The Economist Group Acquisition & Valuation

The Economist Group was acquired by Stephen Smith for $1.5B in March 2026, a 3.0x multiple on $494M of revenue.

The Economist Group acquisition price

$1.5B

Acquired by Stephen Smith · Mar 2026

The Economist Group revenue at acquisition

$494M

Last twelve months · Mar 2026

The Economist Group revenue multiple at acquisition

3.0x

EV/Revenue · Mar 2026

The Economist Group EBITDA multiple at acquisition

23.0x

EV/EBITDA · Mar 2026

The Economist Group Overview

About The Economist Group

The Economist Group is a London-headquartered publisher of The Economist weekly since 1843, covering world affairs, business, finance, science, technology, and culture. Printed in five countries with over one million circulation, it reaches global political and business leaders. The group provides analysis through various intelligence services.


HQ

United KingdomLondon

Status

Acquired

Customer focus

B2C

Revenue model

Subscription

Revenue

$494M (Mar 2026)

Valuation

$1.5B (acquired Mar 2026)

Sectors

The Economist Group Acquisition

The Economist Group was acquired by Stephen Smith for $1.5B on 18 March 2026.

The acquisition price implies a 3.0x revenue and 23.0x EBITDA multiple on $494M of revenue.

The Economist Group acquisition details
AcquirerDateTypePriceEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
  • Stephen Smith
18 Mar 2026Strategic M&A$1.5B3.0x23.0x

The Economist Group Funding History

The Economist Group has 2 recorded secondary share sales and no primary funding rounds.

The Economist Group funding rounds

The Economist Group funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsRaisedDeal Summary
Apr 2026SecondarySmith Financial Corporation (lead)--
Aug 2015SecondaryEXOR$447MEXOR agreed to buy 6.3 million ordinary shares, or 27.8% of that class, and all 1.26 million B special shares in The Economist Group from Pearson for GBP 287 million. Combined with a buy-back by The Economist of Pearson's remaining ordinary shares, the purchase lifted EXOR's holding from 4.7% to 43.4% and made it the group's largest shareholder. The ordinary shares cost GBP 227.5 million and the B special shares GBP 59.5 million. The transaction closed in October 2015 after approval by 75% of shareholders and by the independent trustees.

Who has invested in The Economist Group?

2 investors have backed The Economist Group across its funding rounds, including EXOR and Smith Financial Corporation.

Lead investors include Smith Financial Corporation.


The Economist Group Investors

Investors in The Economist Group by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check

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Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples

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Acquisitions by The Economist Group

The Economist Group has acquired 1 company to date.

Last acquisition by The Economist Group was on October 21st 2016. The Economist Group acquired Signal Noise for undisclosed valuation.


Latest Acquisitions by The Economist Group

Signal Noise
Description
Signal Noise is a data design agency headquartered in the United Kingdom. The firm creates visual content and interactive tools to interpret complex datasets for clients in various sectors. Specializing in data visualization, Signal Noise develops dashboards and infographics that transform raw information into actionable insights, serving organizations seeking to communicate data effectively through memorable user interfaces.
HQ CountryUnited Kingdom
HQ City
London
Deal Date21 Oct 2016
Valuationundisclosed
EV/Revenue
EV/EBITDA

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The Economist Group Competitors

The Economist Group competitors include listed companies like Chinese Universe, Anhui Xinhua Media, Changjiang Publishing and Alma Media, and private ones like RIDI and Kuaikan Manhua.

Public and private companies comparable to The Economist Group
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
Chinese UniverseChinaChinaPublicly listed$1.2B$97M$1.5B-
Anhui Xinhua MediaChinaChinaPublicly listed$1.2B$135M$1.5B0.0x
Changjiang PublishingChinaChinaPublicly listed$1.1B$154M$1.3B-
RIDISouth KoreaSeoulPrivate$157M-$1.3B8.3x
Alma MediaFinlandFinlandPublicly listed$377M$110M$1.3B3.7x
Kuaikan ManhuaChinaBeijingPrivate$50M-$1.3B25.0x

The Economist Group Public Comps

The Economist Group is no longer listed, but its public comps include Chinese Universe, Anhui Xinhua Media, Changjiang Publishing, Alma Media, Visual China Group, SRMG, China Publishing & Media, Sanoma, Sonaecom and Xinhua Winshare.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
Chinese Universe$1.2B$97M----
Anhui Xinhua Media$1.2B$135M0.0x0.0x0.4x-
Changjiang Publishing$1.1B$154M0.8x-5.5x-
Alma Media$377M$110M3.8x3.7x13.1x11.6x
Visual China Group$116M$21M13.9x14.6x75.6x38.9x
SRMG$713M($10M)2.1x1.8x(154.7x)29.4x
China Publishing & Media$795M$129M1.5x1.5x9.2x11.4x
Sanoma$1.5B$293M1.2x1.2x6.4x4.2x

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Common questions about The Economist Group

Where is The Economist Group headquartered?The Economist Group is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
Is The Economist Group publicly listed?No, The Economist Group was acquired by Stephen Smith in March 2026.
Who acquired The Economist Group?The Economist Group was acquired by Stephen Smith in March 2026.
How much was The Economist Group acquired for?The Economist Group was acquired for $1.5B in March 2026, a 3.0x revenue multiple.
Who are The Economist Group's investors?The Economist Group's investors include Smith Financial Corporation and EXOR.
Which companies are comparable to The Economist Group?Companies comparable to The Economist Group include Chinese Universe, Anhui Xinhua Media, Changjiang Publishing, RIDI, Alma Media and Kuaikan Manhua.
How many companies has The Economist Group acquired?The Economist Group has acquired 1 company, including Signal Noise.

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