Why WeWork Is Considering An IPO Despite Losing $1.9B in 2018

WeWork's parent company, The We Company, is set to go public this year. It's the latest in a string of richly valued start-ups considering an IPO in 2019. Even though The We Company was recently valued at $47 billion it’s hemorrhaging cash and lost $1.9 billion on $1.8 billion in revenue in 2018. Things improved for WeWork in the first quarter of 2019, but only slightly: The company says it lost $264 million on $728 million in revenue during the quarter. Its core business centers on renting out co-working spaces to everyone from startups and freelancers to large enterprises. WeWork says it’s in 485 locations and has 466,000 members, up from 186,000 in 2017. The We Company's CFO told CNBC that investors should look at WeWork’s losses as “investments” that will lead to more cash flow. However, Lyft and Uber’s recent IPO stumbles could bode poorly for WeWork’s chances of a successful debut, as investors seem wary about taking a bet on companies that lack clear paths to profitability. » Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision » Subscribe to CNBC Classic: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCclassic About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more. Connect with CNBC News Online Get the latest news: https://www.cnbc.com/ Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: https://cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC Follow CNBC News on Facebook: Follow CNBC News on Twitter: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBC Follow CNBC News on Instagram: https://cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC #CNBC #WeWork Why WeWork Is Considering An IPO Despite Losing $1.9B in 2018