Home services marketplace Urban Company’s initial public offering (IPO) is set to open for bidding on Wednesday, September 10, and will remain available to investors until Friday, September 12. The company aims to raise ₹1900 crore through this IPO, which is a combination of a fresh issue of 4.58 crore shares aggregating to ₹472 crore and an offer for sale of 13.86 crore shares aggregating to ₹1,428 crore.
The price band for the IPO is fixed at ₹98– ₹103 per share. The minimum lot size for retail investors is one lot, consisting of 145 shares, requiring a minimum investment of ₹14,935. Investors can apply for a maximum of 13 lots.
The allotment of the issue is likely to be finalized on September 15, and the shares are scheduled to be listed on both BSE and NSE, with a tentative listing date of Tuesday, September 17.
Urban Company operates a technology-driven, full-stack online services marketplace for quality-driven services and solutions across various home and beauty categories. It operates in 59 cities across India, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, of which 48 cities are in India, as of December 31, 2024.
Its platform enables consumers to easily order services, including cleaning, pest control, electrician, plumbing, carpentry, appliance servicing and repair, painting, skincare, hair grooming, and massage therapy.
As the IPO is set to open next week, potential investors should also be aware of the key risks outlined by the company in its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP). In this article, we will break down some of these risks.
Key risks
1. Sustained Losses and Negative Cash Flows: The company has incurred net losses and negative operating cash flows in the past. If it fails to generate adequate revenue growth and improve cost efficiency, it may not be able to achieve positive operating cash flows or sustain profitability, which could threaten its long-term viability.
For context, the company swung to a consolidated net profit of ₹239.8 crore in FY25, reversing a loss of ₹92.7 crore in FY24, while the net loss stood at ₹312 crore in FY23 and ₹514 crore in FY22.
2. Intense Market Competition: Urban Company faces significant competition across its operating markets. This could reduce demand for services on its platform or discourage service professionals from joining, negatively impacting both revenues and costs.
3. Limited Operating History in New Segments: The company has a limited track record in several business lines, such as Native brand products, small home projects, wall panel services, and cleaning subscriptions. The rapid evolution of its business model makes it difficult for investors to evaluate performance, operations, and financial health.
4. Operational Risks and Oversight Challenges: Urban Company is exposed to multiple operational risks, including inappropriate activity or errors by employees, consumers, service professionals, and third parties. Any such incidents could materially impact business growth, financial condition, and results of operations.
5. Uncertainty in Use of IPO Proceeds: The company’s funding requirements and proposed deployment of net proceeds are based largely on internal management assumptions without appraisal by independent agencies. Utilization may change due to uncontrollable factors, and the proceeds may not yield the expected revenues or profits.
6. Dependence on Key Management and Rising Employee Costs: The company relies heavily on key management and experienced employees. Failure to attract and retain talent could hinder growth. Moreover, employee benefits expenses have contributed between 30% and 101% of revenue in recent years; any significant rise could adversely affect financial performance.
7. Risks from New Investments and Expansion: Urban Company continues to invest in new products, services, geographies, and technologies. These initiatives are inherently risky, and failure to realize their benefits may negatively impact operations and financial outcomes.
8. Loss-Making Subsidiaries: Certain subsidiaries and step-down subsidiaries have incurred losses in the past, and some have been deregistered. Continued losses in these entities could further strain the company’s financial condition and performance.
9. Litigation and Regulatory Exposure: There are pending litigations against the company, its subsidiaries, directors, senior management, and promoters. Any adverse rulings could result in penalties, liabilities, reputational damage, and disruption of business operations.
10. Dependence on Digital Visibility: Urban Company’s business relies heavily on traffic driven by search engines and social media. Failure to maintain prominent visibility across these platforms could significantly reduce traffic, impacting revenues and overall performance.
Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
