Post the announced acquisition of Mack Brooks by Relx (RELX) on January 15, shares of Emerald Expositions Events (EEX) have rallied, as investors may view it as a potential acquisition target, Deutsche Bank analyst Ashish Sabadra tells investors in a research note. In addition, Emerald hasn't provided an update on the CEO search, which increases the perceived likelihood of any potential deal, says the analyst. However, Sabadra believes challenges at its top two shows and its exposure to U.S. consumer end markets make Emerald Expositions a "difficult acquisition target." He keeps a Hold rating on the shares.