{
  "id": 7942659,
  "title": "Analysts back Grab’s Atome buy, even if earnings boost takes time to arrive",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/analysts-back-grabs-atome-buy-even-if-earnings-boost-takes-time-to",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-17T03:50:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Business Times - Companies & Markets",
    "slug": "the-business-times-companies-markets",
    "url": "https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/analysts-back-grabs-atome-buy-even-if-earnings-boost-takes-time-arrive"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Regional brokerages are applauding Grab's planned US$1.5 billion acquisition of Malaysia-based digital lender Atome Financial, seeing it as a strategic move to quickly expand its digital lending footprint across South-east Asia. The Singapore-headquartered super-app will initially buy a 60% stake in Atome, funding the deal with its $5.3 billion cash balance. Phase 1 is slated to complete in Q3 2027, with a second phase to acquire the remaining 40% two years later at a valuation between $2 billion and $4.5 billion, contingent on performance. Analysts view the deal as a shortcut to gain Atome's 25 million users, 30,000 merchant partners, and $1 billion in gross loan portfolio. While the earnings boost will come later, it could propel Grab's adjusted EBITDA targets to $1.7 billion for 2028 from the previous $1.5 billion forecast, and drive revenue growth above 30% CAGR through 2028. However, the shares have fallen 6.8% over two days following the announcement, trading around $2.87, down about 56.6% since September 2025. Analysts attribute the sell-off to Toyota's sale of its 5% stake, rather than the deal itself.",
  "summary": "Brokerages praise the deal’s strategic logic for US-listed Grab",
  "key_points": [
    "Grab plans US$1.5B acquisition of Atome Financial, 60% stake initially",
    "Deal aims to expand digital lending footprint in SE Asia quickly",
    "Analysts see boost to Grab's adjusted EBITDA and revenue growth"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Grab's acquisition of Atome Financial strategically expands its digital lending presence in South-east Asia, likely driving revenue growth and adjusted EBITDA targets, despite a short-term share price dip.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Finextra",
        "title": "Grab agrees $1.49bn deal to buy majority stake in Apac BNPL platform Atome",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/grab-agrees-1-49bn-deal-to-buy-majority-stake-in-apac-bnpl-platform",
        "published": "2026-09-16T23:34:43.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}