Five-Star Business Finance Limited has appointed Sreeram Ranganathan Iyer as a Non-Executive Independent Director for a five-year term, effective July 25, 2026. The Board of Directors approved the appointment during its meeting held on July 25, 2026, based on the recommendation of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee. This addition to the Board strengthens the company’s governance structure with a leader possessing over 33 years of experience in international banking and corporate operations. The appointment is subject to approval by shareholders at the ensuing Annual General Meeting.

The Board approved Mr. Iyer’s appointment as an Additional Director, designated as a Non-Executive Independent Director, not liable to retire by rotation. He confirmed his independence under Section 149 of the Companies Act, 2013, and Regulation 16 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015. The company disclosed that Mr. Iyer is not debarred from holding the office of Director by virtue of any SEBI Order or other authority.

The appointment was communicated to the National Stock Exchange of India Limited and BSE Limited pursuant to Regulation 30 of the SEBI LODR Regulations, as amended. The disclosure also references SEBI Master Circular no. HO/49/14/14(7)2025-CFD-POD2/1/3762/2026 dated January 30, 2026, and circulars from BSE (LIST/COMP/14/2018-19) and NSE (NSE/CML/2018/24) dated June 30, 2018.

Director Profile

Sreeram Ranganathan Iyer brings extensive global banking experience to the Board. His professional background includes:

Mr. Iyer has previously led digital transformation initiatives and established shared services operations for major financial institutions. His expertise in deploying emerging technologies and enhancing customer experience aligns with the company’s strategic focus on sustainable value creation.

Regulatory Compliance

The company issued the intimation through Vigneshkumar SM, Company Secretary & Compliance Officer. The disclosure confirms no relationships between directors requiring additional reporting. The full disclosure is available on the company’s website under the Compliances section.

Five-Star Business Finance Limited reported a standalone net profit of ₹271.4 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 (Q1FY27), marking a 1.9% year-on-year increase from ₹266.3 crore in Q1FY26. The NBFC achieved its highest-ever quarterly disbursements at ₹1,496 crore, up 16% YoY and 23% sequentially, driving Assets Under Management (AUM) growth of 10% to ₹13,722 crore. This operational momentum offset slight margin compression, as the company navigated higher employee costs while maintaining robust collection efficiency. The strong disbursement trajectory positions the company to meet its full-year growth guidance comfortably, according to management commentary.

The Board of Directors, meeting on July 25, 2026, approved the unaudited financial results reviewed by Statutory Auditors M/s Deloitte Haskins & Sells under Regulation 33 and Regulation 52 of the SEBI LODR Regulations. The audit firm issued an unmodified limited review report. Additionally, the Board submitted the security cover certificate for non-convertible debentures as per Regulation 54(2) and 54(3) of the SEBI LODR Regulations. The company also appointed Mr. Sreeram Ranganathan Iyer as an Additional Director in the capacity of Non-Executive Independent Director, effective July 25, 2026, subject to shareholder approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled for August 31, 2026.

Key Financial Metrics

Total revenue from operations grew 5.4% to ₹828.9 crore, primarily supported by a rise in interest income to ₹807.6 crore from ₹764.7 crore in the prior year quarter. Fees and commission income also increased to ₹13.6 crore from ₹9.6 crore. However, total expenses rose 9.1% to ₹476.8 crore, largely due to higher employee benefit expenses of ₹188.9 crore compared to ₹156.1 crore in the previous year. Impairment on financial instruments stood at ₹61.8 crore, up from ₹47.8 crore YoY.

Operational Highlights and Asset Quality

Chairman & Managing Director Lakshmipathy Deenadayalan highlighted that Q1FY27 represents a positive beginning to the fiscal year, underpinned by strong traction in disbursements and stabilization in collections. Unique customer collection efficiency (excluding NPAs) remained strong at 97.9%, compared to 98.1% in Q4FY26. X-bucket collections stood at 99.2%, reflecting sustained repayment discipline. The slippage ratio remained steady at 0.70%, similar to Q4FY26, while credit cost improved to 1.85% of average AUM from 1.88% in the preceding quarter.

Gross Stage 3 Assets increased marginally to 3.46% from 3.37% in Q4FY26 and 2.46% in Q1FY26. Net Stage 3 Assets rose to 2.10% from 2.00% in Q4FY26. The provision coverage ratio on Stage 3 assets was 40.14%, with total ECL provisions standing at ₹244 crore (excluding inter-corporate deposits), translating to 1.78% of overall AUM. The debt-equity ratio improved to 1.03 from 1.11, signaling a stronger capital base.

Funding and Liquidity

The company availed incremental debt of ₹450 crore during the quarter at an all-inclusive cost of 8.33%. The cost of funds on the overall borrowing book eased sequentially to 8.80% from 8.95% in Q4FY26, a reduction of 15 basis points, despite uncertain liquidity conditions. Total borrowings, including debt securities, stood at ₹7,866 crore as of June 30, 2026. The company maintained liquidity of ₹1,847 crore, resulting in a liquidity coverage ratio of 296%. Net Interest Margin (NIM), computed as a percentage of Average AUM, remained stable at 19.97%, down slightly from 20.07% in Q4FY26.

What the Numbers Show

While revenue growth remained healthy at 5.4%, the net profit margin contracted slightly to 32.36% from 33.66% in Q1FY26. This divergence indicates that cost pressures, particularly in employee benefits and impairments, outpaced top-line gains. However, the significant improvement in disbursement volumes (+23% QoQ) and AUM growth (+10% YoY) suggests that the company is successfully scaling its portfolio. The stabilization of credit costs and steady slippage ratios indicate that asset quality remains manageable despite the marginal rise in Stage 3 assets. The reduction in cost of funds supports future margin expansion if yield trends stabilize.