Hargreaves Lansdown falls as quarterly flows disappoint
Proactive Investors – Hargreaves Lansdown (LON:) shares fell 5.7% to 694.7p after the UK’s largest investment platform reported a weaker start than expected to its new financial year.
Net flows in the first quarter ended 30 September totalled £0.6 billion, compared to a City average consensus forecast of £1.1 billion.
Total flows comprised £0.7 billion into its Active Savings platform, and outflows of £0.1 billion from the investment platform.
Revenues of £183.8 million, were up 13% on a year ago, while total assets under administration were £134.8 billion at the end of the quarter, up from £134 billion at the end of the last full year but below the City consensus forecast of £135 billion.
Chief executive Dan Olley said: “Clients are looking to invest more in cash than risk-based investments, from our Active Savings offer, giving easy access to a range of banking partners, to money market funds and short-dated bonds.”
Broker Peel Hunt (LON:) said coming in short on net flows “very much reflects market conditions, weak sentiment and demand for cash products”.
“It is worth noting sharedealing volumes were down 7% compared to the previous quarter, 9% lower than the same quarter last year.”
