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- The Economist Group
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
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
Website
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.
| Acquirer | Date | Type | Price | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Mar 2026 | Strategic M&A | $1.5B | 3.0x | 23.0x |
The Economist Group Funding History
The Economist Group has 2 recorded secondary share sales and no primary funding rounds.
The Economist Group funding rounds
| Date | Stage | Investors | Raised | Deal Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | Secondary | Smith Financial Corporation (lead) | - | - |
| Aug 2015 | Secondary | EXOR | $447M | EXOR 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
| Investor | HQ | Rounds | Role | First check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all 2 The Economist Group investors. Start Free Trial | ||||
Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples
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Start Free TrialAcquisitions 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
| 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 Country | |
| HQ City | London |
| Deal Date | 21 Oct 2016 |
| Valuation | undisclosed |
| EV/Revenue | |
| EV/EBITDA | |
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all The Economist Group acquisitions and their M&A valuation multiples. Start Free Trial | |
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.
| Company | HQ | Status | Revenue | EBITDA | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publicly listed | $1.2B | $97M | $1.5B | - | ||
| Publicly listed | $1.2B | $135M | $1.5B | 0.0x | ||
| Publicly listed | $1.1B | $154M | $1.3B | - | ||
| Private | $157M | - | $1.3B | 8.3x | ||
| Publicly listed | $377M | $110M | $1.3B | 3.7x | ||
| Private | $50M | - | $1.3B | 25.0x |
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 FY | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | EBITDA | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | |
| $1.2B | $97M | - | - | - | - | |||
| $1.2B | $135M | 0.0x | 0.0x | 0.4x | - | |||
| $1.1B | $154M | 0.8x | - | 5.5x | - | |||
| $377M | $110M | 3.8x | 3.7x | 13.1x | 11.6x | |||
| $116M | $21M | 13.9x | 14.6x | 75.6x | 38.9x | |||
| $713M | ($10M) | 2.1x | 1.8x | (154.7x) | 29.4x | |||
| $795M | $129M | 1.5x | 1.5x | 9.2x | 11.4x | |||
| $1.5B | $293M | 1.2x | 1.2x | 6.4x | 4.2x | |||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all The Economist Group competitors and their valuation data. Start Free Trial | ||||||||
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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