Available for the First Time

Founded in Stockholm in 2005, the fintech company Klarna has built a strong position over the years and is now available in 26 countries, including the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Its smart and flexible payment services are utilized by over 675,000 merchants, with the latest additions including DoorDash, the largest food delivery service in the U.S. As part of a collaboration announced on March 20, 2025, DoorDash customers will soon be able to pay for food and product purchases, including DashPass membership fees, using Klarna’s “Buy Now, Pay Later” service. This feature will be rolled out in just a few months, allowing users to choose between paying the full amount upfront, splitting it into four installments, or deferring the payment entirely. According to Anand Subbarayan, Head of Cash Products at DoorDash, expanding payment options like this is crucial not only for the company’s growing product portfolio but also for enhancing customer convenience. CNBC reports that this is DoorDash’s first collaboration of this kind.

Gamechanger for Klarna

The collaboration with another U.S. company also marks a key expansion outside Europe. Just days before announcing its partnership with DoorDash, Klarna added retail giant Walmart to its client list. Together with Walmart’s startup, OnePay, Klarna will provide loan services not only for online shopping but also for in-store purchases. According to CNBC, the “Buy Now, Pay Later” service is expected to be available across Walmart’s network by the second half of March. For the Swedish company, this is not just an expansion but also a strategic triumph, as Klarna managed to win Walmart over from its biggest competitor, Affirm, which had been partnering with the retailer since 2019. Klarna’s CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, called this move a gamechanger for the company. Additionally, CNBC reports that Klarna’s F-1 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reveals that its partner will have the option to acquire a “stake” in the company. According to the document, this would involve the purchase of 15 million shares, and sources at CNBC suggest that this partner is likely OnePay.

Boost for IPO?

These strong business partnerships could significantly support the Stockholm-based company’s success in its upcoming IPO. On March 14, 2025, Klarna announced that it had filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with the SEC to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). While the company has yet to disclose the number of common shares it plans to issue or their price, the website Pymnts.com indicates that Klarna preliminarily expects a valuation of $15 billion and aims to raise $1 billion through the IPO. The exact date of the IPO remains unknown, but potential investors will find Klarna trading under the ticker symbol KLAR. A successful IPO would represent another major milestone for the company, especially after returning to profitability. Last year, Klarna’s revenues grew by 24 percent to $2.8 billion, with an operating profit of $181 million. In contrast, the company reported a $50 million loss in 2023. The IPO could also provide a positive boost to the U.S. market, which has been seeing fewer companies going public. However, it may face challenges due to lingering uncertainty surrounding Trump-era trade tariffs.

Stocks in the Green

Looking at DoorDash (DASH) and Walmart (WMT), we see that, despite uncertainty in the U.S. market, both companies have managed to keep their stocks in positive territory. DoorDash (DASH) closed on March 21, 2025, at $190.62, just $15 below its all-time high from fall 2021. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has gained 12 percent, with a 38 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Over the past five years, the stock has risen by 33 percent.*

DoorDash Stock Price Performance Over the Last 5 Years (Source: Investing.com)*

Walmart’s shares reached an all-time high earlier this year in mid-February, hitting $105. However, following a correction, they ended the trading day on March 21, 2025, at $85.95 per share. Although Walmart has lost more than 4 percent on the stock market since the start of 2025, a look at its annual performance shows a 41 percent increase in stock price. Over the past five years, the stock has seen a significant growth of 112 percent.*

Walmart Stock Price Performance Over the Last 5 Years (Source: Investing.com)*

*Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.