Sunday, November 6, 2011

Groupon Fastest Growing Company In History

Groupon already has been called the fastest growing company in history.

In Groupon’s second full year of business, 2010, it pulled down $713.4 million in revenue, according to its IPO filing. The revenue a year earlier was $30.47 million. That’s a growth rate of 2,241%. Yes, you read correctly.

(Groupon’s “revenue” is the amount of money a consumers pays for a Groupon offering. Gross profit, or the money Groupon actually retains after sharing revenue with its merchants, was $280 million last year and $10.9 million the year before. That an even faster rate of 2,462%.)

Here is a look at how other hot tech companies, including Google and Amazon.com, grew in their earliest years. Groupon puts them to shame.

Google, 2004 IPO


2000 revenue (first full year): $19.1 million

2001 revenue (second full year): $86.4 million

Growth rate: 352%

Amazon.com, 1997 IPO


1996 revenue (first full year): $15.7 million

1997 revenue (second full year): $147.8 million

Growth rate: 838%

Salesforce.com, 2004 IPO


2002 revenue (first full year): $22.4 million

2003 revenue (second full year): $50.99 million

Growth rate: 128%

(Note: for years ended Jan. 31, 2002, and Jan. 31, 2003)

eBay, 1998 IPO


1997 revenue (first full year): $5.7 million

1998 revenue (second full year): $47.35 million

Growth rate: 724%