Preliminary half-year results 2021: wallstreet:online AG continues dynamic growth as planned

Preliminary half-year results 2021: wallstreet:online AG continues dynamic growth as planned

- Increase in revenues by around 57 percent versus the first half-year 2020 in line with expectations

- Operating EBITDA before Smartbroker customer acquisition costs increases to EUR 9.0 million as planned

- Major strategic steps successfully implemented: transformation into financial services provider with financial community on track
 

Berlin, 23 August 2021

During the first six months of 2021, wallstreet:online AG (ISIN: DE000A2GS609) has continued its dynamic growth path as planned. According to preliminary, unaudited figures, total revenues increased by 57 percent to EUR 23.8 million (EUR +8.7 million; organic growth: +54 percent). Operating EBITDA before Smartbroker customer acquisition costs nearly doubled to EUR 9.0 million (EUR +4.4 million). This figure does not include the costs of customer acquisition for Smartbroker (EUR 7.9 million), as well as one-off effects. Despite these significant investments in the Group's future, the operating EBITDA after acquisition costs is similar to the prior-year level and in line with management expectations.

Growth driven by all business lines

Total revenues increased by EUR 8.7 million. Social & Media contributed EUR +4.9 million to this increase (+40 % year-on-year), whilst Smartbroker and Classic Transaction contributed EUR +3.8 million (+127 %), mainly driven by the Group's neobroker.

Assets under management (AUM) more than tripled during the last twelve months, reaching EUR 6.8 billion as of 30 June 2021. The number of customers exceeded 187,000, of which more than 142,000 at Smartbroker. Hence, the Group's online brokerage business, measured by AUMs, ranks number one among Germany's neobrokers. On the basis of the number of customers, the Group holds the second position. The Group also holds a leading position in terms of AUM per customer, an essential criterion for evaluating long-term customer quality. The AUM per Smartbroker customer increased to almost EUR 30,000 as at 30 June 2021.

The average monthly reach of wallstreet:online AG's financial portals and social communities amounted to 376 million page impressions and thus rose by 37 % compared to the prior-year period. Consequently, wallstreet:online AG has further solidified its position as the market-leading, publisher-independent financial portal and community operator in German-speaking Europe.

In summary, wallstreet:online was able to further strengthen its online brokerage business in line with its strategy. After receipt of approval from Germany's Federal Financial Services Supervisory Authority (BaFin), the Group has also raised its stake in wallstreet:online capital AG, the Smartbroker operating entity, from 43 percent to more than 95 percent (see press release of 15 July 2021).

Forecast for 2021 is confirmed

"During the first six months of the year we have taken important steps to expedite our transformation into a financial services provider with integrated community. In addition, we have undertaken material investments into the future of our business, and Smartbroker in particular. Excellent results in independent surveys and product tests confirm that we are on the right track to grow into one of the largest online brokers and financial service providers of the German market. Our portal and communities business has likewise recorded strong growth during the past months, benefitting from rising number of users and higher advertising revenues. The symbiosis between online brokerage as well as financial portals and communities - and hence the link between information and transaction - is working efficiently", comments Matthias Hach, CEO, on the preliminary figures for the first half-year 2021.

Against the backdrop of the first half-year, the Group maintains its forecast for fiscal 2021. Consequently, total revenues are expected to be between EUR 45 million and EUR 50 million. Operating EBITDA before Smartbroker customer acquisition costs (of EUR 12.5 million) is expected to range between EUR 16.5 million and EUR 18.5 million. Smartbroker customers are panned to increase to c200,000 by the end of the year.

For the purpose of a better comparability, all figures stated are based on the proforma assumption of full consolidation of wallstreet:online capital AG as at 1 January 2021. In real terms, the full consolidation will take place from 1 July 2021 onwards.

The full interim financial statements 2021 of wallstreet:online AG will be available on 13 September 2021 on www.wallstreet-online.ag. The earnings call on the half-year figures will take place on the same day. The virtual annual general meeting of the Group will take place on 24 August.

About the wallstreet:online Group:

The wallstreet:online Group operates the Smartbroker - a multiple award-winning online broker, which is the only provider in Germany to combine the extensive product range of traditional brokers with the extremely favourable conditions of neo-brokers. With more than 187,000 securities accounts including 142,000 with the Smartbroker (status 6/2021), the Berlin-based financial services provider ranges already among the leading providers on the market. The company manages altogether assets in an amount of almost EUR 7 billion (status 6/2021). At the same time the company (ISIN: DE000A2GS609) operates four high-reach stock market portals (wallstreet-online.de, boersenNews.de, FinanzNachrichten.de and ARIVA.de). With around 376 million page impressions per month (average HY1/2021), the Group is the by far largest publisher-independent financial portal operator in German-speaking countries and the largest finance community. In the forums of the four stock exchange portals more than 830,000 users with financial affinity are registered.

Press contact:

Felix Rentzsch
Head of Communications
Mobile: +49 30 204 56426
Email: f.rentzsch@wallstreet-online.de
URL: https://www.wallstreet-online.ag

Financial press and Investor Relations:

edicto GmbH
Ralf Droz / Svenja Liebig
Telephone: +49 69 905505 56
wallstreet-online@edicto.de