https://www.thetechie.xyz/2019/08/datadog-files-to-go-public.html
Datadog, a New York-based cloud monitoring and analytics startup last valued at $640 million [Pitchbook data], has filed for an initial public offering (IPO). Datadog just unveiled its S-1 filing, joining the likes of WeWork, Cloudflare and SmileDirectClub, which also recently did the same. Datadog's S-1 filing shows $198 million 2018 revenues, up 96% from $101 million in 2017. For the first half of this year (ended June 30), Datadog recorded $153 million in revenue.
However, Datadog is not profitable, with losses of $2.6 million and $11 million in 2017 and 2018 respectively. In the first half of this year, Datadog recorded $13.4 million in losses.
[...] Datadog was founded in 2010, and launched its cloud infrastructure monitoring service two years after. The New York-based startup surpassed 100 customers in 2013, 1,000 in 2015 and 5,000 in 2017. Datadog estimates its total market opportunity to be $35 billion, according to its S-1 filing.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 28 2019, @07:58AM (4 children)
So let me get this straight:
- customer numbers are levelling off exponentially
- revenues are levelling off exponentially
- losses are rising exponentially
- current market penetration is a third of a percent
I can see why they *need* an IPO to get more money ... what I don't understand is why anybody in his right mind would *give* them that money.
(Score: 2) by mth on Wednesday August 28 2019, @08:09AM (1 child)
There are a lot of possible curves you can fit to 3 data points ;)
Unlike some of the other IPOs, this at least sounds like a business model that could be profitable in the not too distant future. The losses are around 10% of the revenue and as a software company, a decent chunk of their costs will be independent of revenue. In particular, the article highlights high R&D and marketing costs, which could be scaled back if funding dries up.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 28 2019, @09:30AM
Yeah, right, indeed, if you use a cubic curve you can make it all point into a very promising direction (i.e.: the _other_ direction)
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 28 2019, @08:34AM
You have to lose money to make money in unicornland.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by MostCynical on Wednesday August 28 2019, @12:07PM
Uber.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex