Deliveroo IPO could cause indigestion for investors
Is a firm that has failed to turn a profit – even during the lockdown takeaway boom – worth investing in?
Takeaway-delivery platform Deliveroo is set to be “the biggest London stockmarket debut since Glencore almost a decade ago”, say Mark Sweney and Sarah Butler in The Guardian. It has priced its initial public offering (IPO) “at between £3.90 and £4.60 a share”. This would value the company at up to £8.8bn, about £1bn more than initially expected. At the top end of the proposed price range, Deliveroo would be worth more than Premier Inn and Beefeater owner Whitbread (£6.6bn) and luxury goods group Burberry (£8.2bn).
Deliveroo’s “lofty target” isn’t bad for a company valued at only £5bn as recently as January, says Ben Marlow in The Daily Telegraph. But is a firm that has “wolfed down £1.3bn of private capital since 2013” without any sign of turning a profit – not even during the lockdown takeaway boom – worth investing in? In a few weeks’ time when pubs and restaurants are full and takeaway orders are falling, the shares “might not seem so appetising”.
Still, while prospective investors may get indigestion, those who previously invested in the company will do well, says Alistair Osborne in The Times. Of the £1.6bn the company will raise from the flotation, only £1bn will go to the firm itself.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Founder Will Shu will keep most of his shares, but is planning to “wolf down £28m straight away” with a sale, while hanging on to his class-B shares will give him 58% of the voting rights, thus “bullet-proofing Deliveroo from takeover and [himself] from the sack”.
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.

-
Lasting power of attorney rejections soar 200% costing families £5 million – how to get it rightReasons for lasting power of attorney applications being rejected include human error but can also be due to the inconsistent views of those reviewing the application.
-
UK inflation live: did UK inflation peak in September?Tomorrow’s ONS inflation data release marks a key test of the Bank of England’s predictions for the course of inflation in the UK.
-
Who is Jared Isaacman, SpaceX astronaut and Trump's pick as NASA chief?Jared Isaacman is a close ally of Elon Musk and the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space. Now, he is in charge of NASA
-
Three solid British stocks going cheapOpinion Ian Lance and Nick Purves, fund managers at Temple Bar Investment Trust, highlight three British stocks with strong cash flows and robust balance sheets
-
Is now a good time to invest in Barclays?Barclays' profit growth is healthy, and the stock is cheap compared with its rivals
-
Profit from other investors’ trades with CME GroupCME Group is one of the world’s largest exchanges, which gives it a significant competitive advantage
-
Key lessons from the MoneyWeek Wealth Summit 2025: focus on safety, value and growthOur annual MoneyWeek Wealth Summit featured a wide array of experts and ideas, and celebrated 25 years of MoneyWeek
-
Defeat into victory: the key to Next CEO Simon Wolfson's successOpinion Next CEO Simon Wolfson claims he owes his success to a book on military strategy in World War II. What lessons does it hold, and how did he apply them to Next?
-
Aircraft leasing companies can lift investors' portfoliosThe aircraft leasing business is a safer way to cash in on air travel and its booming demand. David Prosser explains how it works and how to access it
-
8 of the best houses for sale with fishing rightsThe best houses for sale with fishing rights – from a Georgian property on the banks of the River Derwent, County Durham, to a restored mill house in Marlborough with fishing rights on the River Kennet