Paytm Q4 Results: Net Loss Narrows, Revenue Grows 13%

One 97 Communications Ltd., the parent company of digital payments platform Paytm, saw its net loss narrow on the back of a double-digit rise in revenue during the quarter ended March 31.

The Vijay Shekhar Sharma-led company posted a net loss of Rs 168.40 crore during the March quarter, as against an estimate of Rs 369.20 crore. The company had posted a net loss of Rs 392 crore in the preceding December quarter.

Paytm reported a 13% rise quarter-on-quarter in revenue at Rs 2,334.50 crore during Q4, as compared with an estimated Rs 2,325.73 crore.

Paytm Q4 FY23 Key Highlights (Consolidated, QoQ)

• Revenue grew 13.2% to Rs 2,334.50 crore, against an estimate of Rs 2,325.73 crore.

• Ebitda loss narrowed to Rs 129.10 crore from Rs 330.70 crore. Analysts had forecasted loss of Rs 209.10 crore.

• Net loss narrowed to Rs 168.40 crore as against a loss of Rs 392.10 crore, and an estimated loss of Rs 369.20 crore.

The higher revenue was driven by increase in gross merchandise value, higher merchant subscription revenue, and growth of loans distributed through the platform, Paytm said in a statement on Friday.

Paytm's gross merchandise value rose 4.6% quarter-on-quarter in the three months to March 2023 to Rs 3.62 lakh crore. Merchant subscriptions rose 17.24% to 68 lakh as compared with the preceding December quarter.

Value of loans disbursed during the period under review increased 26% sequentially in the March quarter to Rs 12,554 crore, while the number of loans grew 13% to 1.19 crore.

"During the second half of this year, we achieved operational profitability (Ebitda before Esop) and we believe we can continue our growth momentum and improve our profitability further. We have made significant investments towards sales manpower, improvement of technology platform, marketing spends, etc., which will help us carry this momentum," the company said in its statement.

One 97 Communications closed 2.75% higher at Rs 689.45 apiece on Friday, as compared with a 1.13% decline in the benchmark Sensex, which ended the day's trade at 61,054.29.