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
