas and communities, promoting opportunities for discussion, participation and shared growth, such as the Trento Festival of Economics, which attracted 682,000 participants in person and online, and which dedicated numerous sessions within the Festival and Fuori Festival programmes to the themes of sustainability, the energy and digital transitions, healthcare and demographics.

In particular, in 2025, 24 ORE Eventi organised ten initiatives of particular significance from an ESG perspective, focusing on inclusion, human capital, innovation and sustainability. Together, these events attracted 715,451 participants and 1,414 speakers, of whom 39 per cent were women and 27 per cent were under 50.

In 2025, 24 ORE Cultura organised 12 exhibitions, attracting over 480,000 visitors, all of which featured measures designed to ensure accessibility and inclusion.

Finally, the Annual Report highlights the strengthening of ESG governance through the 2025–2027 Sustainability Plan, which translates the Group’s strategic priorities into measurable objectives and indicators, confirming its commitment to creating lasting value for people, communities, local areas and stakeholders.