Google set to place $350m bet on Flipkart at $35-36b valuation

• Follow

Internet major Google is planning to invest around $350 million (about Rs 2,900 crore) for a minority stake in e-commerce company Flipkart during a fresh funding round, the Walmart group firm said on Friday.

Flipkart is raising $1 billion during an ongoing funding round and has received the commitment of $600 million infusion from its parent firm and US retail giant Walmart.

“As part of the latest funding round led by Walmart, Flipkart today announced that it will be adding Google as a minority investor, subject to receipt of regulatory and other customary approvals by both parties,” Flipkart said in a statement.

The e-commerce firm, however, neither disclosed the amount proposed to be invested by Google nor the details of the fund being raised by the firm.

“Google’s proposed investment and its cloud collaboration will help Flipkart expand its business and advance the modernization of its digital infrastructure to serve customers across the country,” Flipkart said.

A source said that the transaction during the ongoing round is expected to take place at a valuation of around USD 35 billion.

Emails seeking comments from Google and Walmart on financial details of the investment commitments during the ongoing funding round elicited no immediate response, while Flipkart declined to comment on the same.

Flipkart was valued at USD 35 billion as of January 31, 2024 based on equity transactions carried out by its US-based parent firm Walmart.

The US retail giant in FY24 increased its shareholding by 10 per cent to approximately 85 per cent by paying USD 3.5 billion, taking the enterprise valuation of Flipkart to USD 35 billion.

A source at Flipkart had told PTI in March that the GMV (gross merchandise value) of the company grew by 25-28 per cent year on year in the range of USD 29-30 billion in 2023 as festival sales were softer in 2022.

“In reality, if the valuation was to be done now for Flipkart, it would have gone by to the vicinity of USD 38-40 billion considering the growth in GMV and near profitability. But no such valuation exercise has happened for Flipkart since 2021,” the source had said.

Flipkart posted a net loss of Rs 4,846 crore and consolidated net total income of Rs 56,012.8 crore in FY23. Total expenses of the company were Rs 60,858 crore during the reporting fiscal year. –PTI