INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
SoftBank-backed Oyo Hotels and Homes' internal projections showed it may not make a profit in India and China until 2022, even as the
India-based hotel chain revealed a six-fold rise in losses during fiscal year 2019.The losses highlight rapid expansion by Oyo into China,
the United States, the United Kingdom and other markets, which has made the six-year-old startup one of the world's biggest hospitality
brands by room count.A valuation report filed with local regulators showed "management certified" financial projections for each of Oyo's
markets including its mainstay India and China units.Oyo's India business will likely make losses until 2021, after which it could report
a net profit after tax of $45.2 million in 2022, which could expand by nearly 13 times to $586.9 million in two years, the projections
showed.An Oyo spokeswoman had no immediate comment on the projections and it was not immediately clear when the projections were
made.Overall, Oyo reported a net loss of Rs 2,385 crore in the year to March 2019, compared with a loss of Rs 360 crore a year earlier,
according to the valuation report filed with India's ministry of corporate affairs
Revenue from operations surged to Rs 6,457 crore from about 14.13 billion rupees a year earlier.Oyo said in a statement the report contained
only "certain provisional financials" for the year ending March 2019
"These are not the final audited financials and the same will be issued later by the company along with the annual report that we issue
every year."The report, prepared by a valuer in Gurugram, where Oyo is headquartered, said the financials for the year to March 2019 were
unaudited and the figures were provided by Oyo's management.The growing losses at Oyo come as its major investor SoftBank struggles to
raise funding for a second investment fund, after the failed listing of office-rental company WeWork and amid questions about the path to
profitability of other marquee investments like Uber.SoftBank, which has invested nearly $1 billion in Oyo through its Vision Fund, this
month reported its first quarterly loss in 14 years, dragged down by an $8.9 billion hit at the Vision Fund.Oyo's operating expenses grew
nearly five-fold year-over-year to Rs 6,132 crore, while total expenses hit Rs 9,028 crore, the report showed.Oyo, valued at $10 billion,
allows guests to book hotels through its mobile app and charges partnering hotels a fee on room revenue
It also franchises its brand and offers standardized amenities at hotels on its network.China is Oyo's biggest market by room count and
the company says it is the country's biggest hotel chain.Oyo's China unit could post a $394.9 million profit in 2022, which could then
grow to $1.65 billion by 2024, the projections showed, implying a four-fold jump in net profit in two years.Some of Oyo's other units,
including the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and Thailand, may not make a profit until 2023, the projections showed.Its United
States unit may still be in the red until 2023, the projections showed.Get Breaking news, live coverage, and Latest News from India and
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