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Meesho IPO Review: Apply or Avoid? A Practical Investor’s Guide

Writer
Nidhi Thakur
timer
December 3, 2025
Meesho IPO Review: Apply or Avoid? A Practical Investor’s Guideblog thumbnail

Key Takeaways

  • Meesho IPO size: ₹5,421 crore
  • FY25 revenue jumped sharply, but Net Profit remains negative due to one-offs
  • Company turned FCF positive; operates an asset-light, AI-driven, zero-commission model
  • At ~5.5× FY25 Sales, valuation is attractive vs premium tech peers
  • Suitable for aggressive, long-term investors

Meesho IPO Overview

India’s value-driven e-commerce space is rapidly expanding, and Meesho has emerged as a dominant disruptor—serving Tier-2 & Tier-3 buyers underserved by Amazon and Flipkart. With the IPO opening on December 3, 2025, here’s an in-depth analysis for investors.

Meesho IPO Details

Issue Open: December 3, 2025
Issue Close: December 5, 2025
Total Issue Size: ₹5,421.20 crore
Fresh Issue: ₹4,250 crore
Offer for Sale: ₹1,171.20 crore
Price Band: ₹105–₹111
Market Lot: 135 shares
Estimated M-Cap: ₹50,095.75 crore
Listing: BSE & NSE

Issue Allocation:

  • QIBs – 75%
  • NIIs – 15%
  • Retail – 10%

Use of Funds:

  • Cloud infrastructure for subsidiaries
  • Branding & marketing
  • Acquisitions and general corporate expenses
  • Hiring for AI/ML & tech teams

Understanding Meesho’s Business Model

Founded in 2015, Meesho is a multi-sided value-commerce marketplace connecting:

  • Non-metro consumers
  • Small sellers & micro entrepreneurs
  • Logistics providers (including in-house Valmo)
  • Influencers/content creators

Key Advantages

  • Zero-commission model
  • Asset-light structure
  • AI-based personalization
  • Strong Tier-2/3 penetration
  • 30% share of India’s e-commerce shipments

Financial Performance (Restated Consolidated)

Revenue Growth

  • FY23: ₹5,897.69 crore
  • FY24: ₹7,859.24 crore
  • FY25: ₹9,900.90 crore

Strong, consistent rise in volume & efficiency.

Net Profit / Loss

  • FY23: –₹1,671.90 crore
  • FY24: –₹327.64 crore
  • FY25: –₹3,941.71 crore

FY25 losses reflect one-time accounting items, not operational weakness.

EBITDA Margin

  • FY23: –28.72%
  • FY24: –2.93%
  • FY25: –2.22%

Margins improving steadily.

Net Worth

  • FY23: ₹2,548.31 crore
  • FY24: ₹2,301.64 crore
  • FY25: ₹1,561.88 crore

Valuation Ratios (FY25)

  • EPS: –₹9.98
  • P/E: –11.63×
  • P/B: 30.16×

Negative earnings are typical during the scaling phase of digital platforms.

Why Investors Are Interested

1. Free Cash Flow Positive in FY25

Shows solid unit economics despite accounting losses.

2. Dominance in Tier-2 & Tier-3 Markets

India’s most underpenetrated and fastest-growing segment.

3. Zero-Commission Model

Boosts seller margins → drives affordability.

4. Scarcity Premium

Meesho is the only pure-play value e-commerce listed/going public.

5. AI-Led Flywheel

AI helps across:

  • Recommendations
  • Fraud detection
  • Logistics planning
  • Seller monetization

Competitive Strategy Going Forward

  • Increase product catalog and transaction frequency
  • Deepen AI/ML capabilities
  • Strengthen affordability and cost innovation
  • Scale monetization
  • Invest in Horizon 2 businesses (media, fintech, content commerce)

Key Risks to Consider

  • Tough competition from Amazon, Flipkart, Jiomart, Ajio, D2C brands
  • Small-seller dependence → risk of low-quality goods
  • High reliance on Cash-on-Delivery
  • Sensitive to e-commerce regulation changes
  • Counterfeit risk → brand perception issues

Peer Comparison

Meesho vs Key Listed/New-Age Peers (FY25)

Meesho

  • Revenue: ₹9,389.9 crore
  • P/E: –11.63
  • NAV: 3.68
  • RoNW: –252.37%

Zomato

  • High P/S (10×+), strong RoNW, positive earnings

Swiggy

  • Loss-making, NAV ~40.98

Brainbees (FirstCry)

  • Loss-making, global listing candidate

Nykaa (FSN)

  • P/E 1,168×; profitable but premium priced

Trent

  • Strong profitability, P/E 100.87

Avenue Supermarts (DMart)

  • Retail leader; P/E ~98.43

Conclusion:
Meesho’s ~5.5× Sales valuation is reasonable compared to premium peers.

FAQs

1. Is Meesho profitable?
Not yet. Losses continue due to one-off items, but cash flow is positive.

2. Why is the Meesho IPO attractive?
Affordable valuation, strong growth, and value-commerce dominance.

3. Main risks for investors?
Competition, quality issues, COD dependency.

4. Is the valuation reasonable?
Yes—~5.5× Sales, cheaper than Zomato & Nykaa.

5. Who should apply?
Aggressive, long-term tech investors.

Conclusion

  • Meesho has successfully carved out a niche in Tier-2/3 cities where Amazon and Flipkart struggle to penetrate deeply
  • Meesho has turned Free Cash Flow (FCF) positive in FY25, even though reported Net Profit is still negative due to one-off items.
  • At a valuation of ~$6 Billion (₹50,000 Cr), it is priced at roughly 5.5x Price-to-Sales (FY25). This is attractive compared to Zomato (trading often at >10x Sales).
  • It has "scarcity premium" as it is the only pure-play "value e-commerce" stock in India.
  • Aggressive investors can subscribe for both listing gain and long term.

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