2014-11-06 12:00:00 CET

2014-11-06 12:00:03 CET


REGULATED INFORMATION

English Finnish
eQ Oyj - Interim report (Q1 and Q3)

eQ PLC’S INTERIM REPORT 1 JANUARY TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2014 – eQ'S RESULT GROWS STRONGLY - PROFIT INCREASED BY MORE THAN 70%


eQ Plc Stock Exchange Release

6 November 2014 at 1:00 p.m.



eQ PLC'S INTERIM REPORT 1 JANUARY TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2014 - eQ'S RESULT GROWS
STRONGLY - PROFIT INCREASED BY MORE THAN 70% 



July to September 2014 in brief



  -- In the third quarter, the Group's net revenue totalled EUR 5.2 million (EUR
     3.9 million from 1 July to 30 Sept. 2013).

  -- The Group's net fee and commission income totalled EUR 5.3 million (EUR 3.4
     million).
  -- The Group's net investment income from own investment operations was EUR
     -0.1 million (EUR 0.5 million).

  -- The operating profit of client operations (Asset Management and Corporate
     Finance) was EUR 2.4 million (EUR 0.6 million).
  -- The Group's operating profit was EUR 2.0 million (EUR 0.6 million).
  -- Earnings per share were EUR 0.04 (EUR 0.01). 





January to September 2014 in brief



  -- During the period under review, the Group's net revenue totalled EUR 16.4
     million (EUR 13.7 million from 1 Jan. to 30 Sept. 2013).

  -- The Group's net fee and commission income totalled EUR 15.6 million (EUR
     10.8 million).
  -- The Group's net investment income from own investment operations was EUR
     0.1 million (EUR 2.9 million).

  -- The Group's non-recurring other income and expenses totalled EUR 0.6
     million (EUR 0.0 million).
  -- The operating profit of client operations (Asset Management and Corporate
     Finance) was EUR 6.9 million (EUR 2.4 million).
  -- The Group's operating profit was EUR 5.6 million (EUR 3.8 million).
  -- Earnings per share were EUR 0.12 (EUR 0.07).
  -- The assets under management totalled EUR 7.4 billion (EUR 6.7 billion on 31
     Dec. 2013) at the end of the period.
  -- The net cash flow from own investment operations was EUR 4.8 million (EUR
     8.2 million from 1 Jan. to 30 Sept. 2013) and the change in fair value was
     EUR 4.4 million (EUR -0.8 million).







Key ratios                 7-9/    7-9/  Change    1-9/    1-9/  Change    1-12/
                           2014    2013       %    2014    2013       %     2013
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net revenue, Group, EUR     5.2     3.9    35 %    16.4    13.7    20 %     18.8
 million                                                                        
------------------------                                                --------
Net revenue, Asset          4.4     3.2    38 %    12.9     9.9    31 %     13.6
 Management, EUR                                                                
million                                                                         
------------------------                                                --------
Net revenue, Corporate      1.0     0.3   187 %     3.6     1.2   192 %      2.2
 Finance, EUR                                                                   
million                                                                         
------------------------                                                --------
Net revenue,               -0.1     0.4  -135 %    -0.2     2.6  -106 %      3.0
 Investments, EUR                                                               
 million                                                                        
------------------------                                                --------
Net revenue, other                                                              
 segments and       
------------------------                                                --------
eliminations, EUR           0.0     0.0     0 %     0.0     0.0     0 %      0.0
 million                                                                        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Key ratios                  7-9/    7-9/  Change    1-9/    1-9/  Change   1-12/
                            2014    2013       %    2014    2013       %    2013
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating profit, Group,     2.0     0.6   251 %     5.6     3.8    48 %     4.9
 EUR million                                                                    
-------------------------                                                -------
Operating profit, Asset      2.0     0.6   209 %     5.4     2.3   131 %     3.1
 Management,                                                                    
EUR million                                                                     
-------------------------                                                -------
Operating profit,            0.4     0.0  1125 %     1.5     0.1  1979 %     0.4
 Corporate Finance,                                                             
EUR million                                                                     
-------------------------                                                -------
Operating profit,           -0.1     0.4  -135 %    -0.2     2.6  -106 %     3.0
 Investments, EUR                                                               
million                                                                         
-------------------------                                                -------
Operating profit, other     -0.3    -0.4    33 %    -1.1    -1.2    10 %    -1.6
 segments, EUR                                                                  
million                               
-------------------------                                                -------
-------------------------                                                -------
Profit for the period,       1.6     0.4   319 %     4.4     2.6    72 %     3.4
 EUR million                                                                    
-------------------------                                                -------
-------------------------                                                -------
Earnings per share, EUR     0.04    0.01   300 %    0.12    0.07    71 %    0.10
-------------------------                                                -------
Equity per share, EUR       2.04    1.96     4 %    2.04    1.96     4 %    1.97
-------------------------                                                -------
-------------------------                                                -------
Liquid assets and           16.4     7.8   110 %    16.4     7.8   110 %    11.3
 interest-bearing                                                               
 liabilities, EUR                                                               
 million                                                                        
-------------------------                                                -------
Private equity              30.3    32.7    -7 %    30.3    32.7    -7 %    30.6
 investments, EUR                                                               
 million                                                                        
-------------------------                                                -------
Interest-bearing             0.0     0.0     0 %     0.0     0.0     0 %     0.0
 liabilities, EUR                                            
 million                                                                        
-------------------------                                                -------
-------------------------                                                -------
Assets under management,     7.4     6.4    15 %     7.4     6.4    15 %     6.7
 EUR billion                                                                    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------







Janne Larma, CEO



The growth of eQ's client operations (Asset Management and Corporate Finance)
has been excellent. During the first nine months, the income from client
operations grew by 48 per cent on the previous year, and the operating profit
grew by 188 per cent. We have been able to consolidate our position in all
areas of asset management as well as in corporate finance. As a result, the
operating profit of the Group grew by 48 per cent and profit per share by more
than 70 per cent on the previous year. 



The positive trend of the first six months continued in the third quarter in
many equity markets. The world stock exchange index (MSCI World) rose by 13.3
per cent during the first nine months, and emerging markets (MSCI) gave an 11.7
per cent return. In the third quarter, the Helsinki Stock Exchange stood still,
but the increase since the beginning of the year (OMXH cap) was 8.6 per cent.
Long-term interest rates continued to fall in the third quarter both in
developed and emerging markets, and they have given investors exceptionally
good returns this year. 



eQ Asset Management's net sales in funds registered in Finland were EUR 170
million in the first nine months of the year. Due to excellent sales and value
changes, the assets managed by eQ totalled EUR 7.4 billion at the end of
September. Measured based on assets, our largest fund is still the eQ Emerging
Dividend Fund, which had assets of EUR 302 million at the end of September. In
the third quarter, the Finnish Cultural Foundation decided to outsource the
management of its equity and other alternative investments to eQ, which is
proof of our strong expertise in private equity investments. The eQ Care Fund
had assets of EUR 137 million at the end of the period, and in September we
agreed on real estate transactions totalling EUR 65 million. All these new
construction projects will be finalised next year, and they complement the
fund's portfolio in an excellent manner. 



The positive trend also continued in the corporate finance business. In the
third quarter, Advium acted as advisor in three transactions, e.g. when the
State of Finland and the German shipbuilding company Meyer Werft acquired the
entire share capital of STX Finland Ltd. Advium also acted as advisor to KSF
Media Holding Ab, as it sold its printing property in Vantaa to Swedish AB
Sagax. Advium was once more elected the best company in Finland in the category
Best Real Estate M&A Advisory in an enquiry made by the distinguished Euromoney
magazine. This was the eighth time Advium was awarded this title. This is
another proof of Advium's leading market position in large real estate
transactions. 



The income of the Asset Management segment increased by more than 30 percent,
and the operating profit more than doubled to EUR 5.4 million from EUR 2.3
million in 2013. The income of the Corporate Finance segment almost tripled,
and its result improved clearly, operating profit being EUR 1.5 million as
compared with EUR 0.1 million in 2013. In the Investments segment, the cash
flow was EUR 4.8 million positive and the value change of the investments EUR
4.4 million positive since the beginning of the year. The operating profit of
the Investments segment was EUR -0.2 million, including a write-down of EUR 1.1
million. 



The Group's cash flow has been strong in 2014. At the end of September, the
Group's liquid assets and interest-bearing receivables totalled EUR 16.4
million, and the balance sheet value of the private equity investments was EUR
30.3 million. 



***



eQ's interim report 1 January to 30 September 2014 is enclosed to this release
and it will also be available on the company website at www.eQ.fi. 





Additional information: Janne Larma, CEO, tel. +358 40 500 4366



Distribution: NASDAQ Helsinki, www. eQ.fi.



eQ Group is a Finnish group of companies specialising in asset management and
corporate finance business. eQ Asset Management offers a wide range of asset
management services (including private equity funds and real estate asset
management) for institutions and individuals. The assets managed by the Group
total approximately EUR 7.4 billion. Advium Corporate Finance, which is part of
the Group, offers services related to mergers and acquisitions, real estate
transactions and equity capital markets. 



More information about the Group is available on our website at www.eQ.fi.