Urban Co. IPO: Are there any red flags?

Urban Co. Ltd, which connects households to plumbers, beauticians, and appliance technicians at the tap of a finger, is preparing a 1,900 crore initial public offering (IPO). The issue, which opens Wednesday and closes Friday, is priced between ₹98 and ₹103 per share. It includes a ₹472 crore fresh issue and a ₹1,428 crore offer for sale by existing shareholders.

- Mayur Bhalerao

Proceeds from the fresh issue are earmarked for technology and cloud infrastructure (₹1190 crore), marketing (₹90 crore), and lease payments (₹75 crore).

Urban Co. operates in 51 cities across India, along with overseas bases in the United Arab Emirates and Singapore. It recently ventured into branded products under its "Native" line—water purifiers and smart locks—and expanded InstaHelp, its on-demand house-help vertical.

The firm reported a financial turnaround in fiscal year 2025 (FY25), moving from losses to a reported profit. Revenue as a percentage of net transaction value (NTV) rose from 30.6% in FY23 to 35.6% in Q1 FY26.

"Our revenue has grown nearly five times in the last four years, driven by more customers, higher spending, more transactions, and better monetization. We believe we're just getting started," chief executive officer Abhiraj Singh Bhal said in an interview.

But analysts advise caution.