Blackstone considers groundbreaking steps for Ancestry.com

Blackstone, one of the leading players in the investment sector, is currently reviewing strategic options for Ancestry.com, including an initial public offering (IPO) or a sale. Ancestry.com has established itself as an extremely popular platform for exploring genealogical roots. According to insider reports, Blackstone has consulted various banks to solicit proposals for an IPO of the company based in Lehi, Utah. A potential IPO could bring the company a valuation of about 10 billion dollars. However, negotiations are still in a very early phase, and there is the possibility that the details could change. In addition to an IPO, Blackstone is also considering the possible sale of the platform, although no concrete details have been provided on this yet. The robust recovery of the U.S. IPO market since September also adds momentum to these considerations. Ancestry.com recorded new entrants in the market in 2023, which already surpass those of the following year according to LSEG data. Ancestry.com is a financially strong company with annual revenue of over 1 billion dollars and more than 3 million paying subscribers. A significant portion of the revenue comes from subscriptions for historical documents and family trees, as well as from the sale of DNA test kits. Blackstone acquired Ancestry.com in 2020 for 4.7 billion dollars from a group of private equity firms, with the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC retaining a minority stake. Founded in 1996 as Ancestry Publishing, the company has changed ownership several times over the years. Previous owners include Silver Lake Partners, GIC, Permira, Spectrum Equity, and the management of Ancestry.