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Investec (comprising Investec plc and Investec Limited) – pre-close briefing statement
Investec Limited Investec plc
Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa Incorporated in England and Wales
Registration number 1925/002833/06 Registration number 3633621
JSE share code: INL LSE share code: INVP
NSX share code: IVD JSE share code: INP
BSE share code: INVESTEC ISIN: GB00B17BBQ50
ISIN: ZAE000081949
Investec (comprising Investec plc and Investec Limited) – pre-close briefing statement
16 March 2018
Investec is today hosting an investor pre-close briefing at 09:00 (BST time) (11:00 South
African time) which will focus on developments within the group’s core business areas for the
financial year ending 31 March 2018.
Financial overview of the year ending 31 March 2018
Notwithstanding a recently improved outlook in both our key geographies, over the last year
Brexit and political uncertainty has continued to impact corporate and consumer confidence in
the UK and in South Africa. Alongside this, the South African stock market has performed well
over the year, while the UK stock market remained relatively flat over the period.
Against this backdrop, the Asset Management and Wealth & Investment divisions are
expected to report results ahead of the prior year. Both divisions have benefitted from higher
levels of average funds under management and strong inflows.
The Specialist Banking business is expected to report results behind the prior year. The
South African Specialist Banking business is expected to report results ahead of the prior
year, whilst the UK Specialist Banking business is expected to report results well behind the
prior year.
Taking into account the above mentioned factors, operating profit (refer to definition in the
notes) is expected to be in line with the prior year.
Salient financial features include:
- The appreciation of the average Rand: Pounds Sterling exchange rate has had a positive
impact on the group’s results
- Revenue is expected to be ahead of the prior year
- Recurring income as a percentage of total operating income is expected to be
approximately 76%
- Impairments are expected to be ahead of the prior year
- Expenses are expected to increase slightly ahead of revenue as a consequence of
continued planned investment in growing the client franchise businesses and related
infrastructure; as well as additional premises costs relating to the London office move
- For the period 31 March 2017 to 28 February 2018:
o Third party assets under management increased 9.1% to GBP164.5 billion – an
increase of 8.0% on a currency neutral basis
o Core loans and advances increased 11.7% to GBP25.4 billion – an increase of
9.5% on a currency neutral basis
o Customer accounts (deposits) increased 5.5% to GBP30.7 billion – an increase
of 3.4% on a currency neutral basis.
Operational and strategic overview
The group has achieved satisfactory operating performance against a challenging backdrop in
its two core geographies. The UK economy has continued to be influenced by the
complexities of Brexit, while the result of the December elective conference has since driven
an improvement in the South African economic outlook, which should positively impact activity
levels going forward.
Operating fundamentals across the group have largely continued the trends seen in the first
half of the financial year, with performance underpinned by sound growth in the group’s key
earnings drivers and a solid recurring income base. The group has continued to invest for
growth across its client franchise businesses, ensuring that it remains competitive and
relevant in the markets in which it operates.
On behalf of the board
Fani Titi (Chairman), Stephen Koseff (Chief Executive Officer) and Bernard Kantor (Managing
Director)
Business commentary
Salient features of the operating performance of the group’s core business areas are listed
below and further details will be provided in the briefing presentation which can be viewed on
the group’s website.
Asset Management
- Since 31 March 2017 assets under management have increased by 11.1% to GBP105.9
billion at 28 February 2018 (an increase of 9.9% on a currency neutral basis)
- Strong net inflows of GBP4.2 billion to end of February 2018
- Earnings growth has been supported by market levels and solid net inflows partially offset
by lower performance fees in South Africa
- Good business momentum supported by competitive investment performance.
Wealth & Investment
- Overall performance of the global business is expected to be ahead of the prior year:
o Higher average funds under management
o Solid underlying net inflows of GBP1.8 billion
- Since 31 March 2017 assets under management have increased by 5.8% to GBP57.9
billion at 28 February 2018 (an increase of 4.6% on a currency neutral basis)
- The positive earnings impact of growth in funds under management in South Africa has
been reduced by Rand strength and lower activity levels in the first part of the year
- Costs are expected to be ahead of the prior year impacted by the launch of Click & Invest
during the year as well as the implementation of a number of new regulations.
Specialist Banking
- The Ongoing Specialist Banking business is expected to post results behind the prior
year
- In summary key aspects include:
o Net interest income
- Net interest increase has been supported by book growth of 11.7% since
31 March 2017
- The UK business has continued to benefit from a reduction in the cost of
funding
- Positive earnings from book growth in South Africa has been largely
offset by the roll off of higher yielding debt securities
o Net fees and commissions
- Good performance from the South African banking and structuring
businesses
- UK corporate fees have been impacted by less investment banking
activity following a strong prior year
o Investment, associate, trading and other operating income
- Investment income is expected to be well behind the prior year, while
associate income is expected to be well ahead of the prior year
- Trading income from customer flow is expected to be behind the prior
year as a consequence of lower activity levels
- Losses incurred in South Africa on Steinhoff International holdings NV
(Steinhoff) and its subsidiaries are expected to be less than the estimate
announced on 11 December 2017 on the Johannesburg Stock
Exchange, but still had a negative impact on revenue
o Costs
- Costs are expected to increase as the group continues to deliberately
invest in IT infrastructure and headcount to grow the franchise, notably
the build out of the UK private client offering
- Costs are also impacted by the additional premises expenses relating to
the London office move scheduled for the middle of the 2018 calendar
year
o Information on the UK Specialist Banking legacy business:
- The legacy portfolio is expected to report a higher loss than the prior year
as a result of additional impairments for accelerated exits that may occur
on certain legacy assets
- Total legacy portfolio assets are expected to decline to GBP315 million
(31 March 2017: GBP476 million).
Liquidity and capital management
- The group has maintained strong liquidity levels
- Cash balances remain strong. Currently the group holds GBP12.6 billion in cash and near
cash balances (GBP7.2 billion (R118.4 billion) in Investec Limited and GBP5.4 billion in
Investec plc) which amounts to 41.0% of customer deposits
- Advances as a percentage of customer deposits at 28 February 2017 was 81%
(31 March 2017: 76%)
- For the year to 31 March 2018 for both Investec plc and Investec Limited:
o Capital ratios are expected to be within the group’s target total capital adequacy
range
o The common equity tier 1 ratio is expected to be slightly below the group’s target
of 10% for Investec Limited; Investec plc is expected to remain ahead of target
o Leverage ratios are sound and remain comfortably ahead of the group’s target of
6% on an estimated Basel 3 fully loaded basis.
- The group is likely to implement the Foundation Internal Ratings-Based (FIRB) approach
in South Africa in the 2019 financial year, subject to regulatory approval, as a transitional
step to implementing the Advanced Internal Ratings-Based (AIRB) approach.
Asset quality and impairment trends
- The total income statement impairment charge is expected to be ahead of the prior year
o Impairments on the UK legacy portfolio are expected to be significantly ahead of
the prior year as referred to above
o Impairments in South Africa and the ongoing UK business are expected to be
ahead of the prior year, although the credit loss ratio remains at the lower end of
the group’s long term range at approximately 0.30%
- The group expects the credit loss ratio on average core loans and advances to be
between 0.60% and 0.65% (March 2017: 0.54%).
Other information
Additional aspects
- Effective tax rate: expected to be approximately 9% impacted by the release of provisions
in South Africa which are no longer required
- Net non-controlling interests of approximately GBP82 million (profits attributable) relating
to the Asset Management business and the consolidation of the Investec Property Fund
- Weighted number of shares in issue for the year ending 31 March 2018 is expected to be
approximately 923 million.
- Notes:
1. Key trends set out above, unless stated otherwise, relate to the eleven months ended
28 February 2018.
2. The financial information on which this statement is based has not been reviewed and
reported on by the group’s auditors.
3. References to operating profit relate to adjusted operating profit, where adjusted
operating profit refers to net profit before tax, goodwill, acquired intangibles and non-
operating items but after adjusting for earnings attributable to other non-controlling
interests and before non-controlling interests relating to Asset Management. Trends
within the divisional sections relate to adjusted operating profit before group costs.
4. Amounts represented on a currency neutral basis for income statement items assume
that the relevant average exchange rates, as reflected below, for the year to 31
March 2018 remain the same as those in the prior year. Amounts represented on a
currency neutral basis for balance sheet items assume that the relevant closing
exchange rates, as reflected below, at 28 February 2018 remain the same as those at
31 March 2017.
5. Please note that matters discussed in the briefing and highlighted above may contain
forward looking statements which are subject to various risks and uncertainties and
other factors, including, but not limited to:
– the further development of standards and interpretations under International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) applicable to past, current and future
periods, evolving practices with regard to the interpretation and application of
standards under IFRS
– domestic and global economic and business conditions
– market related risks.
• A number of these factors are beyond the group’s control.
• These factors may cause the group’s actual future results, performance or
achievements in the markets in which it operates to differ from those expressed or
implied.
• Any forward looking statements made are based on the knowledge of the group at 15
March 2017.
6. The group’s reporting currency is Pounds Sterling. Certain of the group’s operations
are conducted by entities outside the UK. The results of operations and the financial
condition of these individual companies are reported in the local currencies in which
they are domiciled, including Rands, Australian Dollars, Euros and US Dollars. These
results are then translated into Pounds Sterling at the applicable foreign currency
exchange rates for inclusion in the group’s combined consolidated financial
statements. In the case of the income statement, the weighted average rate for the
relevant period is applied and, in the case of the balance sheet, the relevant closing
rate is used. The following table sets out the movements in certain relevant exchange
rates against Pounds Sterling over the period:
Eleven months to Six months to Year to
28-Feb-2018 30-Sep-17 31-Mar-17
Currency Period Average Period Average Period Average
per GBP1.00 end end end
South African Rand 16.24 17.27 18.10 17.06 16.77 18.42
Australian Dollar 1.77 1.71 1.71 1.69 1.64 1.75
Euro 1.13 1.14 1.13 1.14 1.17 1.19
US Dollar 1.38 1.33 1.34 1.30 1.25 1.31
Presentation details
The briefing starts at 09:00 (BST time) (11:00 South African time) and will be broadcast live
via video conference from the group’s offices in Johannesburg to London. The briefing will
also be available via a live and recorded telephone conference call, a live and delayed video
webcast, a delayed podcast and a delayed Mp3. Further details in this regard can be found
on the website at: www.investec.com
Timetable:
Year end: 31 March 2018
Release of year end results: 17 May 2018
For further information please contact:
Investec Investor Relations
UK: +44 (0) 207 597 5546
UK: +44 (0) 207 597 4493
South Africa: +27 (0) 11 286 7070
investorrelations@investec.com
About Investec
Investec is an international specialist bank and asset manager that provides a diverse range
of financial products and services to a select client base in three principal markets, the UK
and Europe, South Africa and Asia/Australia as well as certain other countries. The group was
established in 1974 and has approximately 9 900 employees.
Investec focuses on delivering distinctive profitable solutions for its clients in three core areas
of activity namely, Asset Management, Wealth & Investment and Specialist Banking.
In July 2002 the Investec group implemented a dual listed company structure with listings on
the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges. The combined group’s current market
capitalisation is approximately GBP6.1 billion.
Johannesburg and London
Sponsor: Investec Bank Limited
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