We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
MarketAxess (MKTX) Q2 Earnings Beat on Higher Commissions
Read MoreHide Full Article
MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (MKTX - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2024 earnings per share of $1.72, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.8%. The bottom line grew 5.5% year over year.
Total revenues of $197.7 million rose 10% year over year. The top line fell short of the consensus mark of $198 million.
The better-than-expected quarterly results were driven by a solid improvement in U.S. high-grade commission revenues. Geographic expansion and product diversification drove the average daily volume (ADV) of emerging markets and Eurobonds. However, the upside was partly offset by lesser trading activity of U.S. high-yield and an elevated expense level.
MarketAxess Holdings Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Commission revenues totaled $171.7 million, which increased 8% year over year but missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $173 million and our estimate of $176.5 million. The improvement in the metric was driven by better commission revenues in the U.S. high-grade, Eurobonds, and emerging markets. Information services revenues improved 8% year over year to $12.5 million. The figure lagged the consensus mark of $12.6 million but beat our estimate of $12 million. The metric benefited on the back of net new data contract revenues.
Post-trade services revenues of $10.4 million improved 10% year over year, attributable to price increases and net new contract revenues. The reported figure beat the consensus mark by a whisker. Revenues from the Pragma acquisition were $7.9 million.
Total expenses of $116.3 million escalated 12% year over year due to higher employee compensation and benefits and technology and communication expenses. However, the metric fell short of our estimate of $120.5 million.
MKTX’s operating income rose 7% year over year to $81.3 million, higher than our estimate of $80.8 million. EBITDA of $99 million improved 9% year over year while EBITDA margin deteriorated 40 bps to 50%.
Trading Volumes in Detail
The high-grade trading volume of MarketAxess was $405.4 billion, which improved 15% year over year but missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $412.5 billion. The ADV of the same product category improved 13% year over year to $6.4 billion, lower than the consensus mark of $6.5 billion and our estimate of $6.9 billion.
However, high-yield trading volume plunged 8% year over year while its ADV fell 9% due to a reduced level of credit spread volatility.
Other credit trading volume jumped 35% to $33.4 billion whereas ADV of the same product category rose 33% year over year to $530 million.
Trading volume and ADV of emerging markets rose 25% and 23%, respectively, on a year-over-year basis. The Eurobonds’ trading volume and ADV rose 10% and 8%, respectively, on a year-over-year basis.
Total credit trading volume of $861.5 billion advanced 14% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $853.6 billion. Total credit ADV rose 12% year over year to $13.7 billion, lower than the consensus mark of $13.8 billion and our estimate of $14.1 billion.
Total rates’ trading volume jumped 33% while ADV of this product category improved 31% year over year.
Balance Sheet (As of Jun 30, 2024)
MarketAxess exited the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $434.1 million, which declined 3.8% from the 2023-end level. Total assets of $1.9 billion decreased 6.4% from the figure at 2023-end.
The company had no outstanding borrowing under its credit facility at the second-quarter end. Total stockholders’ equity of $1.3 billion grew 2.8% from the 2023-end level.
Cash Flows
Cash generated from operations amounted to $118.8 million against the previous year's figure of $105.3 million. Free cash flow was recorded at $97.6 million, which rose more than one-fold year over year.
Capital Deployment Update
MarketAxess bought back shares worth $33.5 million. Management approved a $200 million increase to the existing share repurchase plan in August 2024. A leftover capacity of $250 million remained in place under the company’s authorized repurchase program as of Aug 6, 2024.
Management approved a quarterly cash dividend of 74 cents per share, which will be paid out on Sep 4, 2024, to shareholders of record as of Aug 21.
2024 Guidance
Previous View
Management anticipates revenues from the Pragma acquisition to grow in mid-single digits while expenses are expected to be in the range of $33-$35 million.
Total expenses (including the Pragma acquisition) continue to be estimated between $480 million and $500 million but the metric is expected to stay at the lower end of the guided range.
Capital expenditure is to be projected to be between $60 million and $65 million, while the effective tax rate is reaffirmed to lie between 24% and 25%.
Of the Finance sector players that have reported second-quarter 2024 results so far, the bottom-line results of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC - Free Report) , Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO - Free Report) , and Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. (KNSL - Free Report) beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Marsh & McLennan reported second-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share of $2.41, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.8%. The bottom line advanced 10% year over year. Consolidated revenues rose 6% year over year to $6.2 billion. The figure also improved 6% on an underlying basis. The top line, however, fell short of the consensus mark by 1%. MMC’s adjusted operating income was $1.72 billion, which grew 11% year over year. Adjusted operating margin improved 130 bps year over year to 29%.
The Risk and Insurance Services segment’s revenues were $4.02 billion, which advanced 8% year over year and 7% on an underlying basis. Adjusted operating income advanced 12% year over year to $1.34 billion. Revenues of Marsh, a unit within the segment, improved 8% year over year and 7% on an underlying basis to $3.27 billion. In the United States/Canada, underlying revenues grew 6% year over year. International operations also witnessed underlying revenue growth of 7%.
Brown & Brown’s second-quarter adjusted earnings of 93 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.8%. The bottom line increased 17.7% year over year. Total revenues of $1.2 billion beat the consensus estimate by 3.3%. The top line improved 12.5% year over year. The upside can be primarily attributed to commission and fees, which grew 11.4% year over year to $1.1 billion.
Organic revenues improved 10% to $1 billion. Investment income more than doubled year over year to $22 million. Adjusted EBITDAC was $420 million, up 17.3% year over year. EBITDAC margin expanded 150 bps year over year to 35.7%.
Kinsale Capital delivered second-quarter net operating earnings of $3.75 per share, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.5%. The bottom line increased 30.4% year over year. Operating revenues jumped 45.1% year over year to $378 million. Revenues beat the consensus estimate of $377 million. Gross written premiums of $529.8 million rose 20.9% year over year. Net written premiums climbed 17.9% year over year to $430.2 million.
Net investment income increased 48.3% year over year to $35.8 million. Kinsale Capital’s underwriting income was $76.1 million, which grew 23.6% year over year. The combined ratio deteriorated 100 bps to 77.7% in the quarter under review. The expense ratio deteriorated 10 bps to 21.1, while the loss ratio deteriorated 60 bps to 56.6.
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Pick one free report - opportunity may be withdrawn at any time
Image: Bigstock
MarketAxess (MKTX) Q2 Earnings Beat on Higher Commissions
MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (MKTX - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2024 earnings per share of $1.72, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.8%. The bottom line grew 5.5% year over year.
Total revenues of $197.7 million rose 10% year over year. The top line fell short of the consensus mark of $198 million.
The better-than-expected quarterly results were driven by a solid improvement in U.S. high-grade commission revenues. Geographic expansion and product diversification drove the average daily volume (ADV) of emerging markets and Eurobonds. However, the upside was partly offset by lesser trading activity of U.S. high-yield and an elevated expense level.
MarketAxess Holdings Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
MarketAxess Holdings Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | MarketAxess Holdings Inc. Quote
Quarterly Operational Update
Commission revenues totaled $171.7 million, which increased 8% year over year but missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $173 million and our estimate of $176.5 million. The improvement in the metric was driven by better commission revenues in the U.S. high-grade, Eurobonds, and emerging markets. Information services revenues improved 8% year over year to $12.5 million. The figure lagged the consensus mark of $12.6 million but beat our estimate of $12 million. The metric benefited on the back of net new data contract revenues.
Post-trade services revenues of $10.4 million improved 10% year over year, attributable to price increases and net new contract revenues. The reported figure beat the consensus mark by a whisker. Revenues from the Pragma acquisition were $7.9 million.
Total expenses of $116.3 million escalated 12% year over year due to higher employee compensation and benefits and technology and communication expenses. However, the metric fell short of our estimate of $120.5 million.
MKTX’s operating income rose 7% year over year to $81.3 million, higher than our estimate of $80.8 million. EBITDA of $99 million improved 9% year over year while EBITDA margin deteriorated 40 bps to 50%.
Trading Volumes in Detail
The high-grade trading volume of MarketAxess was $405.4 billion, which improved 15% year over year but missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $412.5 billion. The ADV of the same product category improved 13% year over year to $6.4 billion, lower than the consensus mark of $6.5 billion and our estimate of $6.9 billion.
However, high-yield trading volume plunged 8% year over year while its ADV fell 9% due to a reduced level of credit spread volatility.
Other credit trading volume jumped 35% to $33.4 billion whereas ADV of the same product category rose 33% year over year to $530 million.
Trading volume and ADV of emerging markets rose 25% and 23%, respectively, on a year-over-year basis. The Eurobonds’ trading volume and ADV rose 10% and 8%, respectively, on a year-over-year basis.
Total credit trading volume of $861.5 billion advanced 14% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $853.6 billion. Total credit ADV rose 12% year over year to $13.7 billion, lower than the consensus mark of $13.8 billion and our estimate of $14.1 billion.
Total rates’ trading volume jumped 33% while ADV of this product category improved 31% year over year.
Balance Sheet (As of Jun 30, 2024)
MarketAxess exited the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $434.1 million, which declined 3.8% from the 2023-end level. Total assets of $1.9 billion decreased 6.4% from the figure at 2023-end.
The company had no outstanding borrowing under its credit facility at the second-quarter end. Total stockholders’ equity of $1.3 billion grew 2.8% from the 2023-end level.
Cash Flows
Cash generated from operations amounted to $118.8 million against the previous year's figure of $105.3 million. Free cash flow was recorded at $97.6 million, which rose more than one-fold year over year.
Capital Deployment Update
MarketAxess bought back shares worth $33.5 million. Management approved a $200 million increase to the existing share repurchase plan in August 2024. A leftover capacity of $250 million remained in place under the company’s authorized repurchase program as of Aug 6, 2024.
Management approved a quarterly cash dividend of 74 cents per share, which will be paid out on Sep 4, 2024, to shareholders of record as of Aug 21.
2024 Guidance
Previous View
Management anticipates revenues from the Pragma acquisition to grow in mid-single digits while expenses are expected to be in the range of $33-$35 million.
Total expenses (including the Pragma acquisition) continue to be estimated between $480 million and $500 million but the metric is expected to stay at the lower end of the guided range.
Capital expenditure is to be projected to be between $60 million and $65 million, while the effective tax rate is reaffirmed to lie between 24% and 25%.
Zacks Rank
MarketAxess currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Performance of Other Finance Sector Players
Of the Finance sector players that have reported second-quarter 2024 results so far, the bottom-line results of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC - Free Report) , Brown & Brown, Inc. (BRO - Free Report) , and Kinsale Capital Group, Inc. (KNSL - Free Report) beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
Marsh & McLennan reported second-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share of $2.41, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.8%. The bottom line advanced 10% year over year. Consolidated revenues rose 6% year over year to $6.2 billion. The figure also improved 6% on an underlying basis. The top line, however, fell short of the consensus mark by 1%. MMC’s adjusted operating income was $1.72 billion, which grew 11% year over year. Adjusted operating margin improved 130 bps year over year to 29%.
The Risk and Insurance Services segment’s revenues were $4.02 billion, which advanced 8% year over year and 7% on an underlying basis. Adjusted operating income advanced 12% year over year to $1.34 billion. Revenues of Marsh, a unit within the segment, improved 8% year over year and 7% on an underlying basis to $3.27 billion. In the United States/Canada, underlying revenues grew 6% year over year. International operations also witnessed underlying revenue growth of 7%.
Brown & Brown’s second-quarter adjusted earnings of 93 cents per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.8%. The bottom line increased 17.7% year over year. Total revenues of $1.2 billion beat the consensus estimate by 3.3%. The top line improved 12.5% year over year. The upside can be primarily attributed to commission and fees, which grew 11.4% year over year to $1.1 billion.
Organic revenues improved 10% to $1 billion. Investment income more than doubled year over year to $22 million. Adjusted EBITDAC was $420 million, up 17.3% year over year. EBITDAC margin expanded 150 bps year over year to 35.7%.
Kinsale Capital delivered second-quarter net operating earnings of $3.75 per share, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.5%. The bottom line increased 30.4% year over year. Operating revenues jumped 45.1% year over year to $378 million. Revenues beat the consensus estimate of $377 million. Gross written premiums of $529.8 million rose 20.9% year over year. Net written premiums climbed 17.9% year over year to $430.2 million.
Net investment income increased 48.3% year over year to $35.8 million. Kinsale Capital’s underwriting income was $76.1 million, which grew 23.6% year over year. The combined ratio deteriorated 100 bps to 77.7% in the quarter under review. The expense ratio deteriorated 10 bps to 21.1, while the loss ratio deteriorated 60 bps to 56.6.