Paytm Slips 6 Percent on Questions Over CEO Reappointment, Regulatory Fears

Paytm fears that the guidelines on increased scrutiny over digital lending apps could operationally impact its business.

By Reuters | Updated: 12 August 2022 12:34 IST

Paytm Slips 6 Percent on Questions Over CEO Reappointment, Regulatory Fears

Photo Credit: Reuters

Paytm's parent One97 posted a loss of Rs. 644 crore for the June quarter last week

Highlights

One97 Communications is backed by China's Alibaba Group, Ant Group
Its on track to achieve operational profitability by September 2023
Paytm plans to reappointment Vijay Shekhar Sharma as CEO next week

Shares of India's digital payments firm Paytm fell 6.2% on Friday, hit by a proxy advisory firm's opposition to the reappointment of its chief executive officer and the central bank's guidelines for digital lending apps.

Institutional Investor Advisory Services has said it opposes the reappointment of Vijay Shekhar Sharma as CEO and managing director at the annual general meeting next week.

"Vijay Shekhar Sharma has made several commitments in the past to make the company profitable, however, these have not played out. We believe the board must consider professionalising the management," IIAS said in a report dated August 9.

Paytm Shares Jump to Six-Month High on Increased Monthly Users, More

Paytm's parent One97 Communications, backed by China's Alibaba Group Holding and its affiliate Ant Group, posted a loss of Rs. 644 crore for the June quarter last week, but said it was on track to achieve operational profitability by September 2023.

IIAS also raised concerns that Sharma's overall remuneration, estimated to be Rs. 796 crore for fiscal 2023, was higher than that of CEOs of all the S&P BSE Sensex companies, most of which were profitable.

Adding to its problems, Paytm told investors on Thursday that the latest guidelines by the central bank on increased scrutiny over digital lending apps could operationally impact its buy-now-pay-later business.

Paytm Monthly Users Grew 49 Percent YoY, Net Loss Widens in June Quarter

"In the interim, we believe Paytm's lending business disbursement growth may be affected," Macquarie analysts wrote in a note.

Separately, Paytm said macroeconomic challenges may lead to "slight moderation" in its growth. The company posted a nearly 300 percent jump in loan disbursals in July.

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