Why the Bumble Dating App is preparing for an IPO:
The Bumble Dating app started in 2014 by founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, who previously co-founded Tinder. She became Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and other investors include venture capital firms Accel, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Greycroft. The dating app Bumble is to geared up for an Initial Public Offering (IPO), eyeing a value of $6 billion. The Bumble Dating app is preparing for an IPO in early 2021, and the company has been in talks with banks. The timing of an IPO could still change as the news comes a year after the Blackstone Group bought a majority stake in MagicLab, the parent company of Bumble, in a deal valued at $3 billion.
IPO Market
Bumble is the latest technology company to consider jumping into the hot IPO market. This surprise move could see listings this year from well-known brands including Airbnb Inc. Thus, paving the way for a potential public markets debut later in 2020, among those who have gone public. In recent months are music label Warner Music Group and Insurtech startup Lemonade. Private equity firm Blackstone Group Inc. bought a majority stake in Bumble last year when it was known as MagicLab in a deal that valued the company at $3 billion. Bumble is jumping into the booming IPO market, and has seen a frenzy of activity in the second half of 2020.
IPOs were at a virtual standstill for much of the first half of the year because of the coronavirus pandemic. There has been an influx of companies aiming to go public amid the stock market’s rebound. Recent filings from the likes of data Analytics Company Palantir Technologies and Snowflake underscore the rebound in the IPO market.
Competition in the dating app business
Competition in the dating app business has continued to heat up, and Bumble is a rival to Match Group. It has a market capitalization of $30 billion and a portfolio of dating apps like Match and OkCupid. In February, Bloomberg reported that Match Group had approached another competitor, about a possible takeover. Even Facebook entered the fray this year when it launched a new feature dubbed Dating.
Dating on social media is inviting new players
The high potential for promoting dating on social media is inviting new players to go public. The high amount of revenue and profits is a sure way of expanding business on a large scale. The numbers are big, and has a history of quick revenue growth, according to Forbes.
Bumble price and sales ratio
Given the global shift towards e-commerce, enjoying a year of growth, will easily push the annual revenue run rate. The Bumble price and sales ratio could surpass that figure making it the best time to go IPO.
