The FSA Group Ltd (ASX: FSA) share price today surged higher after the company reported better than expected full year results. The FSA share price was up 15.56% to $1.04 by the market's close.
What FSA Group does
FSA Group is a provider of debt solutions and direct lending services to individuals in Australia. FSA has serviced thousands of Australians for just over 19 years. FSA offers a range of debt solutions and direct lending services. The company says it tailors these services to suit clients' individual circumstances and to achieve successful outcomes for its clients. FSA has two business divisions which are Services and Consumer Lending.
How did FSA perform in FY 2020?
As stated by FSA, the 2020 financial year has been a year of challenges however it has also presented opportunities. For FY 2020, FSA Group generated $68.2 million in operating income, a 2% decrease on the prior corresponding period (pcp).
This was largely due to the fact that, during the 2020 financial year, new client numbers for informal arrangements and debt agreements decreased by 5%. Clients for personal insolvency agreements and bankruptcy also decreased by 20% compared to the pcp. FSA Group currently manages $353 million of unsecured debt under informal arrangements and debt agreements. During the 2020 financial year, FSA paid $89 million in dividends to creditors.
Profit after tax was announced to be $16.3 million, a 13% increase compared to the results of 2019. The net cash inflow from operating activities was $19.4 million, a 14% increase. This was aided by home and personal loans growing by 4% from $441 million to $457 million.
The company announced a fully franked final dividend of 3 cents per share, bringing the full year dividend to 6 cents per share.
What's next for the FSA share price?
For 2021, FSA will seek to rebrand Azora (finance solutions for small businesses) and focus on growing its home loan and personal loan pools. The company is also aiming to maintain its leading position in a niche market and improve its informal arrangement offering, based on client and creditor feedback. Despite strong cash inflow, FSA will not provide FY 21 earnings guidance until a later date. However, the company advised it expects the FY 21 dividend to be between 6 – 7 cents per share.
On a side note, Sam Doumany is retiring after 17 years as Chairman of the company. He is expected to step down on 2 September, his 83rd birthday.
