Alpha Financial Markets Consulting PLC (AIM:AFM) said revenue and underlying profits (EBITDA) for the year to 31 March 2022 are expected to be “significantly ahead” of current market expectations.
The company, which provides consultancy services to the asset and wealth management and insurance industries, said it grew organic net fee income by a double-digit percentage.
This was complemented by last May’s US$90mln acquisition of Lionpoint, a US-based provider of specialist consultancy services to the alternative investment industry, which was said to have delivered “good revenue growth”, helped by continued investment in its team.
Strong client demand was reported across its major geographic asset management and insurance consulting geographies in particular, with North America continuing its “excellent” performance.
Margins were “strong” as consultant utilisation levels were higher than target, given the strong client demand, while increases to the cost base were “well controlled”.
Alpha said it continued to deliver strong sales wins and grew its opportunity pipeline through the year.
Euan Fraser, global CEO, said: “We enter FY23 with a strong balance sheet and ongoing trading momentum.
“While we remain positive that the medium-term underlying industry trends will continue to drive ongoing change programme client demand globally for Alpha, we are also mindful of the ongoing inflationary backdrop and geopolitical uncertainties.
“With a clear strategy focused on long-term high quality growth markets, we look forward to further progress.”
The company also announced the appointment of Maeve Byrne as an independent non-executive director, with effect from 16 May.
Her three decades-plus of experience in financial services includes being an auditor with KPMG Ireland and other international offices, being seconded to Royal Bank of Scotland as a divisional CFO before holding senior executive roles at different RBS subsidiaries.
Since 2017 she has focused on transformation services, offering board advisory services as an independent consultant, with clients including Santander and startups in the fintech and neo-bank space.