Peyush Bansal, founder and CEO of Indian eyewear retailer Lenskart, is set to sell approximately 2.05 crore shares as part of the company’s forthcoming initial public offering (IPO), which opens on October 31, 2025. The sale is expected to net him about ₹824 crore.
Key details
- The shares are being sold via an Offer for Sale (OFS) component of the IPO, rather than a fresh issue of shares. The Economic Times
- At the upper price band of ₹402 per share, the projected proceeds from Bansal’s sale stand at around ₹823.66 crore.
- Post sale, Bansal is expected to retain an 8.78 % stake in Lenskart.
- His average cost of acquisition for the shares is very low (around ₹18.6 per share), implying a return of approximately 2,061 % on his investment.
Why this matters
- Liquidity event for founder: This off-load allows Bansal to realise significant value from his holdings ahead of Lenskart’s transition to a publicly listed company.
- Signal for other investors: A major founding executive choosing to monetise early could influence market perception of the IPO—both positively (valuing founder confidence) and cautiously (founder realising value).
- IPO size & valuation context: Lenskart is targeting a large issue (combined fresh issue + OFS) and a high valuation (~₹70,000 crore) ahead of its listing.
- Founder’s continued stake: By retaining nearly 9 % of the company, Bansal shows ongoing commitment to the business, which may reassure some investors.
Considerations & risks
- While the transaction reflects strong growth and founder value extraction, it also raises questions around timing: investors may watch how the market values the business post-listing and how the smaller stake affects founder incentives.
- The performance of Lenskart after IPO will matter: revenue growth, profitability, competitive pressures (in eyewear/retail) and macroeconomic factors will influence investor sentiment.
- Given such a large share sale from a promoter, some market participants may view it as partial founder exit—though the retained stake counters a full exit narrative.
Implications for Indian IPO market & retail sector
- This is a notable example of a major Indian direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand reaching the public markets, and of founders realising value while retaining significant ownership.
- For the Indian retail and startup ecosystem: successful listing of Lenskart could pave the way for other consumer-facing companies to list.
- Retail investors in India should examine both the growth story of Lenskart and the governance/ownership implications of promoter share sales ahead of listing.
Final thoughts
Peyush Bansal’s planned sale of ~2.05 crore shares in Lenskart’s IPO, yielding around ₹824 crore, marks one of the more prominent pre-listing founder monetisation events in recent times. While it offers liquidity and reflects strong returns for early stake-holders, how the market receives the public offering—and how Lenskart performs post-listing—will determine whether this move is viewed as a strong strategic step or a cautionary signal.
