Pearson is selling its 50 percent stake in The Economist to its investment partners for $730M.

The divestiture marks the British company's exit from the media business that began last month with the $1.3B sale of the Financial Times to Japan's Nikkei Inc.

Pearson says it will focus on its global education businesses.

The Economist, which launched in 1843, has a 1.6M circulation and earned $93M on $500M revenues for the fiscal year ended March 31.

Pearson's divestiture includes Economist.com, Economist Intelligence and CQ Roll Call.

Italy's Exor SpA is now the biggest shareholder in the Economist with a 27.8 percent stake.

Exor is the holding company of the billionaire Agnelli family, which is a big stakeholder in Fiat Chrysler Automotive and Italian newspaper La Stampa.

Pearson expects the Economist transaction will be completed during the fourth quarter.