Eternal, the parent entity of Zomato, has approved a new round of employee stock options (ESOPs) covering over 74 lakh equity shares, reinforcing its long-term employee incentive strategy.
The company’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee has sanctioned the grant of 64.13 lakh stock options to eligible employees under multiple schemes, including the Foodie Bay ESOP 2014, Zomato ESOP 2021, and Zomato ESOP 2024.
Based on the current market price of ₹224.7 per share, the newly allocated ESOPs are valued at approximately ₹167 crore.
Each stock option is convertible into one fully paid-up equity share with a face value of ₹1, offering employees an opportunity to participate in the company’s long-term value creation.
This latest grant follows a similar allocation made in October last year, when the company had issued an equivalent number of stock options under its existing ESOP frameworks.
The repeated grants highlight Eternal’s continued focus on equity-based compensation as a tool for talent retention and alignment.
The exercise period for these options varies across schemes. Under ESOP 2014 and ESOP 2021, employees can exercise their options within 10 years from vesting or 12 years from listing, whichever is later.
For ESOP 2024, the exercise window extends up to 10 years from the date of vesting.
As per the latest disclosures, employee trusts collectively hold 54.56 crore ESOP options, accounting for nearly 6 per cent of the company’s total equity base.
This reflects a substantial level of employee participation in ownership.
In its third-quarter results for FY26, Eternal reported revenue from operations of ₹16,315 crore and a net profit of ₹102 crore, underscoring steady financial performance alongside its employee-centric initiatives.
Source – https://www.bwpeople.in/article/eternal-grants-167-crore-esops-to-employees-600908