The Economist Group

What The Economist Group does

The Economist Group is a London-headquartered private global media and information services company that operates through three branded pillars: The Economist, a weekly print and daily digital publication serving 1.29 million subscribers; Economist Enterprise, a unified B2B brand launched in March 2026 that consolidates the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Corporate Network, Media, Events, and Economist Pro across research, forecasting, thought leadership, and convening services for 2,300+ organizational clients; and Economist Education, which delivers online executive courses to 1,600 students across 89 countries. The product portfolio spans print and digital journalism, the Espresso daily briefing app, a Podcasts+ offering with shows including Boss Class, The War Room, Blighty and Tocqueville Road Trip, the 1843 long-form magazine, and analytical indices such as the Democracy Index. Distribution relies on owned digital platforms (website, iOS and Android apps via the lamarr codebase), integrations into Microsoft Teams and Slack, third-party audio platforms, 14 country offices, and a 70-million-follower social footprint.

Revenue is generated predominantly through recurring consumer and B2B subscriptions, supplemented by digital advertising, events (147 convenings with 26,500+ attendees and 700+ sponsors in FY2026) and education. In FY2026 (year ended 31 March 2026), revenue reached £370.7 million, up 1% at actual exchange rates and 3% at constant currency, with operating profit of £50.4 million (up 5% AER, 11% at constant currency). Digital subscriptions grew 8% with 84% of new Economist subscriptions digital-only, digital media revenue within Enterprise grew 17%, and EIU subscription retention reached 93%; Enterprise revenue of £133.0 million nonetheless declined 4% year over year on geopolitical uncertainty.

The Group is built on a multi-class share structure designed to protect editorial independence: ordinary shares held by employees, past employees, long-standing family holders and Exor NV; A special shares held by the Cadbury, Schroder, Smith, Layton and similar families; B special shares (all 43.4% of total share capital) held by Exor NV, the Agnelli-family-controlled holding company; and trust shares held by independent trustees with veto rights over share transfers and editor appointment or removal. No single entity may own more than 50% of shares or exercise more than 20% of voting rights. In April 2026, Stephen Smith and Smith Financial Corporation acquired a 26.9% stake from the Forester de Rothschild family, with bankers reportedly targeting an approximately $1 billion valuation for the Group. The Group employs 1,001–5,000 staff across editorial, technology, sales and events functions.

Name

The Economist Group

Legal name

The Economist Newspaper Limited

Website

https://economistgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1843

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Economist Group is a London-based private global media and information services company founded in 1843. Through The Economist (1.29M subscribers), Economist Enterprise (2,300+ organizational clients), and Economist Education, it delivers independent journalism, business intelligence, events, and online courses across 14 markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Intelligence, News Media and Events

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Newsletters & Email-Based News Publishers (B2B/B2C) (MPAJADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ), B2B / Industrial Market Research (MPAAALAA)

Keywords

• Business intelligence media
• Weekly news publication
• Country risk forecasting
• Executive online education
• Thought leadership events

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices19 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consumer Subscriptions (The Economist): Core subscription revenue from The Economist newspaper across print, digital, and podcast formats. 1.29m subscribers with 3% growth, digital subscriptions grew 8% with 84% of new subscriptions being digital-only.
2. Economist Enterprise B2B Services: Unified B2B brand combining EIU, Corporate Network, Media, Events, and Economist Pro. Revenue of £133.0m in 2026, though down 4% from prior year due to geopolitical uncertainty. 2,300+ clients served.
3. Digital Advertising and Media Solutions: Digital media revenue grew 17% within Economist Enterprise, benefiting from strong performance of digital advertising despite broader B2B headwinds.
4. Events: 147 events with 26,500+ attendees and 700+ sponsors. Economist Enterprise Events is a significant revenue and engagement driver.
5. Economist Education: Online executive education courses delivered to professionals globally. 32 course presentations to 1,600 students across 89 countries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Economist Group is a global media and information-services company that produces The Economist weekly publication and operates Economist Enterprise (B2B research, country analysis, media solutions and events via EIU, Corporate Network, Media, Events and Economist Pro) and Economist Education (online executive courses). It sells individual and corporate subscriptions, hosts 140+ events annually, and earns revenue from digital subscriptions, advertising, event sponsorship and enterprise intelligence services.

Product overview

The Economist Group operates as a global media and information services company with three core brands: The Economist (its flagship weekly publication with 1.29 million subscribers), Economist Enterprise (a unified B2B brand launched in 2026 consolidating EIU, Corporate Network, Media, Events, and Economist Pro), and Economist Education (online executive courses). The portfolio includes sub-products such as The Economist Espresso (daily digital briefing), Podcasts+ (audio subscriptions), and 1843 magazine, alongside newsletters like The War Room and Blighty. The Economist Group also operates Economist Impact (research/thought leadership) and Economist Enterprise Events (global conferences). Together, these offerings serve individuals through consumer subscriptions and organisations through B2B enterprise services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Economist: The flagship publication - radically independent journalism providing rigorous reporting, in-depth analysis and global perspective with 1.3M+ subscribers and 70m social media followers.
• Economist Enterprise
• Economist Education
• Economist Impact

Products and services

• The Economist Weekly newspaper and digital publication providing rigorous reporting, in-depth analysis and global perspective on economics, politics and business to 1.29 million subscribers.
• Economist Enterprise Unified B2B offering combining country analysis and forecasting (EIU), Corporate Network, Media Solutions, Events and Economist Pro to help enterprises, governments and financial institutions make decisions.
• Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Leading provider of country analysis, macroeconomic forecasting and business intelligence serving decision-makers with data, indices (Democracy Index, Glass Ceiling Index) and insights on global markets. Achieves 93% subscription retention.
• Economist Education Online executive education platform offering self-paced courses on AI, business writing, geopolitics and related topics, delivered by Economist correspondents and experts to 1,600 students in 89 countries.
• The Economist Espresso Daily digital briefing app providing morning news coverage and concise analysis, available as a standalone digital subscription.
• The Economist Podcasts+ Podcast subscription service granting access to Economist audio content including The War Room, Boss Class and other podcast series.
• 1843 Biannual magazine featuring long-form journalism, photography and design published as a complement to The Economist.
• Economist Enterprise Events Global events business curating content and convening speakers and delegates at over 140 annual events (147 events in 2026 with 26,500+ attendees and 700+ sponsors) on economic, political and business topics.
• Economist Pro Corporate subscription service providing enhanced access to Economist content and analysis for organisations and teams, with integration for Microsoft Teams and Slack.
• Economist Impact Research and thought-leadership division combining think-tank rigour with media creativity to engage stakeholders on global challenges including climate, sustainability and social issues.
• The War Room Newsletter Weekly newsletter providing defence and security insights and analysis.
• Blighty Newsletter Weekly subscriber-only newsletter focused on the latest developments in Britain.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% subscription retention rate for EIU (up 2%)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• Code First GirlssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Economist Group partners with Code First Girls, a provider of free technology and coding courses for women to reduce the gender diversity gap in technology. 310 students have completed courses under the partnership, taught by Economist technology teams in Birmingham, Gurugram, and Singapore.
• HaleonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomist Impact partnered with consumer healthcare company Haleon to support a study on health literacy in India, finding that reducing low health literacy by 25% could save $12 billion annually.
• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Economist Group works with SBTi for climate action alignment, achieving emissions reduction targets aligned with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bloomberg: Global business news, financial data, and intelligence provider serving enterprise clients with terminals, research, and events. Directly comparable to Economist Enterprise and the broader The Economist B2B+content offering.
• The New York Times Company: Premium news subscription leader that successfully completed a digital transformation comparable to The Economist's. Same subscription-first, brand-led consumer economics and adjacent B2B (NYT Cooking, Wirecutter, Games) revenue diversification pattern.
• Harvard Business Review: Premium business analysis brand with subscription, licensing, and adjacent executive education (HBR Ascend) offerings. Directly comparable to the intersection of Economist journalism and Economist Education.
• Forbes Media: Global business news brand with premium subscription, advertising, and events (Forbes Global CEO Conference, Under 30). Comparable business-news audience and B2B events-led monetization, though with heavier ad model weighting.
• Financial Times: Closest direct competitor to The Economist in premium global business/news journalism with a paid subscription model and B2B research (FT Specialist) services. Highly comparable audience of globally-engaged professionals and similar digital-led transformation narrative.
• Thomson Reuters: Global news wire (Reuters) combined with business intelligence, legal, and tax data services. Directly comparable dual-engine model of journalism (Reuters) plus enterprise research and data, mirroring Economist + EIU.
• S&P Global: Business intelligence, ratings, indices, and data provider. Closest direct peer to EIU's country analysis, forecasting, and enterprise research offerings, with overlapping government and corporate client base.
• Dow Jones & Company (Wall Street Journal): Premium business news subscription franchise (WSJ) with adjacent B2B products (Barron's, MarketWatch, Dow Jones Risk & Compliance). Closest US analogue to The Economist's premium, subscription-driven business journalism model.

Broad incumbents

• Informa plc: Large B2B media and events conglomerate with research, intelligence, and conference franchises. Comparable to the Economist Enterprise Events business (140+ annual events) in scale and B2B monetization, though operating as a broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• POLITICO: Premium political and policy news subscription brand competing for the same influential, internationally-minded professional audience as The Economist. Narrower scope (politics/policy) but similar subscription-led economics and B2B policy intelligence overlap with Economist Impact.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheEconomist
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/economist
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheEconomist
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-economist
• Instagraminstagram.com/theeconomist

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles28 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A3 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Economist Group