Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) shares are catching the eye on Thursday.
In morning trade, the investment bank's shares are down 5% to $214.02.
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Why are Macquarie shares sinking?
Investors have been selling the company's shares this morning following the release of its first quarter update ahead of its annual general meeting.
According to the release, Macquarie's first quarter net profit contribution was down on the prior corresponding period.
It notes that this reflects an improved performance in Banking and Financial Services (BFS) and Macquarie Capital (MacCap), which was more than offset by lower contributions from Macquarie Asset Management (MAM) and Commodities and Global Markets (CGM).
The good
Macquarie revealed that BFS' net profit contribution was up on the prior corresponding period, driven by volume growth in the loan portfolio and BFS deposits. This was partially offset by margin compression due to lending and deposit competition and changes in portfolio mix.
MacCap's net profit contribution was up year on year. This was driven by higher income from its private credit portfolio primarily due to volume growth, and increased fee and commission income.
The bad
The MAM segment's net profit contribution was down on the prior corresponding period. This was primarily due to the timing of investment-related income from asset realisations, partially offset by an increase in performance fees.
Finally, the CGM business' net profit contribution was down from last year during the first quarter. This was due to a reduced contribution from Commodities, which recorded lower net interest and trading income in North American Gas and Power. Partially offsetting this was increased client activity across Financial Markets and Asset Finance.
Anything else?
Also weighing on Macquarie's shares today could be news that its chief financial officer, Alex Harvey, has decided to step down from the role and from Macquarie's Executive Committee.
Harvey will be stepping down from the role on 31 December 2025, but will remain with the company until mid-2026 after completing an extended handover to his successor, Frank Kwok.
Kwok has been with Macquarie for 28 years, most recently as deputy CFO since March 2024 and as group treasurer. Prior to those roles, he held senior roles in the Real Assets business of Macquarie Asset Management in several regions, including leading the team in Asia-Pacific.
Outlook
Macquarie revealed that it continues to maintain a cautious stance, with a conservative approach to capital, funding and liquidity that positions it well to respond to the current environment.
Nevertheless, it remains positive on its longer term outlook. It stated:
Macquarie remains well-positioned to deliver superior performance in the medium term with established, diverse income streams. This is due to its deep expertise across diverse sectors in major markets with structural growth tailwinds; patient adjacent growth across new products and new markets; ongoing investment in the operating platform; a strong and conservative balance sheet; and a proven risk management framework and culture.
