Online takeaway service Just Eat to test appetite for shares

London-based Just Eat, which was founded in Denmark in 2001, said yesterday it would use proceeds from the share sale to fund expansion, as it seeks a bigger slice of a global takeaway industry worth an estimated £58bn in 2013.

Chief executive David Buttress declined to say what valuation Just Eat was aiming for. Media reports have put the figure at £700-£900m.

European IPO activity has more than tripled year-on-year to $12bn so far in 2014, as investors rush to cash in on the region’s nascent recovery.

Just Eat’s flotation will also allow venture capital owners SM Trust, Index Ventures, Vitruvian Partners, Redpoint Ventures and Greylock Partners to sell some of their shares, while senior management, employees, ex-employees and early investors will also have the opportunity for a partial exit.

Just Eat says it operates the world’s largest online marketplace for restaurant delivery, providing an easy way to order food from local takeaway restau- rants.

Last year the firm processed more than 40m orders for 36,000 takeaway outlets in 13 markets, the largest of which were Britain, Denmark, France, Canada, Ireland and Spain.

It generated revenue of £96.8m and core earnings of £14.1m, representing growth of 62 per cent and 518 per cent, respectively, compared with 2012.

Recent IPOs of online companies in London have been well- received by investors.

AO World, the online domestic appliances retailer, and Boohoo.com, the Manchester-based internet fashion retailer, both saw their shares surge above their offer prices on their market debuts.

Recent Yorkshire flotations include Sheffield-based software firm Servelec, Bradford-based double glazing firm Safestyle and Wakefield-based value fashion chain Bonmarche.