Interactive Brokers Group Announces 3Q09 Results

Reports Income Before Taxes of $133 Million on $272 Million in Net Revenues, Earnings per Share of $0.20

 

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: IBKR) an automated global electronic market maker and broker, today reported diluted earnings per share of $0.20 for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.65 for the same period in 2008.

Net revenues were $272 million and income before income taxes was $133 million for this quarter, compared to net revenues of $497 million and income before income taxes of $348 million for the same period in 2008.

Business Highlights

"Ever increasing competition in the transparent, exchange listed derivatives markets continued to pressure spreads to never before seen levels in the third quarter," said Thomas Peterffy, our CEO. "These ultra low transaction costs in exchange listed products will inevitably be followed by higher trading volumes and better customer performance."

Segment Overview

Market Making
Market Making segment income before income taxes decreased 47% in the quarter ended September 30, 2009 compared to the prior quarter and decreased 74% from the same period last year. Pre-tax margin was 49% in this quarter, down from 79% in the same period last year. Compared to last year, 2009 presented a less favorable environment for market makers due to tighter bid/offer spreads on option exchanges. We managed our risk by continuing to avoid counterparty risks and balance sheet exposure from illiquid positions by making markets primarily in exchange traded products that are cleared through central clearing houses. Market Making options contract volume remained flat during this quarter compared to the same period last year.

Electronic Brokerage
Electronic Brokerage segment income before income taxes decreased 3% in the quarter ended September 30, 2009 compared to the same period in 2008 and was roughly flat to the prior quarter. This decrease is attributable to lower commissions from futures and lower net interest income which was affected by historically low Fed Funds rates. Customer accounts grew 20% to 128,000 and customer equity grew 43% to $13.4 billion, while YTD cleared DARTs* modestly increased by 3% to 318,000 as of September 30, 2009 compared to the same period in 2008. Pre-tax margin increased from 47% to 51% for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 from the same period in 2008.

*Daily average revenue trades (DARTs) are based on executed customer orders.

Conference Call Information:
Interactive Brokers Group will hold a conference call with investors today, October 22, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. ET to discuss its third quarter results. Investors who would like to listen to the conference call live should dial 800-750-4984 (U.S. domestic) and 913-312-4376 (international). The number should be dialed approximately ten minutes prior to the start of the conference call. Ask for the "Interactive Brokers Conference Call."

The conference call will also be accessible simultaneously, and through replays, as an audio webcast through the Investor Relations section of the Interactive Brokers web site, www.interactivebrokers.com/ir.

About Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.:
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, is an automated global electronic market maker and broker specializing in routing orders and executing and processing trades in securities, futures and foreign exchange instruments on more than 80 electronic exchanges and trading venues around the world. As a market maker, we provide liquidity at these marketplaces and, as a broker, we provide professional traders and investors with electronic access to stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and mutual funds from a single IB Universal AccountSM. Employing proprietary software on a global communications network, Interactive Brokers Group continuously integrates its software with a growing number of exchanges and trading venues into one automatically functioning, computerized platform that requires minimal human intervention.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
The foregoing information contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the company's current views with respect to certain current and future events and financial performance. These forward-looking statements are and will be, as the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to the company's operations and business environment which may cause the company's actual results to be materially different from any future results, expressed or implied, in these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to the company on the date of this release. The company does not undertake to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that any statements expressed or implied therein will not be realized. Additional information on risk factors that could potentially affect the company's financial results may be found in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. Media: Andrew Wilkinson, 203-913-1369 or Investors: Deborah Liston, 203-618-4070.

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. And Subsidiaries Operating Data

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. And Subsidiaries Segment Financial Information (Unaudited)

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. And Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements Of Income (Unaudited)

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. And Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)