Interactive Brokers Group Announces 1Q2015 Results
Reports Comprehensive Earnings per Share of $0.24,
Loss Before Taxes Of $111 Million on $172 Million in Net Revenues,
and Earnings Per Share on Net Loss of $0.22.
Declares Quarterly Dividend of $0.10 Per Share.
GREENWICH, CONN, April 21, 2015 - Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: IBKR) an automated global electronic broker and market maker, today reported diluted earnings per share on a comprehensive basis of ($0.24) for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, compared to diluted earnings per share on a comprehensive basis of $0.35 for the same period in 2014.
Excluding other comprehensive income, the Company reported diluted earnings per share of ($0.22) for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.34 for the same period in 2014.
The results for the first quarter of 2015 were negatively impacted by a $121 million net loss due to the sudden move in the value of the Swiss franc, causing several of our customers who held currency futures and spot positions to suffer losses in excess of their deposits with us; and a $197 million loss on our currency diversification strategy due to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against other major currencies.
Net revenues were $172 million and the loss before income taxes was $111 million this quarter, compared to net revenues of $355 million and income before income taxes of $218 million for the same period in 2014.
The Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share. This dividend is payable on June 12, 2015 to shareholders of record as of June 1, 2015.
Business Highlights
- 18% Electronic Brokerage pretax profit margin for this quarter, or 63% excluding the negative impact of the sudden move in the value of the Swiss franc.
- 40% Market Making pretax profit margin for this quarter, down from 59% in the year-ago quarter.
- Customer equity grew 25% from the year-ago quarter to $61.2 billion and customer debits increased by 20% to $17.3 billion.
- Customer accounts increased 17% from the year-ago quarter to 296 thousand.
- Total DARTs increased 11% from year-ago quarter to 648 thousand.
- Brokerage segment equity was $3.1 billion. Total equity was $5.0 billion.
Segment Overview
Electronic Brokerage
Electronic Brokerage segment income before income taxes decreased 62%, to $51 million, in the quarter ended March 31, 2015 compared to the same period last year, due to unsecured customer losses caused by the sudden move in the value of the Swiss franc as further described below. Excluding the impact of this unusual item segment income before taxes grew 27% to a record $172 million as compared to the year-ago quarter. Customer accounts grew 17% to 296 thousand and customer equity increased 25% to $61.2 billion from the year-ago quarter.
Commissions and execution fees increased 9%. Net interest income grew 35% from the year-ago quarter, to $89 million. Pretax profit margin was 18% in quarter ended March 31, 2015, down from 60% in same period last year. Excluding $121 million in net losses related to the unusual item, pretax profit margin was 63% in the current quarter.
Total DARTs (1), for cleared and execution-only customers, increased 11% to a record 648 thousand from the year-ago quarter. Cleared DARTs were 590 thousand, 12% higher than the same period last year.
Market Making
Market Making segment income before income taxes decreased 59%, to $27 million, in the quarter ended March 31, 2015. This decrease was driven by a market making environment with persistent low volatility and intensive competition. Pretax profit margin decreased to 40% in the current quarter from 59% in same period last year. Market Making options contract volume decreased 7% compared to the year-ago quarter.
Sudden Move in the Value of the Swiss Franc
As disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, on January 15, 2015, due to the sudden move in the value of the Swiss franc that followed an unprecedented action by the Swiss National Bank, several of our customers who held currency futures and spot positions suffered losses in excess of their deposits with us. We took immediate action to hedge our exposure to the foreign currency receivables from these customers. During the first quarter of 2015, we incurred losses, net of hedging activity, of $121 million. We are actively pursuing collection of these debts. The ultimate effect of this incident on our results will depend upon the outcome of our debt collection efforts.
Effects of Foreign Currency Diversification
In connection with our currency strategy, we have determined to base our net worth in GLOBALs, a basket of 16 major currencies in which we hold our equity. In this quarter, our currency diversification strategy decreased our comprehensive earnings by $197 million, as the U.S. dollar value of the GLOBAL decreased by approximately 3.8%. The effects of the currency diversification strategy are reported as components of (1) Other Income in the Corporate segment (described below) and (2) Other Comprehensive Income ("OCI").
Presentation of Foreign Currency Effects
In the fourth quarter of 2014, we took several steps to improve the transparency of our currency strategy, as a result of which nearly all currency translation gains and losses related to the GLOBAL are reported as Other Income instead of Trading Gains and these gains and losses are reported in the Corporate segment instead of the Market Making segment.
These actions isolate the income statement effects of our currency diversification in the Corporate segment, thereby leaving a clearer picture of the core operating results in the Market Making segment. The new reporting method is also reflected in the comparative historical periods contained in our financial statements.
Conference Call Information:
Interactive Brokers Group will hold a conference call with investors today, April 21, 2015, at 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss its quarterly results. Investors who would like to listen to the conference call live should dial 877-324-1965 (U.S. domestic) and 631-291-4512 (international). The number should be dialed approximately ten minutes prior to the start of the conference call. Ask for the "Interactive Brokers Conference Call."
The conference call will also be accessible simultaneously, and through replays, as an audio webcast through the Investor Relations section of the Interactive Brokers web site, www.interactivebrokers.com/ir.
About Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.:
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, is an automated global electronic broker that specializes in catering to financial professionals by offering state-of-the-art trading technology, superior execution capabilities, worldwide electronic access, and sophisticated risk management tools at exceptionally low costs. The brokerage trading platform utilizes the same innovative technology as the Company's market making business, which specializes in routing orders and executing and processing trades in securities, futures, foreign exchange instruments, bonds and funds on more than 100 electronic exchanges and trading venues around the world. As a market maker, we provide liquidity at these marketplaces and, as a broker, we provide professional traders and investors with electronic access to stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and mutual funds from a single IB Universal AccountSM. Employing proprietary software on a global communications network, Interactive Brokers is continuously integrating its software with a growing number of exchanges and trading venues into one automatically functioning, computerized platform that requires minimal human intervention.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
The foregoing information contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current views with respect to certain current and future events and financial performance. These forward-looking statements are and will be, as the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to the Company's operations and business environment which may cause the Company's actual results to be materially different from any future results, expressed or implied, in these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to the company on the date of this release. The company does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that any statements expressed or implied therein will not be realized. Additional information on risk factors that could potentially affect the Company's financial results may be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. Media: Caitlin Duffy, 203-913-1369 or Investors: Patrick Brennan, 203-618-4070.
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Operating Data
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries, continued
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Segment Financial Information (Unaudited)
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. And Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. And Subsidiaries Earnings per Share on Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)
