Hearst Magazines

Magazine Publishinghearst.com

Hearst Magazines publishes more than 200 magazine editions globally across automotive, lifestyle, shelter, food, and men's interest categories. Operating within Hearst Corporation, the division serves consumers via print and digital subscriptions and brand advertisers through multi-platform audience reach.

Company typePrivate
Founded1886
HeadquartersWest New York, United States
Headcount5,001–10,000
GTM typeB2B and B2C
OfferingDigital Commerce or Content

What Hearst Magazines does

Hearst Magazines operates as the magazine publishing division of Hearst Corporation (Hearst Communications, Inc.), a private, family-owned diversified information, services and media conglomerate founded in 1886 by William Randolph Hearst and headquartered in New York. The magazine division publishes more than 200 magazine editions globally across lifestyle, automotive, shelter, food, and men's interest categories, including premium brands such as Car and Driver, Road & Track, MotorTrend (acquired December 2024), Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Esquire, Popular Mechanics, and Men's Journal.

The business generates revenue through three primary channels: consumer subscriptions (direct and via third-party agents), newsstand and retail distribution, and B2B advertising sales to brand marketers seeking large-scale, vertically segmented audience reach across print and digital platforms. Distribution spans physical magazines, owned digital properties (websites, mobile apps, e-reader editions), social media (Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, TikTok), email newsletters, and cross-promotion through Hearst's broader ecosystem including A&E Networks (50% JV with Disney) and Hearst Television stations.

The division is actively undergoing digital transformation, expanding video content, daily newsletters, podcasts, and YouTube programming while maintaining its print publication base. Technology leadership has been strengthened through the hire of a Chief Product & Technology Officer and senior product and data roles, supporting the Hearst360 integrated media and technology platform that connects the broader Hearst portfolio. The company operates in 40 countries globally, with the parent corporation reporting $13.5B in FY2025 revenue (3% YoY growth) and a strong balance sheet with no net debt.

Hearst Magazines firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Hearst Magazines
Legal name: Hearst Communications, Inc.
Website: https://hearst.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1886
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 5,001–10,000 employees
Short description: Hearst Magazines publishes more than 200 magazine editions globally across automotive, lifestyle, shelter, food, and men's interest categories. Operating within Hearst Corporation, the division serves consumers via print and digital subscriptions and brand advertisers through multi-platform audience reach.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Hearst Magazines industry classification

Industry

Product category: Magazine Publishing
NAICS: Periodical Publishers (51312), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
SIC: Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
akta.pro primary industry: Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines (MPAJAEAA)
akta.pro secondary industries: Men’s Interest Magazines (MPAJAEAC), Science, Technology & Gaming Magazines (MPAJAEAL), Health, Fitness & Wellness Magazines (MPAJAEAD)

Keywords

Magazine publishing
Consumer media
Digital publishing
Lifestyle content
Print magazines

Where Hearst Magazines is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: West New York
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Markets served

Hearst Magazines business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B and B2C
Offering type: Digital Commerce or Content
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Hearst Magazines product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Hearst Magazines publishes 25+ magazine brands across lifestyle, automotive, shelter, food, and men's lifestyle categories. The company produces and distributes editorial content through print magazines, digital platforms, social media, and TV partnerships. It also operates acquired media properties including MotorTrend Group (acquired December 2024) and eCrush (acquired 2007).

Product overview

Hearst Magazines operates as part of Hearst Corporation's diversified media portfolio. The magazine division publishes more than 200 magazine editions around the world, covering subjects such as food, fashion, cars, home and health. In December 2024, Hearst Magazines acquired MotorTrend Group from Warner Bros. Discovery, expanding its automotive media holdings. The company is undergoing digital transformation efforts, including expanded social media video content, daily newsletters, podcasts, and YouTube content, while maintaining its print publication capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Hearst360: Integrated media and technology platform connecting Hearst's portfolio of businesses
HearstLab
Hearst Ventures
Level Up Ventures
Hearst Media Production Group

Products and services

Magazine Brand Portfolio A portfolio of 25+ magazine brands spanning lifestyle, automotive, shelter, food, and men's lifestyle categories, distributed via print and digital channels to U.S. consumers and advertisers.
MotorTrend Group Automotive media brand providing automotive content and entertainment, acquired by Hearst Magazines in December 2024.
eCrush Teen-focused media brand acquired by Hearst in 2007.

Companies that use Hearst Magazines

Customer profile

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Hearst Magazines technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Hearst Magazines partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

MotorTrend GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2024Hearst Magazines (through parent Hearst Corporation) completed its acquisition of MotorTrend Group, owner of the MotorTrend and Road & Track automotive media brands, combining it with its existing Car and Driver portfolio. The acquisition creates one of the largest automotive media businesses in the world. MotorTrend Group brings its television production unit (MotorTrend Studios), streaming content business, and digital platforms under the Hearst Magazines umbrella. This is a strategic vertical integration consolidating three major American automotive print titles under single ownership.
A&E Networks (joint venture with Disney)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHearst Corporation holds a 50% stake in A&E Networks, the media company behind the A&E, History, Lifetime, and ESPN cable channels. Hearst Magazines content benefits from cross-promotional opportunities across A&E's television networks, and the relationship provides Hearst with a stake in one of the largest cable television businesses globally.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Hearst Magazines competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Condé Nast: Condé Nast publishes Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Architectural Digest, and Bon Appétit, directly competing with Hearst Magazines' Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, and House Beautiful across identical consumer lifestyle verticals with similar advertising-driven business models.
Dotdash Meredith: Dotdash Meredith (owned by IAC) operates a portfolio of magazine brands including People, Better Homes & Gardens, and InStyle, competing with Hearst Magazines across women's lifestyle, shelter, and entertainment categories with a stronger digital-first orientation.
Bauer Media Group: Bauer Media is a global magazine publisher headquartered in Europe with titles including Grazia, In Touch, and Women's Health, competing with Hearst in women's lifestyle and entertainment magazine categories across international markets.
Forbes Media: Forbes Media operates the Forbes brand across print, digital, and events, competing with Hearst's business and lifestyle verticals for premium advertiser dollars and subscription revenue.
Penske Media Corporation: Penske Media publishes Variety, Rolling Stone, Billboard, and WWD, competing with Hearst Magazines across entertainment, music, fashion, and lifestyle verticals with a similar premium advertiser-driven business model.

Emerging players

Vox Media: Vox Media operates digital-first editorial brands including The Verge, Vox, Eater, and New York Magazine, competing with Hearst for digital advertising and audience attention in lifestyle, technology, and food verticals.
BuzzFeed Inc. BuzzFeed operates digital-native lifestyle and entertainment media brands competing with Hearst Magazines for millennial and Gen Z audiences and digital advertising budgets.

Broad incumbents

Bloomberg Media: Bloomberg Media operates Bloomberg Businessweek, Bloomberg digital properties, and television, competing with Hearst for premium B2B advertising and business audience reach as part of a broader diversified media business.
Disney: Disney co-owns A&E Networks with Hearst and competes broadly with Hearst Magazines and Hearst Television for advertising revenue, audience attention, and branded content partnerships across entertainment verticals.

Others

Warner Bros. Discovery: Warner Bros. Discovery operated the MotorTrend brand prior to selling to Hearst in December 2024, and competes more broadly with Hearst Television and Hearst Magazines across entertainment, lifestyle, and automotive media categories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Hearst Magazines financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Hearst Magazines leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Hearst Magazines subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries13 records

Hearst Magazines funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Hearst Magazines M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hearst Magazines

What does Hearst Magazines do?

Is Hearst Magazines a public or private company?

Hearst Magazines is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.

When was Hearst Magazines founded?

Hearst Magazines was founded in 1886. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.

Where is Hearst Magazines based?

Hearst Magazines is headquartered in West New York, United States, in the North America region.

Who are Hearst Magazines's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Condé Nast, Dotdash Meredith, Bauer Media Group, Forbes Media and Penske Media Corporation. Emerging players are Vox Media and BuzzFeed Inc.. Broad incumbents are Bloomberg Media and Disney. Warner Bros. Discovery is listed as an others.

Does Hearst Magazines have an API?

No public API is recorded for Hearst Magazines.

What industry is Hearst Magazines in?

Hearst Magazines's product category is Magazine Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAA, Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJAEAC, Men’s Interest Magazines. Its NAICS code is 51312 and its SIC code is 2721.