Blackstone, the current owner of Ancestry.com, is reportedly considering strategic options for the genealogy company, including an initial public offering (IPO) or an outright sale. These discussions are in the early stages, and Blackstone may choose to postpone any such move. If a public listing were to occur, it could value Ancestry at approximately $10 billion, a significant increase from the $4.7 billion Blackstone paid for it in 2020 [genealogybargains.com].
Blackstone's potential move comes as the U.S. stock market for new IPOs has shown signs of warming up in 2025. This timing aligns with a typical investment horizon for private equity firms, which often look to exit investments after about five years. Blackstone acquired Ancestry in 2020, making 2025 a logical time to consider realizing profits from their investment [genealogybargains.com].
Ancestry.com, headquartered in Lehi, Utah, is a major player in the genealogy market, boasting over 3 million paying subscribers and generating more than $1 billion in annual revenue. Its revenue streams primarily come from subscriptions for access to historical records and family tree tools, as well as sales of DNA test kits [genealogybargains.com]. Blackstone's initial acquisition of Ancestry was from investors including Silver Lake, Spectrum Equity, and Permira, with Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC retaining a minority stake [theglobeandmail.com]. The 2020 deal was backed by up to $2.5 billion in new debt financing arranged by Bank of America and Credit Suisse [theglobeandmail.com].
