Money

Post Market Wrap | Iress not to proceed with divestment of UK Mortgages business

Published

4 years ago

April 12, 2022

Michael Kodari - KOSEC Author

This Post Market Wrap is presented by KOSEC – Kodari Securities

Iress not to proceed with divestment of UK Mortgages business
Prospective purchasers‘ valuations fell short of price expectations
Mortgage business to be retained
2022 outlook reaffirmed; Underlying Net Profit After Tax up by 25-37 percent
Underlying 2022 Earnings Per Share 40 to 44 cents.
Strong profit outlook to 2025 reaffirmed.

IRESS Limited (Iress or the Company) provides core operating systems to the stockbroking, wealth management and institutional funds management industries. The Company provides software and services for trading and market data, financial advice, investment management, mortgages superannuation, life and pensions and data intelligence. It employs 2300 people, and its software and data feeds are used by 10,000 businesses and 500,000 users globally. The company operates in Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe, South Africa and Canada.

Mortgage business retained

The Mortgage business divestment process has come to an end after prospective purchasers’ valuations fell short of the Board’s price expectations. This follows a Board led strategy review in 2021 where it was determined that higher returns could be achieved under new ownership. This would enable the sale proceeds to be redeployed to enhance returns to Iress shareholders.

During the sale process, the Board observed that global market volatility increased, and technology company valuations declined.

Just two months ago, on 17 February, the Board stated their Mortgage business was performing well with 2 more projects completed in the year and a strong and growing new sales pipeline. The Board added that the Company is assessing the potential to divest the business and distribute proceeds to shareholders.

Today the Board have concluded that the best outcome for shareholders, clients and people is for Iress to retain the business. The Chief Executive commented: “The Mortgages business continues to perform strongly, contributing £16.1m of revenue and £6.4m of net profit after tax in 2021. In recent months, Mortgages has increased its pipeline of opportunities as lenders demand greater scale, efficiency and automation in mortgage processing.”

2022 outlook reaffirmed

Full year 2022 earnings guidance has been reaffirmed, although the earnings estimate now includes the Mortgages business. The full year 2022 Underlying Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) is estimated to grow by 25-37 percent. This translates to an estimated Earnings Per Share guidance of 40 to 44 cents.

Earnings estimates out to 2025 remain unchanged. Including the Mortgages business, NPAT is has been estimated to be in the range of $120 million to $135 million. The Company also disclosed that despite the Mortgage business not being divested, the $100 million share buy-back program currently underway, will be completed as planned.

It is noteworthy that the NPAT contribution from the Mortgage business in 2025 is estimated at 13 percent of total NPAT of the Company. This is a slight decline from 17 percent of NPAT, in 2022.

Importantly, the decision not to pursue the sale of the Mortgages business has not altered the medium-term earnings outlook of Iress. The Company continues to exhibit annual earnings growth rates of more than 20 percent per annum out to 2024 and an estimated 12.5 percent in 2025.

The Company’s 2025 Underlying NPAT target (including Mortgages) is estimated at $135 million. This compares to NPAT of $73.8 million recorded in the 2021 financial year.

This Post Market Wrap is presented by Kodari Securities, written by Michael Kodari, CEO at KOSEC.

Money

Are we in an AI bubble or just a market reality check?

Tech stocks falter as AI boom faces reality; market shifts towards gold amidst growing investor caution.

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2025

Ahron Young

Tech stocks falter as AI boom faces reality; market shifts towards gold amidst growing investor caution.

Global tech stocks are losing altitude as investors question whether the AI boom has gone too far — or if the market is simply returning to earth after years of euphoric growth. With valuations for chipmakers and AI giants stretched to perfection, analysts warn that expectations may finally be colliding with economic reality.

In this segment, Brad Gastwirth from Circular Technologies joins us to unpack the trillion-dollar question: is this a healthy correction or the first crack in the AI gold rush? From hyperscaler capex surges to regulatory risks and fragile market leadership, he breaks down what’s driving investor nerves.

We also explore how the market rotation into gold and real assets reflects growing caution, and what this could mean for the future of AI-driven investing.

Subscribe to never miss an episode of Ticker – https://www.youtube.com/@weareticker

#AIBubble #TechStocks #MarketCorrection #Semiconductors #Investing #FinanceNews #AIStocks #TickerNews

Money

Inflation rise reduces chances of Reserve Bank rate cut

Inflation spikes, drastically reducing chances of a Reserve Bank rate cut amid economic pressures and rising costs

Published

1 week ago

October 29, 2025

ticker NEWS

Inflation spikes, drastically reducing chances of a Reserve Bank rate cut amid economic pressures and rising costs

In Short:
– Rate cut likelihood by the Reserve Bank has decreased due to a rise in annual inflation to 3.2 per cent.
– Significant price increases in housing, recreation, and transport are raising concerns for the Reserve Bank.

The likelihood of a rate cut by the Reserve Bank has decreased significantly after a surge in annual inflation.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that inflation for the year ending September rose to 3.2 per cent, reflecting a 1.1 per cent increase.

Trimmed mean inflation, a crucial measure for the Reserve Bank, was recorded at 1 per cent for the quarter and 3 per cent for the year. The bank anticipates inflation to reach 3 per cent by year-end, while trimmed mean inflation is expected to slightly decrease.

The quarterly rise of 1.3 per cent in September exceeded expectations. Governor Bullock noted that a deviation from the Reserve Bank’s projections could have material implications.

Financial markets reacted promptly, with the Australian dollar rising against the US dollar, while the ASX200 index fell.

The most significant price increases were observed in housing, recreation, and transport, indicating widespread price pressures that concern the Reserve Bank.

Despite the unexpected inflation rise, some economists believe the Reserve Bank may still consider rate cuts in December, viewing current price spikes as temporary due to the winding back of subsidies.

Economic Pressures

Broad-based economic pressures suggest that the Reserve Bank may not reduce interest rates at its upcoming meeting. Analysts highlight the need for ongoing support for households facing cost-of-living challenges.

Money

Wall Street hits record highs on low inflation

Wall Street hits record highs on cool inflation and strong earnings ahead of key Federal Reserve interest rate decision

Published

2 weeks ago

October 26, 2025

Ahron Young

Wall Street hits record highs on cool inflation and strong earnings ahead of key Federal Reserve interest rate decision

In Short:
– U.S. stocks rose to record highs on Friday due to lower inflation and strong corporate earnings.
– Key earnings reports from major companies are expected next week, influencing market trends.

U.S. stocks rose to record highs on Friday due to lower-than-expected inflation data and positive corporate earnings.The S&P 500 and Nasdaq achieved their largest weekly gains since August. The Dow saw its biggest jump from Friday to Friday since June.

The Labor Department reported that the Consumer Price Index was slightly cooler than analysts’ predictions, easing concerns about inflation impacts from tariffs. This development suggests a likely interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve at its upcoming meeting.

Ryan Detrick from Carson Group noted the positive inflation news may facilitate forthcoming Fed rate cuts. Despite the ongoing government shutdown affecting data releases, this CPI report provided much-needed clarity.

Earnings reports are continuing, with 143 S&P 500 companies having reported results. Growth expectations for third-quarter earnings have risen to 10.4%. Detrick indicated a strong opening to the earnings season with a significant percentage of companies exceeding expectations.

This coming week, key earnings will be reported from Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Apple, alongside industrial companies like Caterpillar and Boeing.

The Dow rose 472.51 points to 47,207.12. The S&P 500 increased by 53.25 points to 6,791.69, while the Nasdaq gained 263.07 points, reaching 23,204.87.

Alphabet gained 2.7% following a deal expansion with Anthropic. Coinbase saw a 9.8% increase from a JPMorgan upgrade. In contrast, Deckers Outdoor’s shares fell 15.2% after lowering sales forecasts.