Paytm block deal: Within minutes of trading, shares of One 97 Communications Ltd (Paytm) generated turnovers of Rs 2,407 crore on the BSE and Rs 857 crore on the NSE, indicating a potential block deal on the counter. Antfin, an arm of Alibaba Group, was reportedly looking to divest up to 4% of its stake in the fintech giant through block deals today. The stake sale was valued at Rs 2,066 crores.
Paytm shares fell 4.99 percent to a low of Rs 823.10 on the BSE, but quickly recovered some of the lost ground. The stock was later trading at Rs 845.90, down 2.36 per cent. According to the report, a total of 1.72 crore Paytm shares changed hands in a block deal, accounting for 4.1% of the company's total outstanding equity.
The transaction's floor price was reportedly set at Rs 809.75 per share. This represented a 6.5 percent discount to Paytm's Monday closing price of Rs 866.35.
Ant Fin is the company's second-largest shareholder, with a 9.85% stake as of March 31, 2025. Paytm's founder, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, directly owns 9.05 percent of the company, but he also owns 10.24 percent through a foreign entity called Resilient Asset Management.
Last week, One97 and Vijay Shekhar Sharma paid more than Rs 2.2 crore to settle a pending case with the Indian capital market regulator Sebi.
Paytm shares recently surged after management stated that the company could turn profit after tax (PAT) positive in the next quarter due to multiple growth triggers such as the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI and the return of wallet. While Paytm's Q4 sales fell short of expectations, its contribution margin remained consistent. Losses increased sequentially due to a one-time charge for accelerated ESOP expenses.
UBS rates Paytm 'Neutral' with a 12-month price target of Rs 1,000. Emkay Global recommended 'Buy' and believes the stock is worth Rs 1,050. JM Financial recently stated that, given the valuations and potential upside risks, it remains 'Buy' on Paytm, with a March 2026 target of Rs 1,070.
