Daily Mail owner sells US data arm for $1bn
The owner of the Daily Mail has agreed to sell its US property data business in a $1bn (£730m) deal, as it reshapes its portfolio and frees up cash for new investments.
Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), controlled by Rothermere Continuation Holdings, said it will offload Trepp to Fitch Group in an all-cash transaction expected to be completed later this year.
The disposal marks one of the largest recent deals involving a UK media group’s non-core assets, as the firm shifts towards data, analytics and capital-light firms.
Lord Rothermere, executive chairman, said: “We acquired Trepp more than two decades ago and I am immensely proud of Annemarie DiCola and her team for building a world-class digital information business”.
“Fitch will be a brilliant long-term custodian”, he added, “I have no doubt that Trepp’s employees and customers can look forward to the future with confidence under Fitch’s ownership.”
Trepp, founded in 1979 and acquired by DMGT in 2004, provides data, analytics and tech to the structured finance, commercial real estate and banking sectors.
It has now grown into a key provider of insights for institutional investors and lenders across US property markets.
For Fitch, the acquisition will see Trepp folded into its Fitch Solutions division, expanding its data capabilities in credit markets and real estate.
Rachel Lojko, president of Fitch Solutions, said: “Technology is at an inflection point, and this acquisition signifies how we’re building for the future by advancing the next generation of structured finance infrastructure.”
Trepp chief executive Annemarie DiCola added the deal would allow the business to “enhance the solutions we provide to clients with broader coverage and deeper proprietary data.”
The transaction remains subject to regulatory clearance in the US, including approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.
Strategic reset after Telegraph setback
The sale follows DMGT missing out on buying The Telegraph after being outbid in a £575m deal by German media giant Axel Springer.
The group had positioned the bid as part of a push to expand its news portfolio, but the failure of that deal has refocused attention on capital allocation and portfolio optimisation.
Proceeds from the Trepp disposal are expected to give DMGT greater financial flexibility as it looks to reinvest in growth areas, including events, data and digital media.
Advisers on the deal include Goldman Sachs and Centerview Partners, with Baker McKenzie acting as legal adviser.
The move reflects a wider trend among legacy media groups, which are increasingly divesting assets to focus on higher-margin information services and scalable digital businesses.
Completion of the deal is expected in the second quarter of 2026.