Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) shares are on the move on Friday morning.
At the time of writing, the investment bank's shares are down almost 7% to $202.50.
This follows the release of the company's half year results before the market open.
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Macquarie shares slump on results day
Investors have been selling down the investment bank's shares today after its first half profit fell short of expectations.
According to the release, for the six months ended 30 September, Macquarie posted a net profit of $1,655 million. This was up 3% on the prior corresponding period, but down a sizeable 21% on the second half of FY 2025.
As a comparison, the team at Citi was expecting Macquarie to report a net profit after tax of $1,877 million for the half.
Nevertheless, this didn't stop Macquarie's board from increasing its interim dividend by 7.7% year on year to $2.80 per share. This will be 35% franked, represents a payout ratio of 64%, and is in line with Citi's dividend estimate.
The investment bank has also approved an extension of its $2 billion share buyback for a further 12 months. As at 6 November, a total of $1,013 million of Macquarie shares had been acquired on-market. This was at an average price of $189.80 per share.
What were the drivers of this result?
Macquarie revealed strong performances from its Macquarie Asset Management (MAM), Banking and Financial Services (BFS), and Macquarie Capital businesses. These were partially offset by weakness in the Commodities and Global Markets (CGM) business.
MAM reported a net profit contribution of $1,175 million, which is up 43% from $823 million in the prior corresponding period. This was primarily driven by higher performance fees.
The BFS business' net profit contribution increased 22% year on year to $793 million. Management advised that this result reflects growth in its home loan portfolio and in deposits, and a lower average headcount for the half year period. This was partially offset by margin compression and higher technology expenses.
Macquarie Capital delivered a net profit contribution of $711 million for the half. This is up 92% from $371 million a year ago. This was driven by higher mergers and acquisitions and brokerage fee income and higher net income on its private credit portfolio.
Finally, the CGM business was out of form and delivered a net profit contribution of $1,113 million, which is down 15% from this time last year. Management advised that this was driven by higher operating expenses due to increased investment in its platform, remediation-related spend, and significant transaction-related costs.
Commenting on the half, Macquarie's managing director and CEO, Shemara Wikramanayake, said:
The improved underlying performance across our operating groups in the first half reflects the ongoing benefits of our diverse business mix and our continued investment in opportunities that support long-term growth and deliver positive outcomes for our clients and communities.
Looking ahead, Wikramanayake is cautious on Macquarie's near term outlook but remains positive on the medium term. She adds:
Macquarie remains well-positioned to deliver superior performance in the medium term with established, diverse income streams; deep expertise across diverse sectors in major markets with structural growth tailwinds; patient adjacent growth across new products and new markets; ongoing investment in our operating platform; a strong and conservative balance sheet; and a proven risk management framework and culture.
