Lady de Rothschild explores stake sale in The Economist

Core Insights - British philanthropist Lynn Forester de Rothschild is considering selling a 20% stake in The Economist for up to £400 million, marking the most significant ownership change in a decade [1] - The sale is part of a broader review of her investment portfolio, with the last major ownership change occurring in 2015 when Pearson sold its majority stake [1] Stakeholder Information - Lady de Rothschild's family controls 26.7% of The Economist Group, while Exor, the holding company of the Agnelli family, holds the largest share at 43% [2] - The stake is held through E.L. Rothschild, a company established in 2003 with her late husband [2] Financial Performance - The Economist reported revenues of £369 million and a profit of £48 million for the year ending March, with subscriber numbers increasing by 3% to 1.25 million [4] Market Dynamics - The potential sale of a stake in The Economist is expected to attract interest from family offices, high net worth individuals, and strategic media investors [4] - The Economist, founded in 1843, emphasizes editorial independence and has a constitution that prevents any individual or organization from owning a majority share [4]