Peyush Bansal pays Rs 222 Cr to buy back 4.6 Cr shares at steep discount ahead of IPO

Just days before filing the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) for IPO, Lenskart’s co-founder and CEO Peyush Bansal has significantly increased his stake in the company through a series of secondary transactions. As per DRHP disclosures reviewed by Entrackr, Bansal acquired over 4.26 crore shares from existing shareholders for a total cash consideration of Rs 222 crore.

The off-market transactions were executed between July 18 and July 24, 2025, and involved several institutional and early-stage backers of the company. Among the notable sellers were SoftBank, Kedaara Capital, Avendus, Steadview Capital, and LTR Focus Fund. Even Unilazer Ventures, backed by Ronnie Screwvala, was part of the exit group, selling over 25 lakh shares.

SoftBank offloaded the largest chunk, 96 lakh shares, fetching around Rs 49.93 crore from the deal. Kedaara entities cumulatively sold more than 30 lakh shares, while Steadview offloaded 34 lakh shares, raising nearly Rs 17.7 crore.

The Rs 52 per share price paid in these transactions is also noteworthy; it indicates a negotiated deal that likely reflects internal valuations rather than public market benchmarks.

In response to Entrackr’s queries, a Lenskart spokesperson confirmed the development. However, the company did not comment on the reasons behind the deep discount.

These transactions significantly bolster Peyush Bansal’s holding ahead of Lenskart’s IPO, which includes a fresh issue of Rs 2,150 crore and an offer for sale of 13.2 crore shares. While Bansal himself is also offering 2.05 crore shares as part of the OFS, his recent acquisitions signal a strong vote of confidence in the company’s valuation and growth trajectory.

The secondary deals come at a time when the eyewear major is preparing for its public market debut, backed by marquee names like Temasek, ADIA, and TPG. In FY25, Lenskart reported a 22.5% jump in revenue to Rs 6,652 crore and turned profitable with a Rs 297 crore PAT.