Founded in 1984 by William O'Neil as a print newspaper, it is owned by News Corp and headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

[2][7][1][8] During the 2016 United States presidential election, IBD conducted one of two polls that correctly predicted a victory by Donald Trump.

[11] In May 2021, News Corp acquired the publication for $275 million, adding it to its Dow Jones & Company division.

[16][17] In March 2002, telemarketers who were compensated on the basis of a point system which rewarded them for selling longer subscriptions, winning daily contests, and meeting weekly sales goals sued the company for violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

[18] In July 2009, an editorial in the publication claimed that physicist Stephen Hawking "wouldn't have a chance in the U.K., where the [British] National Health Service (NHS) would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.

"[19] Hawking was British, lived in the United Kingdom nearly all of his life, and received his medical care from the NHS.