MARKETWISE, INC.
Business
MARKETWISE, INC. is a multi-brand subscription platform that provides premium financial research, software, education, and tools for self-directed investors. It offers digital subscription research products and publications, financial software and analytical tools (including Chaikin Power Gauge, TradeStops, and the Altimeter), screeners, monitors, and portfolio management solutions, plus members-only conferences. Its business is organized around multiple research brands and product lines, including Stansberry Research, Chaikin Analytics, Brownstone Research, InvestorPlace, TradeSmith, and Altimetry, across 12 primary customer-facing brands. The company distributes its entirely digital, channel-agnostic offerings via cloud-based platforms to desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile devices and acquires subscribers through omni-channel marketing (email, display, direct mail, and occasional TV/radio).
Summary from filing dated 2025-03-06
Financials
Consolidated Statement of Income
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total net revenue | 328 | 409 | 448 | 512 | 549 | |
| Cost of revenue | 44 | 51 | 57 | 63 | 239 | |
| Sales and marketing | 131 | 161 | 199 | 235 | 297 | |
| General and administrative | 78 | 91 | 125 | 115 | 960 | |
| Research and development | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | |
| Impairment losses | 380,000 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Related party expense | 564,000 | 525,000 | 572,000 | 379,000 | 10 | |
| Total operating expenses | 266 | 320 | 396 | 425 | 1,517 | |
| Income from operations | 63 | 89 | 52 | 87 | −968 | |
| Other income (expense), net | 1 | 2 | −611,000 | 16 | 16 | |
| Interest income, net | 3 | 5 | 5 | −295,000 | −110,000 | |
| Income before income taxes | 67 | 96 | 56 | 103 | −952 | |
| Income tax expense | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
| Net income | 64 | 93 | 54 | 101 | −954 | |
| Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests | 58 | 86 | 53 | 83 | 59 | |
| Net income attributable to MarketWise, Inc. | 6 | 7 | 2 | 18 | −1,013 | |
| Earnings per share basic (USD per share) | 2.41 | 3.67 | 1.12 | 0.73 | — | |
| Earnings per share diluted (USD per share) | 2.31 | 3.58 | 1.07 | 0.73 | — | |
| Weighted average shares outstanding basic (in shares) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 25 | — | |
| Weighted average shares outstanding diluted (in shares) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 25 | — |
Consolidated Balance Sheet
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash and cash equivalents | 70 | 98 | 155 | 159 | 139 | |
| Accounts receivable | 6 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 8 | |
| Prepaid expenses | 11 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 13 | |
| Related party receivables | 838,000 | 547,000 | 5 | 2 | — | |
| Deferred contract acquisition costs | 43 | 57 | 91 | 100 | 83 | |
| Other current assets | 814,000 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| Total current assets | 132 | 169 | 268 | 279 | 246 | |
| Property and equipment, net | 453,000 | 592,000 | 690,000 | 892,000 | 1 | |
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 7 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 11 | |
| Intangible assets, net | 4 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 9 | |
| Goodwill | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 23 | |
| Deferred contract acquisition costs, noncurrent | 35 | 42 | 73 | 98 | 120 | |
| Deferred tax assets | 11 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 9 | |
| Total assets | 218 | 260 | 397 | 443 | 422 | |
| Accrued expenses | 33 | 23 | 55 | 46 | 46 | |
| Deferred revenue and other contract liabilities | 184 | 218 | 288 | 315 | 317 | |
| Operating lease liabilities | 908,000 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Other current liabilities | 12 | 13 | 28 | 21 | 25 | |
| Total current liabilities | 234 | 260 | 374 | 386 | 395 | |
| Deferred revenue and other contract liabilities, noncurrent | 186 | 209 | 304 | 348 | 393 | |
| Other liabilities, noncurrent | 3 | 3 | 746,000 | 1 | — | |
| Related party tax receivable agreement liability, noncurrent | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | |
| Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | |
| Total liabilities | 432 | 477 | 685 | 741 | 827 | |
| Commitments and Contingencies (Note 9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Preferred stock, par value of $0.0001 per share, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Additional paid-in capital | 102 | 107 | 115 | 107 | 98 | |
| Accumulated other comprehensive income | 36,000 | 56,000 | 65,000 | 44,000 | −9,000 | |
| Accumulated deficit | −114 | −119 | −126 | −128 | −146 | |
| Total stockholders deficit attributable to MarketWise, Inc. | −12 | −13 | −11 | −21 | −49 | |
| Noncontrolling interest | −202 | −205 | −278 | −277 | −357 | |
| Total stockholders deficit | −214 | −218 | −289 | −298 | −405 | |
| Total liabilities and stockholders deficit | 218 | 260 | 397 | 443 | 422 |
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation and amortization | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | |
| Impairment and other charges | 380,000 | 4 | 3 | 287,000 | 0 | |
| Stock-based compensation | 11 | 12 | 23 | 9 | 211 | |
| Change in fair value of contingent consideration | −1 | 507,000 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Change in fair value of derivative liabilities other | 0 | 0 | 2 | −16 | −18 | |
| Deferred taxes | 954,000 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
| Unrealized (gains) losses on foreign currency | −20,000 | −18,000 | 23,000 | −97,000 | −38,000 | |
| Other gains | −2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| Noncash lease expense | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| (Gain) loss on sale of business | 0 | −2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Accounts receivable | −4 | 3 | −488,000 | 4 | 5 | |
| Related party receivables and payables | 1 | 3 | −2 | −982,000 | −1 | |
| Prepaid expenses | −748,000 | −746,000 | 2 | 1 | −5 | |
| Other current assets and other assets | 455,000 | 1 | 2 | −543,000 | −744,000 | |
| Deferred contract acquisition costs | 20 | 63 | 31 | 5 | −96 | |
| Trade and other payables | −123,000 | 3 | −200,000 | −4 | −7 | |
| Accrued expenses | 10 | −32 | 9 | −477,000 | 14 | |
| Deferred revenue | −56 | −162 | −67 | −52 | 176 | |
| Derivative liabilities | 0 | 0 | −3 | 0 | 662,000 | |
| Operating lease liabilities | −3 | −1 | −2 | −2 | −1 | |
| Other current and long-term liabilities | −305,000 | −15 | 1 | −4 | 5 | |
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | 46 | −22 | 62 | 48 | 64 | |
| Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired | 0 | 0 | −170,000 | −13 | −7 | |
| Purchases of property and equipment | −391,000 | −133,000 | −65,000 | −35,000 | −157,000 | |
| Capitalized software development costs | −1 | −548,000 | −2 | −136,000 | −123,000 | |
| Net cash used in investing activities | −2 | −681,000 | −2 | −13 | −8 | |
| Proceeds from issuance of common stock | 418,000 | 301,000 | 678,000 | 827,000 | 0 | |
| Shares and restricted stock units withheld to pay taxes | −2 | −1 | −6 | −515,000 | 0 | |
| Repurchases of stock | −3 | −11 | 0 | −13 | −3 | |
| Dividends paid | −5 | −2 | −6 | 0 | 0 | |
| Tax distributions to noncontrolling interests | −50 | −10 | −3 | — | — | |
| Other distributions to noncontrolling interests | −12 | −12 | −50 | −5 | −6 | |
| Net cash used in financing activities | −72 | −34 | −64 | −16 | −31 | |
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash | −20,000 | −9,000 | 21,000 | 53,000 | 8,000 | |
| Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | −28 | −57 | −3 | 19 | 25 |