The Motley Fool UK / Alinea advises management team on the acquisition of The Motley Fool’s UK business from US parent, now re-branded as The Twelfth Magpie
Alinea advises management team on the acquisition of The Motley Fool’s UK business from US parent, now re-branded as The Twelfth Magpie
Alinea has advised Mark Rogers, the long-serving UK Managing Director of The Motley Fool, on the successful management buyout of the UK business from its US parent company. Following completion, the business has rebranded and now trades independently as The Twelfth Magpie.
“Alinea’s diligence throughout this process helped me truly understand the deal and make sure we got the best outcome possible. But beyond the transaction itself, the wider Alinea connections have supported me in ways that have not only helped unlock the deal, but made the journey forward as an independent business all the more special. I couldn’t have asked for a better team in my corner.”
Mark Rogers, Founder, The Twelfth Magpie
About The Twelfth Magpie (formerly The Motley Fool UK)
The Motley Fool has been operating in the UK since 1999, building one of the country’s most recognised and trusted investment advice platforms over more than 25 years. The business provides long-term, jargon-free stock market guidance to individual investors through a range of subscription products including Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Growth Pass, and had approximately 15,900 active subscribers at the point of transaction.
The UK operation has been led by Mark Rogers as Managing Director, supported by Chris Nials and Heather Adlington, who together bring deep expertise across investment content, product development and subscriber engagement.
Following completion, the team has relaunched the business as The Twelfth Magpie at twelfthmagpie.com. The name draws on the same Shakespearean spirit as its predecessor, and the approach remains unchanged: independent, long-term, and on the side of the UK investor.
The transaction
The transaction was structured as a management buyout, with Mark Rogers acquiring 100% of the issued share capital of The Motley Fool Limited from The Motley Fool Global Limited, the US parent company.
The buyout enables the UK team to operate independently, with full control over the product, brand and strategic direction. As part of the transaction, the business transitioned to a new brand identity and has been established as a fully standalone UK operation.
Alinea’s role
Alinea acted as corporate finance and due diligence adviser to Mark Rogers throughout the transaction, providing buy-side financial due diligence, deal structuring advice and negotiation support. Alinea’s work included detailed analysis of the standalone cost base following the carve-out from the US group, challenge of the go-forward business plan, and review of the locked box balance sheet position.
Alongside Alinea, tax due diligence was provided by Elia DiLorenzo and Ian Russell from Haines Watts and legal advice from Jamie Partington and Richard Freeman of Higgs LLP.