WeWork's lofty valuation raises: An analysis

The We Company has paved the way for the flexible workspace business model, something that the company's CEO and Co-Founder, Adam Neumann swears by.

But for many it's the firm's valuation that is really defying explanation.

As it prepares for a stockmarket listing, the parent company of WeWork, provider of trendy shared office space, looks set to be valued at around $47bn (£36bn).

That puts it in the same bracket as the slate of high-profile technology companies that are also floating their businesses, and have attracted sky-high valuations based on the idea they will reap big rewards from disrupting established markets.

Like them WeWork boasts a "millennial-friendly" outlook and aesthetic. The bright, airy and comfortable offices it rents out are built around community so people can choose to work in an office or in a shared space, where they can log-on to wifi, hold meetings and get to know others also using the facilities. A nearby kitchen complete with beer on tap is likely a draw as well.

Underneath the beautiful decor though, some argue We Company is really just a real estate company, prompting the question: should it have such a high market value?

What is the We Company?

WeWork was established in 2010, just as the financial crisis took the bottom out of the office rental market. WeWork now has 425 locations in 100 cities and boasts 401,000 members - those who use the offices.

The We Company has also branched out into residential spaces with WeLive where people can rent fully furnished apartments for a few nights or a number of months.

WeGrow, its school for 2-11 year olds, says it is committed to "unleashing every human's superpowers".

Mr Neumann told Forbes magazine the firm's valuation has more to do with its size, its "energy and spirituality" than its revenues. While revenues are growing, it hasn't met its most recent targets and it is loss-making.

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