MA Financial Group Limited (the Group; MA Financial; ASX: MAF) is pleased to present its financial results for the 6 months to 30 June 2024:

Operational highlights

• Record first half gross fund inflows of $1.1 billion, up 16% on 1H23 (up 33% ex. institutional)
• Assets under management (AUM) up 13% on 1H23 to $9.7 billion
• Finsure managed loans up 22% on 1H23 to $121 billion
• MA Money loan book grew 231% on 1H23 to $1.4 billion ($1.6 billion at Aug 2024). Improved net interest margin (NIM) and expected to hit run rate break-even by October 2024
• Corporate Advisory revenue up 12% on 1H23 to $22 million
• Announced two significant institutional initiatives:
  • $1 billion Australian Real Estate Credit vehicle with global growth investor Warburg Pincus
  • $1 billion strategic financing partnership with Humm Group's Flexicommercial unit
• Earnings headwind from growth investment spending anticipated to slow materially in 2H24, driven largely by MA Money growth. Given strong momentum across the business Underlying EPS is anticipated to be materially higher in 2H24 than 1H24

Financial results

• Underlying Revenue of $134.5 million up 5% on 1H23. Recurring revenue up 7% on 1H23 and represents 66% of total Underlying Revenue
• Underlying EBITDA of $38.3 million, down 16% on 1H23. Expenses up 16% largely due to strategic investment spend
• Underlying earnings per share (EPS) of 11.1 cents, down 27% on 1H23. (Statutory EPS down 22% to 8.4 cents)
• Fully franked interim dividend of 6 cents per share, payable on 18 September 2024.

Earnings impact of growth focussed investment diminishing as MA Money delivers

MA Financial today announced its first half result for 2024, highlighted by recurring revenue growth, record first half fund inflows, ongoing growth in Finsure and accelerating loan volume growth and NIM expansion for MA Money.

Despite growth in Underlying Revenue by 5% to $134.5 million, Group Underlying EBITDA of $38.3 million was down 16% on 1H23. This reduction reflects the impact of investment in future growth, including scaling the MA Money platform, expanding the Group’s Private Credit business into the United States and investing in the growth of the MA brand.  Strategic investment in growth initiatives represented an $8.6 million drag on EBITDA during the half (equivalent to Underlying EPS of 4 cents) in line with previous expectations. This impact is anticipated to approximately halve in 2H24, as MA Money reaches profitability following strong loan book growth and steady NIM improvement.

1H24 Underlying Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) of $17.8 million and Underlying EPS of 11.1 cents were both down 27% on 1H23. The larger decline in NPAT was largely due to a 37% increase in net interest expense, as the Group refinanced debt maturities with a successful $70 million public note issuance in 1H24.

The Board has declared a fully franked interim dividend of 6 cents per share, in line with 1H23. Since listing at $2.35 per share in 2017, MA Financial will have paid to its shareholders an aggregate of 98 cents per share in fully franked dividends.

Joint CEOs Julian Biggins and Chris Wyke said:

To access full 1H24 result materials, visit our Shareholder centre