IG Group's Earnings Take a Hit in Tough Market

IG Group’s Earnings Take a Hit in Tough Market

Time Stamp: January 25, 2024 2:38 AM
Source Node: 2455241

Softer
market conditions and lower volatility across asset classes translated into
lower revenue and profits for IG Group Holdings plc (IG) in the first six
months of fiscal 2024 (FY24).

Total
revenue declined 9% to £472.6 million from £519.1 million a year before. Net
trading revenue fell 19% to £402.4 million from £494.9 million reported in the
same period in 2023.

IG Group’s adjusted profit before tax declined 21% to £205.7 million from £260.7 million last year. The after-tax profit shrank even more, by 32%, to £154.8 million. Along with this, the earnings per share indicator also fell, shrinking from 49.7 pence to 38.9 pence.

The base of
active clients also slightly decreased, dropping from 312,000 to 296,300. The
number of newly acquired clients decreased from 37,500 to 33,800.

H1 FY24

H1 FY24 adjusted

H1 FY23

H1 FY23 adjusted

Change

%

Adjusted change %

Total revenue(£m)

472.6

472.6

519.1

519.1

(9%)

(9%)

Net trading revenue (£m)

402.4

402.4

494.9

494.9

(19%)

(19%)

Total operating costs2 (£m)

310.4

281.1

279.9

256.8

11%

9%

Profit before tax3 (£m)

176.4

205.7

240.5

260.7

(27%)

(21%)

Profit after tax (£m)

132.7

154.8

194.9

211.3

(32%)

(27%)

Basic earnings per share (p)

33.4

38.9

45.8

49.7

(27%)

(22%)

Interim dividend per share (p)

13.56

–

13.26

–

2%

–

Are there
any positives? The adjusted profit margin remained strong at 43.5%. Net
interest income also rose significantly to £70.2 million from £24.2 million,
driven by higher interest rates.

Moreover,
Acting CEO Charlie Rozes said IG Group’s exposure to diverse revenue streams
will drive further growth as it executes its strategy.

“It’s
encouraging to see the benefits of our diversification strategy paying off,
despite a mixed trading backdrop for our clients, driven by persistently low
levels of market volatility in Q1 and Q2,” Rozes added.

IG Launches Cost Savings
Program

At a time
when both pre-tax and after-tax profits were clearly shrinking, total operating
costs were rising. In the reported period, they amounted to £310.4 million, an
11% increase compared to H1 of the fiscal year 2023.

The company
launched a cost savings program targeting £50 million in annual savings by 2026
to combat this increase. IG Group also reduced its regulatory capital
requirement by 40% and returned capital to shareholders, repurchasing £149.2
million of shares.

“We’ve
taken action to control growth in the cost base, significantly reducing the
rate of cost growth from FY23, yet still making selective investments in the
business,” the CEO of IG Group explained.

Softer
market conditions and lower volatility across asset classes translated into
lower revenue and profits for IG Group Holdings plc (IG) in the first six
months of fiscal 2024 (FY24).

Total
revenue declined 9% to £472.6 million from £519.1 million a year before. Net
trading revenue fell 19% to £402.4 million from £494.9 million reported in the
same period in 2023.

IG Group’s adjusted profit before tax declined 21% to £205.7 million from £260.7 million last year. The after-tax profit shrank even more, by 32%, to £154.8 million. Along with this, the earnings per share indicator also fell, shrinking from 49.7 pence to 38.9 pence.

The base of
active clients also slightly decreased, dropping from 312,000 to 296,300. The
number of newly acquired clients decreased from 37,500 to 33,800.

H1 FY24

H1 FY24 adjusted

H1 FY23

H1 FY23 adjusted

Change

%

Adjusted change %

Total revenue(£m)

472.6

472.6

519.1

519.1

(9%)

(9%)

Net trading revenue (£m)

402.4

402.4

494.9

494.9

(19%)

(19%)

Total operating costs2 (£m)

310.4

281.1

279.9

256.8

11%

9%

Profit before tax3 (£m)

176.4

205.7

240.5

260.7

(27%)

(21%)

Profit after tax (£m)

132.7

154.8

194.9

211.3

(32%)

(27%)

Basic earnings per share (p)

33.4

38.9

45.8

49.7

(27%)

(22%)

Interim dividend per share (p)

13.56

–

13.26

–

2%

–

Are there
any positives? The adjusted profit margin remained strong at 43.5%. Net
interest income also rose significantly to £70.2 million from £24.2 million,
driven by higher interest rates.

Moreover,
Acting CEO Charlie Rozes said IG Group’s exposure to diverse revenue streams
will drive further growth as it executes its strategy.

“It’s
encouraging to see the benefits of our diversification strategy paying off,
despite a mixed trading backdrop for our clients, driven by persistently low
levels of market volatility in Q1 and Q2,” Rozes added.

IG Launches Cost Savings
Program

At a time
when both pre-tax and after-tax profits were clearly shrinking, total operating
costs were rising. In the reported period, they amounted to £310.4 million, an
11% increase compared to H1 of the fiscal year 2023.

The company
launched a cost savings program targeting £50 million in annual savings by 2026
to combat this increase. IG Group also reduced its regulatory capital
requirement by 40% and returned capital to shareholders, repurchasing £149.2
million of shares.

“We’ve
taken action to control growth in the cost base, significantly reducing the
rate of cost growth from FY23, yet still making selective investments in the
business,” the CEO of IG Group explained.

Time Stamp:

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