AMP hits near 11-month high as profit rises on demand for investment platforms
Shares up as much as 12.8%
Cost control aids earnings - analysts
Partnership with Entireti for Advice business
Rewrites throughout, adds share moves, background and details, analyst comments
By Rishav Chatterjee and Sneha Kumar
Aug 8 (Reuters) -Australia's AMP AMP.AX reported a higher first-half profit on Thursday, reflecting underlying strength in its investment platforms and resilient cost savings, sending the money manager's shares to a near 11-month high.
The AMP stock hit its highest since late September 2023 and was on track for its best session since April 2022. It rose as much as 12.8% to A$1.275.
"The financial results highlight AMP's efforts to streamline operations and strengthen its market position," said Mark Gardner, head of equities advisory at MPC Markets.
The more than 170-year-old wealth manager reported underlying net profit after tax of A$118 million ($76.88 million) for the six-month period ended June 30, compared with A$112 million a year ago.
The first-half earnings beat market estimates, which analysts at Citi attributed to lower costs, especially from its Platforms and Superannuation & Investments businesses.
"Although much of the earnings beat appears to be cost rather than revenue driven, variable costs are lower than expected and we believe the stock is likely to trade higher on the result," Citi said in a note.
The wealth manager also announced a partnership for its AMP Advice operation with Entireti and AZ NGA. Entireti would acquire AMP's financial advice licensees, with the Australian fund manager retaining a 30% stake in a new joint venture.
"AMP's financial results demonstrate progress in executing strategic initiatives, managing costs, and positioning the company for future growth, particularly through strategic partnerships and diversification efforts," added Gardner.
AMP declared an interim dividend of 2 Australian cents apiece while continuing with its capital management program. It has now returned A$963 million to its investors out of a planned A$1.1 billion.
AMP's banking unit, however, posted a 38.6% drop in half-year profit to A$35 million, impacted by falling margins.
($1 = 1.5344 Australian dollars)
Reporting by Sneha Kumar, Rishav Chatterjee and Adwitiya Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar, Anil D'Silva and Rashmi Aich
免责声明: XM Group仅提供在线交易平台的执行服务和访问权限，并允许个人查看和/或使用网站或网站所提供的内容，但无意进行任何更改或扩展，也不会更改或扩展其服务和访问权限。所有访问和使用权限，将受下列条款与条例约束：(i) 条款与条例；(ii) 风险提示；以及(iii) 完整免责声明。请注意，网站所提供的所有讯息，仅限一般资讯用途。此外，XM所有在线交易平台的内容并不构成，也不能被用于任何未经授权的金融市场交易邀约和/或邀请。金融市场交易对于您的投资资本含有重大风险。
所有在线交易平台所发布的资料，仅适用于教育/资讯类用途，不包含也不应被视为用于金融、投资税或交易相关咨询和建议，或是交易价格纪录，或是任何金融商品或非应邀途径的金融相关优惠的交易邀约或邀请。
本网站上由XM和第三方供应商所提供的所有内容，包括意见、新闻、研究、分析、价格、其他资讯和第三方网站链接，皆保持不变，并作为一般市场评论所提供，而非投资性建议。所有在线交易平台所发布的资料，仅适用于教育/资讯类用途，不包含也不应被视为适用于金融、投资税或交易相关咨询和建议，或是交易价格纪录，或是任何金融商品或非应邀途径的金融相关优惠的交易邀约或邀请。请确保您已阅读并完全理解，XM非独立投资研究提示和风险提示相关资讯，更多详情请点击 这里。
