Klarna makes a resilient comeback with losses halved and profit on the horizon

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In the first quarter, the Swedish buy now pay later giant recorded a significant improvement in its bottom line. Losses for the firm halved after a major cost-cutting drive was announced in 2022. Klarna, in the first quarter, posted a net loss of US$120.7 million or 1.3 billion Swedish krona. This is down by 50% from the 2.6 billion krona recorded during the same period a year before. The total net operating income surged 22% year over year to reach 5 billion Swedish krona.

With its losses halved, the firm announced that it is targeting profitability before the year-end. The impressive growth achieved by the firm is due in part to the swift adoption of artificial intelligence throughout its operations. Klarna's latest announcement follows a series of alliances with well-known brands worldwide, showcasing their continuous pursuit of strategic partnerships. The strategic alliances with brands like Airbnb have continued to fuel the gross merchandise value growth for the firm.

• In Q1 2023, retailer revenue for Klarna has surged significantly, reporting a growth of 17.3% year over year. This has even outperformed the gross merchandise value growth. Recently, the firm has increased its focus on the United States market, and this is reflected in its retail revenue growth in the country.
• With a growth of 34% year over year, the growth has been largely driven by strategic alliances with retail partners like Samsung, Boden, Uniqlo, and more. In addition to this, Klarna has also strengthened its partnerships with existing retail partners like Etsy, Nike, and Tod’s. This has resulted in enhanced shopping and marketing experiences.

The strategic collaboration with Airbnb in the United States and Canada has come at the right time for Klarna. The global pandemic is coming to a close and Airbnb is anticipating more than 300 million guest arrivals in 2023. Enabling travelers to divide their accommodation worth more than US$500 into four payments over six months is expected to aid the revenue growth for Klarna. Alongside Airbnb, Klarna also has strategic alliances with Expedia and Booking.com. The travel and experiences sector is, therefore, expected to emerge as a strong revenue driver for Klarna.

The strong operating performance demonstrated by Klarna in Q1 2023 shows that the firm is on a trajectory to achieve profitability in the near term. In addition to its focus on profitability, the firm is also seeking to revolutionize the shopping and payments experience through an AI-powered approach. The firm, in H1 2023, partnered with OpenAI to deploy generative AI technology for improved customer outcomes and higher business efficiency.

• In June 2023, Klarna also unveiled several tools for climate-conscious shoppers. The new tools will provide information to consumers about the environmental impact of their purchases. With more knowledge at hand, shoppers will be empowered to make the right choices and purchasing decisions.
• In addition to this, Klarna also launched donation features on the platform, enabling users to act and support non-profit organizations more easily. The firm launched the top-up donation feature in collaboration with the charitable fundraising platform Miklywire. Currently, the donation feature is available only for its users in the United States; however, Klarna plans to roll out the service in more nations going forward.

Alongside new feature launches, Klarna has also continued to expand the presence of its Pay in 3 service and shopping app. The firm, in June 2023, revealed that it has entered the Romanian market. The growing trend of e-commerce shopping makes Romania a lucrative growth market for Klarna. Throughout the last couple of years, Klarna has maintained a steady focus on strengthening its footprint in central and eastern Europe, actively broadening its reach in the region.

The demand for BNPL products has remained strong among shoppers worldwide. Inflation and subsequent surge in product and energy prices have driven the adoption over the last few quarters. The trend is expected to continue going forward in H2 2023, which means Klarna is well-positioned to tap into the growing demand globally. However, at the same time, the broader BNPL market is undergoing growing scrutiny.

In the United States, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published a report in March 2023 stating that the BNPL users are more likely to be in high debt compared to those not using it. In Australia, regulators announced that the fast-growing sector will be regulated under the credit laws in May 2023. In the United Kingdom, the Treasury released draft proposals in February 2023, to enable the Financial Conduct Authority to regulate the sector.

To know more and gain a deeper understanding of the BNPL market in Sweden, click here.