Twitter files for $1bn IPO

Twitter has filed for an IPO at a proposed offering price of US$1 billion, it announced yesterday.

The stock market filing, lodged with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, revealed that Twitter now has more than 215 million monthly active users and 100 million daily active users.

It also outlined details of Twitter’s finances for the first time. The microblogging site said that from 2011 to 2012, revenue increased by 198% to US$316.9 million. However, it is yet to turn a profit.

“Since our inception, we have incurred significant operating losses, and, as of June 30, 2013, we had an accumulated deficit of US$418.6 million. Although our revenue has grown rapidly, increasing from US$28.3 million in 2010 to US$316.9 million in 2012, we expect that our revenue growth rate will slow in the future as a result of a variety of factors, including the gradual slow down in the growth rate of our user base,” Twitter said in the filing.

It also warned: “If we are unable to generate adequate revenue growth and to manage our expenses, we may continue to incur significant losses in the future and may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability.”

On the TV front, where Twitter is making a push with initiatives like its Nielsen Twitter TV Rating, the firm said that this did not directly generate revenue but will “enhance our attractiveness to users and advertisers.”

Twitter said that its February acquisition of Bluefin Labs, which provided social television analytics services to brand advertisers, agencies and TV networks, cost US$67.3 million, paid in common stock.