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Cyber attack hits Safexpay in FY24: revenue shrinks 67%, losses double

EntrackrEntrackr · 4m ago
Cyber attack hits Safexpay in FY24: revenue shrinks 67%, losses double
Medial

Fintrackr All Stories Cyber attack hits Safexpay in FY24: revenue shrinks 67%, losses double Mumbai-based fintech company Safexpay faced a tough fiscal year in FY24, with its revenue dropping sharply by 67% after its payment gateway was hacked in October 2023. Meanwhile, the company's losses doubled during the same period. Safexpay's operating revenue declined by 67% to Rs 88.5 crore down from Rs 269.5 crore in FY23, as per its consolidated financial statement sourced from the Registrar of Companies (RoC). Safexpay operates as a fintech company providing payment gateway solutions, digital banking, and API-based payment infrastructure for businesses, enabling secure transactions, recurring payments, and multi-currency support across various payment methods. The steep decline in revenue was mainly due to a sharp reduction in payment gateway transaction volumes, which led to a 79.57% drop in related income. Notably, the company's payment gateway was hacked, leading to significant financial and reputational damage. According to media reports, the Thane Police are investigating a Rs 16,180 crore scam linked to the breach. On the cost side, Safexpay’s total expenses decreased by 52.41% to Rs 143 crore in FY24 from Rs 300.5 crore in FY23. Employee benefit expenses fell by 17.46% to Rs 26 crore, while payment gateway charges, the firm's largest cost component, dropped by 79.57% to Rs 48 crore. Due to a hack in its core payment gateway business, legal expenses surged 5.5X to Rs 11 crore, while bad loans increased nearly tenfold to Rs 16 crore. The company also incurred a cost of Rs 21 crore after hackers breached Safexpay’s account and siphoned off the funds. Despite cost-cutting measures, Safexpay struggled to offset revenue declines, causing its net loss to widen to Rs 44 crore in FY24, compared to Rs 22 crore in FY23. Its Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) and EBITDA margin deteriorated to -186% and -42.12%, respectively. On a unit level, the firm spent Rs 1.62 to earn a single rupee in FY24. The Mumbai-based company reported current assets worth Rs 77 crore in FY24 which included Rs 10.5 crore in cash and bank balance. According to TheKredible, Safexpay has raised a total of $6 million of funding to date having Ardor Advisors and Choithram International as its lead investors. The company’s founder owns 44% of the company. The hit that Safexpay is having to endure is the kind of blow that can be fatal. Especially in the fintech business where one could argue that credibility is worth a lot more than money in the bank in this case. Safexpay faces a battle for survival no doubt, and one would have to say that the odds are lengthening unless it can find a long-term backer.

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Zolostays hits Rs 200 Cr revenue in FY24, trims losses

EntrackrEntrackr · 5m ago
Zolostays hits Rs 200 Cr revenue in FY24, trims losses
Medial

Zolostays hits Rs 200 Cr revenue in FY24, trims losses Co-living company Zolostays has achieved a fivefold increase in growth over the last two fiscal years, expanding its revenue from Rs 43 crore in FY22 to more than Rs 200 crore in FY24. Despite this growth, the Nexus Ventures-backed firm maintained control over its losses during this period. Zolostays’ revenue from operations doubled to Rs 204.4 crore in FY24 from Rs 95.5 crore in FY23, as per its consolidated financial statement sourced from the Registrar of Companies (RoC). Zolostays provides co-living spaces to students, professionals, and organizations. Income from residential accommodations and facilities, including service fees and accommodation charges, accounted for 93% of the total operating revenue. This income grew 3.4x to Rs 191 crore in FY24 from Rs 55 crore in FY23. Zolostays also offers services to colleges and universities for managing residential facilities, along with food subscriptions and other amenities. Revenue from this segment dropped 72% to Rs 10.4 crore in FY24. The firm earned Rs 4.6 crore in interest income, bringing its total income to Rs 209 crore in FY24. On the cost front, property management and operational expenses were the largest component, accounting for 52% of total costs. These expenses, which include food, rent, electricity, housekeeping, and consumables, increased 2.3X to Rs 139 crore in FY24 from Rs 60.5 crore in FY23. Its employee benefit expenses increased by 16% to Rs 83 crore in FY24. Legal, advertising, communication, commission, and other overheads took the total cost up by 58% to Rs 266 crore in FY24 from Rs 168 crore in FY23. Zolostays' two-fold growth and controlled expenses led to a 17.4% reduction in losses, down to Rs 57 crore in FY24 from Rs 69 crore in FY23. Its ROCE and EBITDA margin stood at -89.96% and -16.75%, respectively, with an expense-to-revenue ratio of Rs 1.30. In FY24, the Bengaluru-based firm reported current assets of Rs 76 crore, including Rs 34 crore in cash and bank balances. Zolo has raised a total of $118 million of funding to date. According to the startup data intelligence platform TheKredible, Nexus Ventures is the largest external stakeholder with 34% followed by Investcrop and Mirae Asset.

EV maker Ampere’s scale shrinks 46% in FY24; losses multiply 11X

EntrackrEntrackr · 6m ago
EV maker Ampere’s scale shrinks 46% in FY24; losses multiply 11X
Medial

After achieving two-fold growth in FY22 and FY23, electric vehicle maker Ampere experienced a 46% decline in revenue in FY24, with scooter sales plummeting by nearly 60%. Moreover, the company's losses widened more than 10X, driven by the significant decline in scale. Ampere's revenue from operations decreased to Rs 612 crore in the last fiscal year, from Rs 1,124 crore in FY23, its consolidated financial statements accessed from the Registrar of Companies show. Ampere, a brand under Greaves Electric Mobility, focuses on manufacturing electric scooters and three-wheeled vehicles. In FY24, scooter sales, which contributed 70.5% of the company's total operating revenue, declined by 59% to Rs 432 crore. In contrast, sales of three-wheelers surged 2.5X, reaching Rs 178 crore in the last fiscal year. Ampere also added Rs 2 crore from scrap sales and Rs 29 crore from non-operating activities, tallying the overall revenue to Rs 641 crore in FY24, compared to Rs 1,159 crore in FY23. For the EV maker, the cost of procurement of materials formed 61% of the overall expenditure. To the tune of scale, this cost decreased by 40% to Rs 526 crore in FY24. Ampere hired more workforce in FY24, which resulted in its employee benefits increased by 48.5% to Rs 101 crore. Its advertising, legal, warranty, contracting, and other overhead expenses brought the total cost to Rs 857 crore in FY24, down from Rs 1,172 crore in FY23. For a detailed cost breakdown, head to TheKredible. Caveat: We have excluded the exceptional item amounting to Rs 477 crore for calculating net loss as it is a one-time cost and non-operative. Ampere's deteriorating scale and rising employee benefit costs led to a nearly 11X surge in losses, reaching Rs 215 crore in FY24 compared to Rs 20 crore in FY23. Its ROCE and EBITDA margins declined sharply to -45.4% and -27.46%, respectively. The company's expense-to-earnings ratio stood at Rs 1.40. At the end of FY24, Ampere reported total current assets of Rs 352 crore, including cash and bank balances of Rs 62 crore. While it is pretty clear that the onslaught from Ola Electric and legacy players like Hero, Bajaj and TVS has put a brake on growth for Ampere, going by the parent firm's plans for an IPO for the mobility division, it does seem to have the backing for the long haul. Would it still be as comfortable if the planned IPO does not happen? That could mean some pretty tough decisions soon, although the firm has the experience and the pedigree to course correct and find a way out of the hole it has dug itself into.

CityMall hits Rs 450 Cr GMV in FY24 with steady losses

EntrackrEntrackr · 5m ago
CityMall hits Rs 450 Cr GMV in FY24 with steady losses
Medial

CityMall, a social e-commerce platform serving smaller cities and towns, recorded over 23% year-on-year growth for the fiscal year ending March 2024, with its gross revenue exceeding Rs 420 crore. CityMall’s gross revenue (GMV) increased to Rs 427 crore in FY24 from Rs 346.4 crore in FY23, according to its standalone financial statement sourced from the Registrar of Companies (RoC). CityMall sells lifestyle, grocery, and other essentials through a network of community resellers in tier II and III cities. Revenue from product sales accounted for 91.62% of the total operating revenue, which increased by 17.1% to Rs 391.5 crore in FY24. The remaining GMV came from logistics and marketing services, which stood at Rs 35.8 crore. CityMall also made an additional income of Rs 32 crore from interest on deposits and investments that brought its total income to Rs 459 crore in the last fiscal year, compared to Rs 378 crore in FY23. On the expense front, the cost of procurement of products was the largest cost center which rose 20.4% to Rs 390 crore in FY24. CityMall’s employee benefit expenses grew by 7.7% to Rs 91 crore, while transportation costs jumped 45.5% to Rs 56 crore. Overall, the Gurugram-based company’s total expenses increased by 17.7% to Rs 615.2 crore in FY24, compared to Rs 522.7 crore in FY23. In the end, losses for the Accel-backed firm increased by 10% to Rs 159 crore in FY24 from Rs 145 core in FY23. Its ROCE and EBITDA Margins stood at -36.18% and -30.34%, respectively. On a unit basis, the company spent Rs 1.44 to earn a rupee of operating revenue in FY24. The Gurugram-based company reported total current assets of Rs 427 crore at the end of FY24, including Rs 187 crore in cash and bank balance. CityMall has raised over $110 million in funding to date including its $75 million Series C led by Norwest in March 2022. According to the startup data intelligence platform TheKredible Elevation Capital is the largest external stakeholder followed by Accel and Jungle Ventures. DealShare, one of CityMall's closest competitors, saw a 75% decline in gross scale in FY24, while its losses decreased by 66% in the last fiscal.

Purplle hits Rs 700 Cr revenue in FY24, trims losses by 46%

EntrackrEntrackr · 10m ago
Purplle hits Rs 700 Cr revenue in FY24, trims losses by 46%
Medial

The online beauty and grooming platform Purplle secured $120 million in funding, led by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), in July this year. This significant investment came on the back of a 43% year-on-year spike in its revenue in the fiscal year ending March 2024. Besides sizable growth, the Mumbai-based firm also reduced its losses by 46% during the same period. While we will explore Purplle’s expense patterns later in the story, let’s first focus on its revenue channels and their growth in the last fiscal year (FY24). Purplle’s revenue from operations increased to Rs 680 crore in FY24 from Rs 475 crore in FY23, its consolidated financial statements sourced from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) show. The Manish Taneja-led company operates with two models: a marketplace and its own line of brands, such as Faces Canada and Good Vibes. Revenue from advertisement and visibility services was the primary source of income for Purplle, followed by sales of its own labels, royalties (from sellers), subscriptions, and support services. The Goldman Sachs-backed firm also earned Rs 45 crore from interest on investments, bringing its total income to Rs 725 crore in the last fiscal year (FY24), up from Rs 509 crore in FY23. For a detailed revenue breakdown, visit TheKredible. On the cost front, advertising and business promotion accounted for 25% of total expenses. This expense, however, decreased to Rs 209 crore in FY24 from Rs 266 crore in FY23. The company also grew its workforce during FY24, resulting in a 12% increase in employee benefit expenses. Purplle’s spending on materials, rent, information technology, legal services, secondary packaging, transportation, and other miscellaneous overheads pushed its total expenditure to Rs 850 crore in FY24, rising from Rs 738 crore in FY23. See TheKredible for the complete expense breakup. The 43% surge in scale and controlled expenditure, particularly in advertising, helped Purplle to cut its losses by 46% to Rs 124 crore in FY24 as compared to Rs 230 crore in FY23. Its ROCE and EBITDA margin also improved to -9.8% and -12%, respectively. On a unit level, the firm spent Rs 1.25 to earn a rupee in FY24. FY23-FY24 FY23 FY24 EBITDA Margin -39% -12% Expense/₹ of Op Revenue ₹1.55 ₹1.25 ROCE -18% -9.8% As of March 2024, Purplle had cash and bank balances of Rs 109 crore. According to Entrackr’s back-of-the-envelope estimates, its enterprise value to revenue multiple stood at 15.8 times. A large recent funding round, strong growth momentum, and improving margins. Purplle would seem to have everything going for it. However, it has to contend with similar firms that have actually gone public as well, like Nykaa and Mamaearth, ensuring that competitive intensity remain strong in the sector. It is also increasingly clear that owning strong, profitable brands is the key to success, and on this front, Purplle seems to have got it right with its own brands performing well. That would indicate every chance of growth sustaining, and margins improving further in Fy25. Who knows, perhaps even an IPO in FY26?

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