Thomson Reuters just struck a deal to sell 51% of its Global Print business to KKR, pulling in around $500 million. So, KKR gets the majority stake and Thomson Reuters keeps 49%, making the two companies partners in this joint venture.
They announced the transaction on July 14, 2026, with the closing targeted for the fourth quarter, pending regulatory sign-off. And KKR doesn’t need to worry about financing—it’s all set.
Here’s how it’ll work: the venture gets exclusive rights to distribute Thomson Reuters content in print and on ProView, their eBook platform. But Thomson Reuters still owns the intellectual property and remains in charge of what gets published. KKR takes over running the business, while Thomson Reuters keeps a firm grip on the content.
Global Print delivers legal and tax info to law firms, businesses, government agencies, universities, and other pros. They sell printed reference materials and digital books via ProView and offer commercial printing to publishers. Most of their business happens in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Business isn’t booming like it used to. Global Print brought in $490 million revenue in 2025, down from $519 million in 2024—a 6% drop, mostly because shipments fell. The first quarter of 2026 saw another 5% organic decline.
That pretty much explains the ownership shift. Specialist print products still matter, especially in legal and tax circles, but more customers are jumping to digital platforms and software for research and workflow.
Thomson Reuters has been doubling down on its main segments—Legal, Corporates, Tax, Audit & Accounting. These areas pulled in $6.16 billion in 2025, making up 82% of total revenue, and posted 9% organic growth.
Global Print still turns a profit, but it’s shrinking. The new setup hands Thomson Reuters a hefty payday, lets them hang onto an economic share, and keeps Global Print separate from their fast-growing tech businesses.
CEO Steve Hasker says the deal brings focused investment and gives Global Print more independence. It’ll also let Thomson Reuters concentrate on building AI products for legal, tax, audit, and compliance.
The company’s pouring money into professional software and artificial intelligence. In February 2026, they bought Noetica, a platform that turns deal info into market intelligence for lawyers. And they claim there’s over $9 billion in capital available through 2028 for more deals and investments.
KKR figures it can help Global Print thrive independently and help Thomson Reuters streamline its portfolio. The investment comes from KKR-advised capital accounts.
Thomson Reuters added a financial-support clause—basically, they’ll backstop KKR to assure a minimum return under certain conditions. But they’re staying quiet on the specifics.
Customers won’t notice much right away. Editorial control stays with Thomson Reuters, and the joint venture will handle print and ProView distribution. The goal is to keep those well-known legal and tax publications accessible, while KKR takes over running the business.
This deal mirrors the bigger shift in professional publishing. There are still plenty of people who want physical books or permanent records. But the real money is moving toward subscriptions, online databases, AI-powered research, and workflow tools.
Thomson Reuters’ total revenue hit $7.48 billion in 2025, up 3%. Recurring revenue made up 81% of that, and organic growth was 7%—clear signs the digital side is driving the business.
Centerview Partners advised Thomson Reuters on the deal, which still needs regulatory approval before it closes.
Once it’s done, KKR gets majority control, while Thomson Reuters keeps its stake, IP rights, and editorial authority. This way, Thomson Reuters steps back from a shrinking print arm but still holds onto its professional content and doesn’t completely exit the business.
