Very promising numbers
Very promising numbersEARNINGS/SALES RELEASES
Swissquote announced yesterday both revenues and the pre-tax margin for 2019. The two numbers are above guidance at CHF230m and CHF50m, respectively. Management confirmed its guidance for 2022 and the full report will be available on 17 March. Swissquote was up 10% yesterday is up 3.5% today.
FACT
Revenues at CHF230m were in the mid-range of management’s guidance and slightly above our expectations. Pre-tax margin was also higher than guidance (at CHF48m) and 6% above our own forecasts. While we do not have any further details (until 17 March) regarding the split in revenues, the increase in assets positively surprised (at CHF32.3bn vs CHF31bn for our expectations). Following this good set of results, we are confident of increasing our numbers going into 2020 and 2021, even more as management confirmed its ambitious guidance for 2022.
ANALYSIS
With financial markets enjoying the current strong momentum, Swissquote’s assets have mechanically increased as well. It has also gathered about CHF4.6bn in 2019. Management is targeting about CHF36bn of assets under custody in 2022 to reach its CHF320m revenue target. Given the ongoing gathering, this level should be reached even if financial markets have a pause.
Even if we remain wary regarding the revenue guidance due to the uncertain level of interest rates going into 2022, we are comfortable in increasing our bottom line to get closer to management’s guidance of CHF100m pre-tax margin for 2022 (we currently expect a CHF64m pre-tax margin for 2021).
Share is up 13% in the last two days and even 22% since the beginning of December. Recent M&A operations have helped (and will help) the repricing of the sector. While consolidation has started in the very competitive US market (Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade), operations should help increase multiples in Europe as well. The acquisition of DeGiro by Flatex recently (December) was done at a price of 4.3x P/Sales (an investor has currently to pay about 3.5x for Swissquote).
IMPACT
While we will have more details regarding the P&L numbers in the 2019 annual report, the higher than expected pre-tax margin, the confirmation of the guidance and the rerating of the sector’s multiples make us confident of increasing our bottom line for Swissquote.
Swissquote Group Holding is engaged in the provision of Online Financial Services. Co. provides online securities trading services (including custody services) and quantitative asset management services (ePrivate Banking among others) to self-directed private investors, independent asset managers, investment funds, and third party financial institutions. Co. provides access to over-the-counter FX markets through in-house technology platform to retail customers, money managers, and third-party financial institutions. In addition, Co. operates an online bank that accepts deposits in the form of current accounts and saving accounts from its customers.
AlphaValue Corporate Services capitalise on the research and credit analysis expertise deployed by AlphaValue with major institutional investors at European level over the past nine years. The proprietary tools and processes enabling AlphaValue Corporate Services to establish a valuation and/or a credit risk assessment are identical to those used by AlphaValue to the benefit of its institutional clients. The only difference is the recognition that a company evaluation cannot be dissociated from the fact that the latter is paying for the service (AlphaValue Corporate Services), as opposed to the investor footing the bill (AlphaValue). AlphaValue’s research tools are characterised by the transparency of the valuation methodologies, their responsiveness to market data and by nine years’ experience of a universe numbering more than 450 European companies. Through its coverage and sector exhaustiveness, AlphaValue ranks alongside the major research houses in Europe and constitutes the only new entrant to the European space in the past decade. This significant presence is reflected in an unrivalled distribution capability via platforms commonly adopted by investors to access research: Factset, Bloomberg, Capital IQ and the numerous websites. AlphaValue is one the largest research contributors to these platforms, to the benefit of AlphaValue Corporate Services issuer clients. The AlphaValue Corporate Services analysts are AlphaValue’s sector specialists. Their robust knowledge of the business models in their sectors enables the rapid generation of incisive, relevant research and advantageous interaction with the management teams.
Unfortunately, this report is not available for the investor type or country you selected.
Browse all ResearchPool reportsReport is subscription only.
Thank you, your report is ready.
Thank you, your report is ready.