Earlier today GMO Internet Inc. (TYO:9449), the Japanese online services giant, reported its operating and financial metrics for the first quarter of 2015. The Internet securities business, which comprises service providers GMO CLICK Securities and FX Prime by GMO, operated under the brand GMO Click Holdings Inc (TYO:7177), offered investors some rather robust numbers, with profits and sales up sharply in the first three months of the new year.
- Operating profits at the Internet Securities segment amounted to impressive JPY 2.29 billion (USD 19.28 million) in the quarter to the end of March 2015. The result was 60.8% higher than in the first quarter of 2014.
- Net sales at the segment rose 35.4% from the first quarter of 2014 and amounted to JPY 7.52 billion.
- Thanks to high Forex market volatility, GMO Click Securities’ trading volumes surged in the first quarter, reaching JPY 396 trillion, up by significant 65.7% against the first quarter of 2014.
- Number of Forex accounts rose 14.9% against the first three months of 2014 to 552,000.
- Number of securities accounts rose 18.4% year-on-year to 241,000.
The success was attributed to expenses control, combined with successful marketing efforts and continued offering of tight spreads.
To view the full press release on GMO Internet’s results for the first quarter of 2015, click here.