MarketWise, Inc.
- Open
- 20.45
- Day high
- 20.90
- Day low
- 20.11
- Prev close
- 20.71
- Volume
- 4K
- Mkt cap
- $53M
- P/E (TTM)
- 11.5
- EPS (TTM)
- $1.75
- P/B
- -4.3
- P/S
- 0.2
- Yield
- 8.45%
- Per share
- $1.70
- ▲Insiders net buying $1.6M over the last 3 months (10 open-market buys, 3 sales)
- 🏛Institutions accumulating (13F)
MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) is a Technology company listed on NASDAQ. The stock is up 11% over the past year. Over the trailing 3 months, insiders filed 10 open-market buys and 3 sales (SEC Form 4).
MarketWise, Inc. (MKTW) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
MKTW earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2026 | $0.67 | $-0.23 | -134.3% | $77M | -4.6% |
| Mar 6, 2026 | $-0.22 | $0.77 | +449.7% | $83M | +18.1% |
| Nov 6, 2025 | $-1.32 | $0.58 | +144.0% | $81M | +15.1% |
| Aug 7, 2025 | $0.64 | $0.53 | -16.7% | $80M | +10.0% |
| May 8, 2025 | $-0.99 | $0.41 | +141.4% | $84M | +10.0% |
| Mar 6, 2025 | $0.03 | $1.00 | +3233.3% | $97M | +26.0% |
| Nov 7, 2024 | $0.60 | $0.80 | +33.3% | $97M | +12.1% |
| Aug 14, 2024 | $0.12 | $0.80 | +566.7% | $105M | +21.1% |
| May 15, 2024 | $0.04 | $0.80 | +1900.0% | $109M | -8.8% |
| Mar 7, 2024 | $0.05 | $0.05 | +0.0% | $112M | -6.6% |
| Nov 9, 2023 | $0.00 | $0.02 | +320.2% | $106M | -4.5% |
| Aug 10, 2023 | $0.05 | $0.00 | -99.9% | $104M | -4.8% |
MKTW insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2, 2026 | Galsim Marcoofficer: Chief Information Officer | Sell | 3,294 | $19.14 |
| Jul 2, 2026 | Mickels Erikofficer: Chief Finacial Officer | Sell | 3,973 | $19.14 |
| Jul 2, 2026 | Forney Scott Danielofficer: General Counsel | Sell | 711 | $19.14 |
| Jun 8, 2026 | Tongue Glenn Hdirector | Grant | 8,127 | — |
| Jun 8, 2026 | Stansberry Frank Porterdirector, 10 percent owner: | Grant | 7,525 | — |
| Jun 8, 2026 | Turner Matthew Josephdirector | Grant | 8,127 | — |
| Jun 8, 2026 | Smith Matthew Tatedirector | Grant | 7,525 | — |
| Jun 8, 2026 | SIMMONS VAN Ddirector | Grant | 7,525 | — |
| May 26, 2026 | Stansberry Frank Porterdirector, 10 percent owner: | Buy | 10,000 | $17.88 |
| May 22, 2026 | Stansberry Frank Porterdirector, 10 percent owner: | Buy | 20,100 | $17.21 |
| May 19, 2026 | Stansberry Frank Porterdirector, 10 percent owner: | Buy | 100 | $16.46 |
| May 19, 2026 | Stansberry Frank Porterdirector, 10 percent owner: | Buy | 3,523 | $16.50 |
| May 19, 2026 | Stansberry Frank Porterdirector, 10 percent owner: | Buy | 11 | $16.71 |
| May 14, 2026 | Stansberry Frank Porterdirector, 10 percent owner: | Buy | 10,000 | $18.50 |
| May 12, 2026 | Stansberry Frank Porterdirector, 10 percent owner: | Buy | 11,749 | $19.22 |
Source: MKTW SEC Form 4 filings, latest Jul 2, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full MKTW insider & 13F page →MarketWise, Inc. company profile
Overview
MarketWise, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKTW) is a multi-brand subscription platform company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The company went public in September 2020 and operates as a provider of financial research, educational content, and analytical tools for individual investors. MarketWise serves approximately 972,000 paid subscribers and 13.7 million free subscribers across the United States and internationally, delivering investment-related content through various digital platforms including desktop, mobile, and tablet devices.
Business
MarketWise operates in the financial information services industry, specifically targeting individual retail investors rather than institutional clients. The company's core business revolves around providing subscription-based financial research and educational content designed to help individual investors make informed investment decisions. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio approach, maintaining dozens of independent investment research publications and services. Each brand typically focuses on specific investment strategies, market sectors, or trading approaches - ranging from dividend investing and value stocks to cryptocurrency and options trading. This diversified brand strategy allows MarketWise to cater to different investor preferences and risk profiles while reducing dependence on any single publication's performance. MarketWise's offerings can be categorized into several key areas. Investment research publications form the core revenue driver, providing subscribers with regular newsletters, stock recommendations, market analysis, and investment strategies. The company also offers educational content and courses that teach various investment techniques and market analysis methods. Additionally, MarketWise provides analytical tools and software that help subscribers screen stocks, analyze market trends, and manage portfolios. The company employs a freemium business model, where it attracts potential customers through free content and newsletters, then converts a portion of these free subscribers into paying customers for premium research and tools. This approach allows MarketWise to build large audiences (13.7 million free subscribers) while monetizing a smaller but more engaged subset (972,000 paid subscribers).
Revenue model
MarketWise generates revenue primarily through subscription fees from individual retail investors who pay for access to premium financial research, educational content, and analytical tools. The company's customers are predominantly individual investors seeking guidance on stock selection, market timing, and investment strategies, rather than professional money managers or institutional clients. The business model operates on a recurring subscription basis, with subscribers typically paying monthly or annual fees ranging from basic newsletter subscriptions to premium research services. The company's Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) was approximately $490 as of recent quarters, though this has declined from $580 in prior periods, indicating pricing pressure or shifts in subscriber mix toward lower-priced offerings. Several factors can significantly impact MarketWise's profitability and margins. Market volatility and investor sentiment represent the most critical external factors - during bull markets, individual investors are more likely to subscribe to investment research services, while bear markets or economic uncertainty can reduce demand and increase subscriber churn. The company experienced this dynamic during 2022-2023, when market volatility led to reduced investor engagement and higher customer acquisition costs. Customer acquisition costs heavily influence margins, as MarketWise relies extensively on direct marketing to attract new subscribers. When marketing channels become more expensive or less effective, the company must either accept lower margins or reduce marketing spend, which can impact growth. The company has demonstrated flexibility in managing these costs, reducing direct marketing spend by $23-40 million during challenging periods. Content quality and market relevance also affect retention rates and pricing power. The company's ability to provide actionable investment advice that generates positive returns for subscribers directly impacts renewal rates and word-of-mouth marketing. Additionally, regulatory changes affecting financial advice or marketing practices could impact operations, while technological disruption from robo-advisors or AI-powered investment platforms represents a longer-term competitive threat to traditional research services.
Competitive moat
MarketWise's competitive moat appears relatively modest in the financial information services industry. The company's primary defensive characteristics stem from its multi-brand portfolio approach and established subscriber relationships, but these advantages face significant challenges. The company's brand diversification strategy provides some protection by reducing dependence on any single publication or investment theme. With dozens of independent research brands covering various investment strategies, MarketWise can adapt to changing market conditions and investor preferences more effectively than single-brand competitors. This diversification also allows for cross-selling opportunities and helps maintain subscriber engagement across different market cycles. Subscriber loyalty and switching costs provide limited defensive value. While some subscribers develop strong relationships with specific research brands and analysts, the switching costs are relatively low - subscribers can easily cancel subscriptions and move to competing services. The company's freemium model helps build audience engagement, but converting and retaining paid subscribers remains challenging in a competitive market. However, MarketWise faces substantial competitive threats that limit its moat strength. The financial information industry has low barriers to entry, with numerous competitors ranging from established players like Motley Fool to emerging digital platforms and individual content creators on social media. The rise of free financial content through YouTube, podcasts, and social media platforms has commoditized much basic investment education and research. Technological disruption represents a growing threat, as robo-advisors, AI-powered investment platforms, and algorithmic trading tools increasingly provide automated investment guidance at lower costs than human-generated research. Additionally, regulatory scrutiny of financial marketing practices and performance claims can impact the company's ability to market its services effectively. The company's competitive position appears vulnerable to market cycles, technological change, and the commoditization of financial information, suggesting a weak to moderate moat at best.
Risks & safety
MarketWise presents mixed financial safety characteristics with some concerning balance sheet metrics but reasonable operational cash generation. **Cash and Liquidity Position:** - Cash and short-term investments: $79.2 million (Q1 2025) - Current ratio: 0.62, indicating potential liquidity constraints - The company maintains sufficient cash for near-term operations but current liabilities exceed current assets **Debt and Solvency:** - Minimal debt burden with debt-to-equity ratio near zero - Total liabilities significantly exceed total assets ($457M vs $240M), primarily due to deferred revenue obligations - Negative shareholders' equity position creates technical insolvency, though this is common for subscription businesses with deferred revenue **Operational Cash Flow:** - Recent quarters show volatile cash flow: $1.7M (Q1 2025), $6.0M (Q4 2024), but -$47.5M (Q3 2024) - Full year 2024 operating cash flow was negative $22.2 million - Free cash flow similarly volatile and recently negative **Valuation Metrics:** - EV/EBITDA ratios extremely high (78-196x) indicating potential overvaluation - Revenue declining from $512M (2022) to $405M (2024) - Net margins variable but generally positive in recent quarters **Other Considerations:** - Subscription model provides some revenue predictability but churn risk remains high - Market-dependent business model creates cyclical earnings volatility - Small market cap ($49M) limits financial flexibility
Recent development
Based on available earnings call information from 2022-2023, MarketWise has undergone significant strategic shifts in response to challenging market conditions and operational inefficiencies. The company implemented substantial cost reduction initiatives, achieving approximately $74 million in total expense savings through reduced direct marketing spend ($40 million) and overhead reductions ($36 million). This cost discipline helped improve adjusted cash flow margins from 11% to 15.3% despite declining revenues. Portfolio optimization became a key focus, with MarketWise launching 49 new publications while retiring 33 underperforming ones. This approach allows the company to test new content themes and investment strategies while eliminating unprofitable offerings. The company has shown particular interest in exploring content around artificial intelligence, global macro trends, and trading software tools. Leadership transitions marked another significant development, with Amber Mason becoming CEO and the company searching for permanent CFO and COO positions. This leadership change coincided with efforts to improve operational efficiency and explore new growth opportunities. The company has maintained focus on technology integration, developing its MarketWise platform and initiating data science and AI efforts to improve subscriber conversion rates. Management views AI as an opportunity for operational improvements rather than a threat to the core business model. Strategic flexibility remains a priority, with management exploring M&A opportunities while maintaining a strong balance sheet. The company has demonstrated willingness to adjust marketing spend based on acquisition cost effectiveness and market conditions, showing tactical adaptability in challenging environments. Recent financial data suggests continued revenue pressure, with quarterly revenues declining from over $100 million to around $83-97 million range, while the company works to stabilize its subscriber base and improve operational metrics.
MKTW company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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