Roku files for $100m IPO
September 4, 2017
By Colin Mann
Streaming device specialist Roku has filed for an Initial Public Offering, looking to raise up to $100 million (€84.3m). The company’s principal shareholders include Twenty-First Century Fox, Fidelity, and Menlo Ventures. The IPO will be underwritten by Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Allen & Company, RBC Capital Markets, Needham & Company and William Blair.
In the Prospectus, Roku describes itself as having pioneered streaming to the TV. As of June 30th, 2017, it had 15.1 million active accounts, pointing out that in comparison the fourth largest multichannel video programming video distributor in the United States had approximately 13.3 million subscribers. “We believe all TV content will be available through streaming,” says the company.
Its users streamed more than 6.7 billion hours on the Roku platform in the six months ended June 30, 2017, 62 per cent growth from the six months ended June 30, 2016. According to Roku, TV streaming’s disruptive content distribution model is shifting billions of dollars of economic value.
According to Roku, content publishers and advertisers win with Roku because its large and growing user base simplifies their access to the fragmented and complex OTT market, with Roku providing them with direct to consumer engagement and monetisation opportunities, and that as a pure play, neutral TV streaming platform, it is better able to serve content publishers compared to other platforms that have diversified business operations and competitive content offerings.
In the six months ended June 30th, 2017, it generated revenue of $199.7 million, up 23 per cent from $162.3 million in the six months ended July 2, 2016. In fiscal 2016, it generated revenue of $398.6 million, up 25 per cent from $319.9 million in fiscal 2015. In fiscal 2016 its net loss was $42.8 million and its Adjusted EBITDA was $29.9 million.
In a covering note, president, chief executive officer and chairman Anthony Wood says “Our mission is to be the TV streaming platform that connects the entire TV ecosystem. We connect consumers with the content they love. We help content publishers find their audience and make money,” adding that he believes the TV ecosystem is at a tipping point, and that he couldn’t be more excited about what the next 15 years of transformation and disruption will bring.