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Iress

Melbourne, Australia1800 employees, since 1993

Quick Intro

Iress.com is a technology company that provides software solutions to the financial services industry. It offers a range of products and services including financial planning systems, trading and market data software, order management systems, and portfolio and wealth management tools. The company serves institutional brokers, retail online brokers, investment managers, and wealth management participants globally, with a presence in Asia-Pacific, North America, Africa, and the UK[1][2][3].

market data order management systems portfolio management software wealth management insurance solutions

Business Model

Iress.com generates revenue primarily from the following streams:

  1. Software Licence Revenue: This accounts for a significant portion of the company's revenue.
  2. Implementation and Consulting Revenue: These services are also substantial contributors to the company's overall revenue[4].

The revenue streams are relatively diversified across various segments, including:

  • APAC Trading & Global Market Data: Steady revenue supported by pricing standardization[1].
  • APAC Wealth Management: Stable recurring revenue and market share, with growth opportunities from digital advice[1].
  • Superannuation: Growth in recurring revenue through existing and new customer wins, offset by the exit of non-strategic clients[1].
  • Consulting Services: Increased demand for consulting services, boosting non-recurring revenue[1].

However, the company has indicated a move to reprioritize growth in the Australian market, which might reduce the historical diversification of its revenue streams[2].

Financials

Revenue Streams and Growth

  • Iress reported total revenue of $309 million for 1H24, with a slight decrease of 1% from the previous year, but pro forma revenue increased by 4%.
  • The Asia-Pacific Wealth Management sector generated $66.6 million in revenue, up 3% from the previous corresponding period, driven by new pricing strategies and project-related activities.
  • The firm successfully divested non-strategic assets like the UK Mortgages business, which strengthened its growth trajectory and improved overall financial position.

Profitability Metrics

  • Adjusted EBITDA reached $67 million, a significant increase of 52% compared to the prior corresponding period, reflecting strong cost management and operational improvements.
  • The Adjusted EBITDA margin improved markedly to 21.7%, which is an increase of 760 basis points year-over-year.
  • Net profit after tax turned positive at $17.3 million in 1H24, a significant improvement from the net loss of $139.8 million in the previous year, indicating a strong recovery.

Strategic Initiatives

  • Iress has launched transformation initiatives focused on cost reduction, operational efficiency, and divesting low margin businesses to drive profitability.
  • The company is enhancing its core products and bolstering sales capabilities, particularly in the UK market, where a leadership overhaul has led to improved earnings and client retention.
  • Iress has updated its FY24 Adjusted EBITDA guidance to between $126 million and $132 million post-asset sales, indicating confidence in sustained revenue growth.

Biggest Challenges

  • Despite displaying resilience, the company faces pressures from the high inflation environment which impacts operating costs and pricing strategies.
  • Revenue performance in certain segments, like Superannuation, has declined, prompting a review of strategic options and risk management to navigate operational challenges.
  • Continued challenges regarding technological transitions and potential cyber threats remain a persistent risk, as evidenced by a recent user space breach investigation, although no client data was compromised.

Target Customers

The target market and customer demographic of Iress.com primarily include:

  • Industry: Financial Services, Banking, Wealth Management, and Investment Management[1][3].
  • Geography: Mainly Australia and New Zealand, with significant presence in the UK, South Africa, Canada, and other markets in Asia[1][3].
  • Company Size: Most often used by companies with 50-200 employees and >$1 billion in revenue[1].
  • Customer Segments: Small independent firms, multinational financial and banking corporations, and individual financial and wealth management professionals[3].
  • Usage: Institutional, retail, and online traders, as well as financial advisers, wealth managers, investment managers, traders, lenders, and mortgage brokers[1][4].

Main Competitors

The primary competitors of iress.com, based on the provided sources, are:

  1. Money Management (moneymanagement.com.au) - Differentiates itself by providing a comprehensive market intelligence platform for Australia's financial services industry, with a strong focus on connecting financial services professionals[1].
  2. Investor Daily (investordaily.com.au) - Focuses on providing news and insights for investors, with a high similarity score to iress.com in terms of keyword traffic and audience targeting[1].
  3. ShareNet (sharenet.co.za) - Offers competitive fees for online share trading and provides the latest ASX and international share trading news and insights[1].
  4. Nabtrade (nabtrade.com.au) - Differentiates itself with a seamless and efficient customer experience, offering a wide range of trading tools and services[1].
  5. ReadyTech (readytech.com.au) - Specializes in creating technology that helps navigate complexity in various sectors, including finance and investing[1].

These competitors differentiate themselves through their unique offerings, such as comprehensive market intelligence, investor-focused news, competitive trading fees, and advanced customer experience solutions.

Office Locations

Iress.com has a global workforce with offices located in several countries. Here are the key locations:

  • Australia: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide
  • United Kingdom: London, Cheltenham, Colchester, Leatherhead
  • South Africa: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban
  • Canada: Toronto
  • New Zealand: Auckland
  • Singapore: Singapore
  • Tunisia: Tunis
  • France: Paris

Iress operates in Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, and North America, with a diverse team of global thinkers and collaborators[1][3][5].

Tech Stack

Iress.com's foundational technologies include:

  1. Xplan: An advice software platform that includes tools like Wealth Solver, Risk Researcher, and XTools[4].
  2. Xplan Affinity: A cloud-based infrastructure capability designed to integrate with Xplan, facilitating straight-through processing of client onboarding, trading, insurance applications, and advice execution[5].
  3. IRESS Labs: A collaborative design process that involves users in the development of software, ensuring it meets their needs and is efficient, intuitive, and impactful[3].
  4. Connectivity Network: A platform that connects advice software like Xplan with insurance providers and other industry participants to streamline the advice execution process[5].

These technologies are integral to Iress's digital advice and education solutions, enhancing efficiency, scalability, and personalization in financial services[1][2].

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Products and Services

Iress offers a variety of products and services that cater to different needs in the financial services industry. The main products and services include:

  1. Portfolio Management:

    • Iress Portfolio System: A multi-currency portfolio management software suitable for simple to sophisticated portfolios[1][4].
  2. Trading and Market Data:

    • Pro: A scalable and highly customizable market data interface providing real-time market data, news, company reports, and analytical tools[2][4].
    • Iress Order System: Trade order management software for multi-asset, multi-market trading[1][4].
  3. Financial Advice:

    • Xplan: Comprehensive financial planning and wealth management software for advice practices of any size[1][4].
    • O&M Profiler: A fully integrated system for advisers involved in pension and investment planning[1][4].
  4. Life and Pensions:

    • The Exchange: An online quote and apply portal for financial intermediaries, facilitating quote comparison and application processing[1][4].
  5. Superannuation:

    • Automated Super Admin: Digital offering for the day-to-day administration of superannuation funds[4].
    • Acurity Registry: Registry software for super funds[4].
  6. Mortgages:

    • Xplan Mortgage: Combines mortgage and protection sourcing on a single platform, allowing for comprehensive mortgage sales and origination[1][4].
  7. Investment Management:

    • Execution Management System: Multi-asset, multi-market global trading software[4].
    • Pulse Symphony (UK): Front, middle, and back office investment management software[4].

These products and services solve various problems in the financial services industry by providing robust portfolio management, trading solutions, financial planning tools, and administrative support for superannuation and mortgage operations. They also enhance data management and analytical capabilities, ensuring compliance and efficiency across different segments of the industry[3][4].