GREENWICH, Conn. - Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ:IBKR) Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR), a global automated electronic broker with a market capitalization of $75.46 billion, disclosed its Electronic Brokerage monthly metrics for December, revealing significant year-over-year growth in client equity and trading activity. The company’s strong performance is reflected in its impressive 110.24% return over the past year, according to InvestingPro data.
The firm reported Daily Average Revenue Trades (DARTs) of 3.267 million for the month, marking a 66% increase compared to the previous year, although slightly down by 1% from the prior month. Client equity ended at $568.2 billion, a notable 33% rise from the prior year, with a marginal 1% drop from November. This growth aligns with the company’s robust financial health, earning a "GREAT" overall score from InvestingPro, which offers detailed analysis through its comprehensive Pro Research Report.
Margin loan balances for clients concluded the month at $64.2 billion, climbing 45% from the year before and showing a 7% increase from the previous month. Meanwhile, client credit balances, including insured bank deposit sweeps, reached $119.7 billion, up 15% year-over-year and 1% from the month before.
The brokerage also saw an expansion in its client base, with the number of client accounts reaching 3.34 million, a 30% surge from the previous year and 3% from November. Additionally, the annualized average cleared DARTs per client account stood at 219. This growth has contributed to the company’s strong revenue growth of 16.66% and an impressive gross profit margin of 90.43%.
Commission averages per cleared Commissionable Order included $1.84 for stocks, $3.82 for equity options, and $4.56 for futures, with futures commission estimates including exchange, clearing, and regulatory fees at approximately 57%.
Other financial highlights for Interactive Brokers included a mark-to-market gain on its U.S. government securities portfolio of $0.3 million for the quarter and $1.8 million for the year ended December 31st. The company’s currency diversification strategy, measured in GLOBALs, a basket of 10 major currencies, saw a decrease of 0.58% in December and 1.45% for the year.
The cost of trade execution for IBKR PRO clients was detailed, with the average all-in cost of a U.S. Reg.-NMS stock trade over the past twelve months at approximately 4.1 basis points, relative to a daily VWAP benchmark.
This performance report is based on a press release statement by Interactive Brokers Group, which has been known for its technological approach to brokerage services, catering to individual investors, hedge funds, and other trading professionals through a sophisticated platform.
Interactive Brokers has not only been recognized for its trading platform but also for its efforts to provide cost-effective trade execution, comprehensive risk and portfolio management tools, and a wide range of investment products. The company has maintained dividend payments for 15 consecutive years, demonstrating consistent shareholder returns. For more detailed insights and analysis, including additional ProTips and financial metrics, visit InvestingPro.
In other recent news, Interactive Brokers Group has been making significant strides in both financial performance and technological advancements. The company reported robust third-quarter results in 2024, with a record increase in client accounts, equity, and revenue. Specifically, it added 196,000 new accounts and saw a 46% increase in client equity, reaching $541.5 billion. Both commission revenue and net interest income reached new heights at $435 million and $802 million, respectively.
Interactive Brokers has also been enhancing its technological offerings. The firm upgraded its IBKR Desktop trading platform, introducing user-friendly features such as the Options Wizard and customizable option chains. The company also introduced AI-generated news summaries for its clients, aiming to streamline the process of staying updated on market-relevant information.
Furthermore, Interactive Brokers has updated its Advisor Portal, providing clients with sophisticated tools for investment portfolio management. Notably, the AI Commentary Generator was added for US-based advisors, a tool that assists in creating custom portfolio performance reports and market commentary.
Despite a cautious stance towards cryptocurrencies, Interactive Brokers’ founder, Thomas Peterffy, suggested that investors allocate a small portion of their net worth to Bitcoin. The company had recognized the growing interest in digital currencies and began offering cryptocurrency trading in 2021. These are the recent developments from Interactive Brokers Group.
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