Rocket Internet posts 31 percent rise in portfolio value since IPO

By Eric Auchard WALLDORF, Germany (Reuters) - German e-commerce company Rocket Internet on Tuesday reported that the loan portfolio value of its investments has risen by 2.0 billion euros since its initial public offering in October, due in part to its push into online takeaway delivery. Ahead of its IPO, the company had reported a loan portfolio value (LPV) of 4.47 billion euros (3 billion pounds) for its top 11 companies, which it describes as "proven winners". Rocket only discloses the financial performance of its top dozen or so companies. Europe's biggest Internet company said full-year 2014 sales of 104.0 million euros ($115.7 million) compared to 72.5 million euros in 2013. For the handful of analysts who maintain estimates on the company, the consensus revenue forecast was 119.83 million euros for 2014, according to Thomson Reuters data. Berlin-based Rocket, which holds mostly minority stakes in more than 100 start-ups it has funded since it was founded in 2007, only reports revenue from investments in which it holds a majority stake under German accounting rules. Rocket said its "proven winners" portfolio of more established companies posted average weighted net revenue growth of 82 percent. Revenue for its food delivery investment, Hello Fresh, grew almost fivefold to 70 million euros, making it the group's fastest growing company, it said. Net revenue for its Brazilian e-commerce merchandiser Dafiti grew 41 percent last year to 592 million real ($191.87 million). In India, e-commerce company Jabong posted 8.1 billion rupees ($127.52 million) in net revenue, a rise of 136 percent over 2013. Rocket reported a net loss of 20.2 million euros compared with a profit of 174.2 million in 2013, when results were boosted by the sale of now independent online retailer Zalando. Four analysts forecast a net loss, on average, of 192.45 million euros for 2014, according to Thomson Reuters data. Estimates spread over a wide range from a net loss of 28.7 million to a loss of 408.1 million euros. Separately on Tuesday, Delivery Hero, a company in which Rocket holds a 39 percent stake, said it had agreed to buy Turkish online food takeaway company Yemeksepeti in a deal valued at $589 million. (Reporting By Eric Auchard; Editing by Kirsti Knolle and Maria Sheahan)