Latest Financial Services News

Fiducian Group delivered double-digit growth in underlying profit and lifted its fully franked dividend, despite a one-off $7.95 million ASIC penalty dragging statutory earnings lower. The wealth manager is also betting on AI-enabled adviser productivity and expansion of its external platform business.

Benjamin Hornigold will pay shareholders a fully franked special dividend of 6.2 cents per share on 18 November, following litigation updates and executed deeds of settlement. The distribution is worth more than its headline cash amount to eligible Australian shareholders because it carries full franking credits.

AMP’s Platforms business delivered A$1.5 billion in third-quarter net cashflows, up 20% year on year, while total wealth AUM reached A$168 billion. The update also showed improving superannuation flows, stronger New Zealand inflows and a buyback now halfway complete, although AMP Bank continued to shrink.

Netwealth has pushed total funds under administration to a record $139.2 billion, with managed accounts driving a quarterly surge in funds under management. But the company has lowered FY27 net-flow guidance and flagged fresh investment in loss-making acquisition Paradino, while defending First Guardian-related class action proceedings.

Plato Income Maximiser matched its benchmark with a 7.2% portfolio return in FY26 while maintaining its highest monthly dividend rate since listing. Profit after tax fell to A$41.8 million as investment gains dropped sharply from the prior year.

Spheria Emerging Companies reported a sharp fall in FY2026 profit after tax after its portfolio returned just 0.3%, well behind the 8.1% benchmark. Monthly fully franked dividends continue and the listed investment company avoided a conversion vote after trading at a premium to NTA.

Qualitas delivered record deployment and stronger earnings in FY26, while raising its dividend and entering Europe through the Starz Real Estate acquisition. The alternative investment manager is guiding to normalised NPBT of $74 million to $80 million for FY27, subject to market conditions.

L1 Group’s funds under management rose to $19.3 billion in the September quarter, marking a fourth consecutive quarter of net client inflows. Growth was strongest in Long Short strategies and Gold, although Platinum outflows continued and a new Global Long Short capital raising is still in progress.

Euroz Hartleys says several conditions for its A$145 million sale of the Capital Markets business to BMO have now been satisfied, leaving shareholder approval and Canadian Bank Act approval among the key remaining gates. Completion remains on track for the December quarter.

Pengana Private Equity Trust will target cash distributions of at least 6% a year as portfolio realisations accelerate, led by progressive sales of SpaceX. The trust will also abandon its formulaic buyback allocation framework in favour of a more opportunistic approach.

Regal Partners lifted funds under management 2.4% to approximately $21.9 billion in the September quarter, with net inflows of about $0.7 billion. Hedge funds led fundraising, while investment performance was broadly neutral.

360 Capital Mortgage REIT has stepped deeper into the recovery of its Bathla exposures, acquiring senior debt over a 72-apartment project while reporting further property sales. The Trust is targeting monthly FY27 distributions of 5.0 cents per unit, but much still depends on settlements and property realisations.