Here's Everything Investors Need to Know About Klarna's IPO

Core Insights - Klarna Group has recently gone public, pricing shares at $40 and raising approximately $1.37 billion, resulting in a valuation of around $15 billion [1][2] Company Overview - Klarna is a significant player in the buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) sector, which gained popularity during the pandemic by allowing consumers to make purchases without upfront payment, repaying in installments, often interest-free [3][5] - The company partners with merchants to attract new customers and provide repeat business, offering interest-free payments and a budgeting tool through its app [5][6] Financial Performance - In 2024, Klarna's gross merchandise volume (GMV) reached over $105 billion, reflecting a 14% year-over-year increase, following a 12% growth in 2023 [10] - For the second quarter of 2025, Klarna reported a 21% year-over-year GMV growth, with active consumers increasing by 31% to 111 million, while revenue was $823 million, also up 21% year-over-year [11][12] - Despite revenue growth, Klarna experienced a rise in net losses to $53 million, compared to a $2 million loss in the same quarter of 2024 [11] Competitive Landscape - Compared to Affirm Holdings, Klarna has a higher GMV of approximately $56.5 billion over the last two quarters, while Affirm's GMV was $19 billion [12] - Both companies generated similar revenue in the second quarter, with Klarna at $823 million and Affirm at $876 million, but they operate under different business models [12][13] Business Model and Sustainability - Klarna's revenue primarily comes from merchant fees, while Affirm relies on longer-term loans that often include interest [13] - Klarna's fee-heavy model focusing on interest-free loans may be more sustainable through economic cycles, although rising losses could necessitate stricter underwriting, potentially slowing GMV growth [14] Market Position - Klarna's stock trades at a little over 5 times annualized revenue, which is considered reasonable in the current market context [14] - Having a banking charter provides Klarna with an advantage over Affirm, which depends on selling loans to asset managers and private credit companies, a less sustainable funding source during economic downturns [15]