Employees, including key managerial personnel (KMP), from nearly 50 companies have acquired stocks worth ₹284 crore through Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) in the first quarter of 2025, according to data compiled from the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
Among the prominent buyers, Rajeev Jain, Managing Director of Bajaj Finance, purchased shares worth ₹40.5 crore, increasing his stake in the company to 0.06%. Jain had received a similar volume of shares in FY24 when Bajaj Finance issued him ₹52.22 crore worth of equity shares under its stock option scheme.
Additionally, he received ₹29.2 crore in share-based payments, bringing his total remuneration for FY24 to ₹101.42 crore, as per the company’s annual report.
Other top executives who acquired substantial company stocks include Malay Joshi of Wipro, who purchased shares worth ₹13.5 crore, and Vinay Ahuja, Executive Director at 360 ONE Wealth, with acquisitions valued at ₹9.9 crore.
Nikhil Chopra of JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals bought shares worth ₹16.9 crore, while Abhishek Poddar of HDFC AMC acquired ₹6.6 crore in stocks. Sailesh Bhan of Nippon Life India Asset Management and Ruzbeh Irani of Mahindra & Mahindra also made significant purchases, acquiring shares worth ₹6.5 crore and ₹5.0 crore, respectively.
Wipro, which appointed Malay Joshi as CEO of its ‘Americas 1’ Strategic Market Unit in April last year, recorded over ₹21 crore worth of employee stock acquisitions in Q1 2025 alone.
Companies from the IT and financial sectors dominated the ESOP transactions, with major firms such as Infosys, HCL Technologies, Wipro, LTIMindtree, Mastek, Coforge, and Birlasoft featuring prominently on the list. Despite the increased stock acquisitions by employees, the IT sector has faced significant market challenges.
The Nifty IT Index, which has been the second-worst performing sectoral index after Realty, has dropped 15.4% this year. This is in stark contrast to the Nifty50 index, which has seen a relatively smaller decline of 2% during the same period.
An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a benefit scheme that grants employees an ownership stake in their company. These plans can be structured as direct stock grants, profit-sharing arrangements, or bonuses. Employers retain discretion over eligibility and allocation, allowing them to incentivize and reward employees effectively.
The surge in ESOP acquisitions by key executives highlights growing confidence in company performance, despite sectoral market fluctuations. As industries navigate evolving financial landscapes, ESOPs continue to serve as a strategic tool for employee engagement and long-term value creation.
Employees, including key managerial personnel from nearly 50 companies, acquired stocks worth ₹284 crore through ESOPs in Q1 2025, with major purchases from Bajaj Finance’s Rajeev Jain (₹40.5 crore) and Wipro’s Malay Joshi (₹13.5 crore).
IT and financial firms led the acquisitions despite market challenges, highlighting continued confidence in company performance and ESOPs as a strategic incentive tool.
Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. This does not constitute a personal recommendation/investment advice. It does not aim to influence any individual or entity to make investment decisions. Recipients should conduct their own research and assessments to form an independent opinion about investment decisions.
Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing.
Published on: Mar 21, 2025, 10:59 AM IST
Team Angel One
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