Exclusive: The Economist stake draws interest as deadline approaches, sources say

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  • Exor holds largest stake in The Economist at 43.4%
  • Few opportunities to buy into British media empires
  • Rothschild stake sale could value Economist at £800 million, source says
NEW YORK/LONDON, Nov 28 (Reuters) – The sale of a large stake in the storied Economist publication is coming to a head this week, as bidders submit expressions of interest by Friday’s deadline for a 27% stake, three people familiar with the matter said.

At least a dozen parties, including ultra wealthy individuals and media companies, have already shown preliminary interest, one of the people said.

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It’s been a decade since anyone has been able to buy a share close to this size, not since Britain’s Pearson (PSON.L), opens new tab sold its 50% stake in 2015 to the holding group of the wealthy Italian Agnelli family, for 469 million pounds ($531 million), ending its near-60-year ownership in the magazine.

Philanthropist Lynn Forester de Rothschild is putting the banking dynasty’s share of The Economist up for sale three years after the death of her husband Evelyn de Rothschild, who chaired the company from 1972 to 1989, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter is private.

Requests for comment from the Rothschild family and The Economist weren’t immediately returned.

Founded in 1843, the publication’s shareholding total nearly 1,000, with Exor, a holding vehicle for Italy’s Agnelli family, owning a 43.4% stake and the Rothschilds owning 27%, according to the Economist’s annual results.

The sale is made more complex as The Economist’s governance is structured to ensure the editorial process at the 182-year-old publication remains independent, prohibiting any one individual or company from owning a controlling stake in the corporate parent.

The sale of the Economist comes at a time when there are few opportunities to buy into highly coveted British media empires. The owner of the Daily Mail, DMGT, recently stepped in to scoop up the Telegraph Media Group after UK regulators banned foreign ownership of UK newspapers.
The move forced U.S.-based Redbird Capital to withdraw its 500 million pound ($658.5 million) joint bid with Abu Dhabi-backed IMI for the Telegraph.

The Economist is profitable and has been growing its subscriber base. First-half revenue for the six months ended Sept. 30th 2025, was 170 million pounds and operating profit was 20 million, up 23% on the year prior, according to its most recent published figures.

The sale of the Rothschild stake, which includes about 20% in voting shares, could value the media company at around 800 million pounds ($1.06 billion), a person familiar with the matter said.

Two top U.S. media executives said a stake in The Economist would give ultra-wealthy people access to even more elite circles.

“Even if you’re at Davos, it’s crowded. But The Economist gets you respect,” one media CEO said. “It will open a lot of interesting doors.”

Reporting by Dawn Kopecki in New York and Amy-Jo Crowley in London. Editing by Anousha Sakoui and Nick Zieminski

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