-1-
PRESS RELEASE AND HALF-YEAR
REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
30 July
2024
ANNOUNCEMENT OF HALF-YEAR
RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2024
SJP PERFORMING WELL AND
POSITIONING FOR FURTHER LONG-TERM SUCCESS
St. James's Place plc (SJP) today issues its
half-year results for the six months ended 30 June 2024:
Mark FitzPatrick, Chief Executive Officer, commented:
"I am encouraged to report robust
business performance for the first half of 2024 across each of our
key operating and financial metrics, demonstrating the continued
resilience of our business model even as we work to address the
past challenges that I set out earlier in the year. We have seen
high levels of activity and engagement between our advisers and our
clients, contributing to positive flows. Helped by strong
investment returns for our clients, we have achieved record funds
under management, delivered a good outturn for the Cash result, and
grown the Partnership and our client base. It's evident that we
remain in good shape.
The first half has seen us make
progress against our significant programmes of work to simplify our
charging structure and review historic client servicing records. We
are on track to deliver our new charging structure in the second
half of 2025, in line with previous guidance. The focus of our
review of historic client servicing records has been on building
and readying the infrastructure that is necessary to analyse
significant amounts of servicing records efficiently and
accurately. We remain comfortable that the provision we have set up
to cover the costs of this exercise is appropriate.
Beyond our operating and financial
performance, we have performed a thorough review of the business
and the markets in which we operate. Ultimately,
this work has reinforced our conviction that SJP continues
to be a very strong business, with a fantastic opportunity
ahead.
We must though acknowledge that
for all our qualities as a business, we have a lot of hard work
ahead of us over the next 24 months to strengthen our core and
execute our existing programmes of work, helping us to become a
more efficient and effective business. From a strong base, we can
capture the structural market opportunities ahead of us and drive
growth over the long-term.
As we look to the future, we are
ambitious and have a clear direction of travel towards achieving
sustained success. I am confident that the approach set out
following our business review will enable us to achieve annual FUM
growth in the mid-to-high single digits over time. While near-term
profit growth will reflect the structural impact of transitioning
to our new simpler and more comparable charging structure as
announced last October, we expect to see the Underlying cash result
accelerate in 2027 and beyond, doubling between 2023 and 2030.
Importantly, much of this rapid growth is highly predictable
because of those changes that we are making to
our charges.
We are positioning for further
success, and I am confident that our refreshed strategic focus
leaves us well placed for a very bright future ahead."
-2-
Operating highlights
· Gross inflows of £8.5 billion (2023: £8.0 billion)
· Continued strong retention of client funds at
94.6%1 (2023: 95.6%1)
· Net
inflows of £1.9 billion (2023: £3.4 billion), representing an
annualised 2.3% of opening funds under management (2023:
4.6%)
· Record funds under management of £181.9 billion (31 December
2023: £168.2 billion)
· Net
3% increase in client base to 988,000 (31 December 2023:
958,000)
Financial highlights and shareholder
returns
· Underlying post-tax cash result £205.2 million (2023: £207.1
million)2
· IFRS
profit after tax £165.1 million (2023:
£161.7 million)
· Interim dividend of 6.00 pence per share (2023: 15.83
pence)
· Interim share buyback of £32.9 million, equivalent to 6.00
pence per share
H1 business review findings and outcomes
· Market opportunity remains compelling given structural growth
drivers and rising demand for advice
· Reinforced conviction that SJP remains a strong business,
with key and sustainable competitive advantages
· Future strategic focus to be built around four
pillars:
o Brilliant
basics: We will simplify and
standardise our operations, sharpening focus on delivering
excellent client outcomes
o Differentiated
client
proposition: We will enhance our
client proposition, providing a quality offering across differing
client segments
o Leading
adviser
offering: We will continue to be
the best place to be a financial adviser in the UK,
setting the standard for the future of financial advice
o Performance-focused
organisation: We will foster empowerment and accountability, evolving our
culture and driving performance across our community
· Near-term focus on strengthening business and executing
existing programmes of work, laying the foundations for sustained
growth
· Plan
to increase strategic investment over time, funded through
optimising our existing c. £670m addressable cost
base3
Saving to invest
o Ambition between now and the end of 2026 to deliver an
addressable cost base reduction programme, which will reach full
run-rate savings of £100 million (pre-tax) or 15% p.a. by
2027
o Total costs to achieve savings of £80 million largely
incurred in 2025 and 2026
o Anticipate cumulative net savings of approaching £500 million
through to 2030, after costs to achieve
Investing to grow
o Approximately half of these savings, once realised, will be
invested back into the business between 2025 and 2030,
supporting strategic initiatives and underpinning
long-term growth ambitions
Overall benefit to the cost base
o Combination of cost savings, costs to achieve, and investing
for growth, expected to be broadly neutral to the cost base in
2024, 2025 and 2026 with benefits emerging thereafter
o Benefits anticipated, before tax, of £30 million in 2027, £50
million in 2028, and £70 million from 2029 onwards
o Further underpins our ambition to double the Underlying cash
result from 2023 to 2030
The details of the announcement
are attached.
1 Throughout this press release our retention rate is
calculated as the proportion of FUM retained over the period after
allowing for the effect of full and partial withdrawals, but
excluding the effect of intrinsic regular income and maturity
payments.
2 The Underlying cash result is an alternative performance
measure (APM). The glossary of alternative performance measures on
pages 96 - 99 defines this APM and explains why it is useful. The
Underlying cash result is reconciled to International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS) on pages 19 and 20.
3 The addressable cost base for the purposes of our business
review is total IFRS expenses, less those which were either out of
scope for the review, one-off in nature or outside of management's
control.
-3-
Enquiries:
Hugh Taylor, Director - Investor
Relations
|
Tel: 07818 075143
|
Roy Beale, Divisional Director -
Media Relations
|
Tel: 07825 165329
|
Brunswick Group:
|
Tel: 020 7404 5959
|
Eilis Murphy
Charles Pretzlik
|
Email: sjp@brunswickgroup.com
|
-4-
2024
Half Year Results Presentation
Date:
30 July 2024
Time:
08:30 BST
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CONTENTS
|
|
|
Page(s)
|
New Business Inflows and Funds
Under Management
|
5
|
|
|
Interim Management
Statement
|
6 - 42
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Condensed Consolidated Half-Year
Financial Statements prepared under International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the United Kingdom
(UK)
|
43 - 84
|
Independent review report to St.
James's Place plc
|
85 - 86
|
Responsibility Statement of the
Directors in respect of the Half-Year Financial Report
|
87
|
Supplementary Information:
Consolidated Half-Year Financial Statement on a Cash Result
Basis
|
88 - 94
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Other Information
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95 - 99
|
-5-
New Business Inflows and Funds Under
Management
The following table shows how FUM
evolved during the six months to 30 June 2024 and 30 June 2023, and
the year to 31 December 2023. Investment return is presented net of
all charges.
|
Six months ended 30 June 2024
|
Six
months ended 30 June
2023
|
Year
ended
31
December
2023
|
Investment
|
Pension
|
UT/ISA
and
DFM
|
Total
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
Opening FUM
|
35.99
|
87.32
|
44.89
|
168.20
|
148.37
|
148.37
|
Gross inflows
|
1.00
|
5.59
|
1.94
|
8.53
|
8.04
|
15.39
|
Net investment return
|
2.24
|
6.53
|
2.98
|
11.75
|
5.71
|
14.71
|
Regular income withdrawals and
maturities
|
(0.19)
|
(1.68)
|
-
|
(1.87)
|
(1.27)
|
(2.77)
|
Surrenders and
part-surrenders
|
(1.14)
|
(1.50)
|
(2.11)
|
(4.75)
|
(3.33)
|
(7.50)
|
Closing FUM
|
37.90
|
96.26
|
47.70
|
181.86
|
157.52
|
168.20
|
Net (outflows)/inflows
|
(0.33)
|
2.41
|
(0.17)
|
1.91
|
3.44
|
5.12
|
Implied surrender rate as a percentage of average
FUM
|
6.2%
|
3.3%
|
9.1%
|
5.4%
|
4.4%
|
4.7%
|
-6-
Interim Management
Statement
Chief Executive Officer's
report
Introduction
I am encouraged to report robust
business performance for the first half of 2024 across each of our
key operating and financial metrics, demonstrating the continued
resilience of our business model even as we work to address the
past challenges that I set out earlier in the year.
We have seen high levels of activity and
engagement between our advisers and clients, contributing to
positive flows. Helped by strong investment returns for our
clients, we have achieved record funds under management, delivered
a good outturn for the Cash result, and grown the Partnership and
our client base.
At the time of our full-year
results in February, I provided my initial reflections on the
business. Since then, I have continued my work to get deep into the
fabric of SJP, deliver change and tell our story. This has included
meeting many Partners, advisers, employees and shareholders to
understand their perspectives; strengthening our relationship with
our key regulators through regular engagement; and meeting with
policymakers, industry peers and those in government to increase
our voice and help shape the future of our industry.
Together with the review of the
business that we undertook in the first half, this activity has
only added to our conviction that SJP is a fundamentally strong and
growing business with an enormously powerful distribution and asset
gathering capability. The attractive investment proposition powered
by high quality advice from our Partnership of 4,852 advisers,
helps deliver good outcomes for our growing client base.
Operating and financial performance
It has been well documented that
recent years have been challenging for UK consumers, but we are
starting to see some more positive indicators in the macroeconomic
environment. Consumer confidence is increasing in response to
falling inflation and the resulting optimism that interest rates
may soon follow a similar path. While it is too early to draw firm
conclusions, we are encouraged by these early signs of
recovery.
This improving operating
environment has resulted in gross inflows in the second quarter of
2024 of £4.5 billion (three months to 30
June 2023: £3.8 billion), 18% higher than
that seen in 2023, providing a welcome return to quarterly growth.
Combined with a resilient first quarter of the year this means our
financial advisers have attracted a total of £8.5 billion
(six months to 30 June
2023: £8.0 billion) of new client
investments during the first half of 2024, an increase of 6% versus
the same period in 2023. We have continued to see high activity
levels, resulting in case volumes being higher year on year,
partially offset by lower average case sizes as financial pressures
persist.
We are encouraged by the continued
strong retention of client funds under management, with an
annualised retention rate of 94.6% (six
months to 30 June 2023: 95.6%) for the
first half, despite the ongoing financial pressures facing clients.
As a result, we continue to generate significant levels of net
inflows, which stood at £1.9 billion for the first half (six months
to 30 June 2023: £3.4 billion). Our investment management approach
(IMA) continues to perform well, achieving strong positive returns
for clients in the first half of the year. This, together with new
business, has seen funds under management increase to £181.9
billion (31 December 2023: £168.2 billion), up 8% from the start of
the year.
This operating performance has
been mirrored by a strong financial result for the period. We have
delivered an Underlying post-tax cash result of £205.2 million,
down 1% versus the prior year as a result of the significant
additional short-term cost of investing in the systems and
processes required to support the simplified charging structure
that we announced in October last year. Excluding these short-term
costs, the Underlying cash result increased by 11%, driven by
higher average mature funds under management and the associated net
income. This affirms the underlying strength and resilience of our
business model.
Meanwhile, we are progressing our
significant programme of work to review historic client servicing
records with a focus on building and readying the infrastructure
that is necessary to analyse significant amounts of servicing
records efficiently and accurately. We remain comfortable that the
provision we have set up to cover the costs of this exercise is
appropriate.
-7-
We are also making good progress
in our implementation programme for the future of simple and
comparable charging at SJP, in line with the plans we communicated
in October last year. We remain on track to deliver this in line
with previous guidance.
Business review
Over the last few months we have
completed a review of all aspects of the business with the aim
of taking a step back to assess the
development of our marketplace, hold a mirror up to our business,
and ensure we are setting out on a clear path forward so that we
drive great outcomes for our clients and all our
stakeholders.
We have done a lot of work
assessing our marketplace to consider not just what it looks like
today, but how it might develop in the years ahead. We see a
compelling opportunity, with the UK wealth management market
expected to grow at some 7% per annum compound over the next 7
years 1, driven by a combination of structural and cyclical factors
including asset appreciation and growing provision for
retirement.
Ultimately, this work has
reinforced our conviction that SJP continues to
be a very strong business, with a fantastic opportunity ahead. We
are the scale market leader in an industry that has embedded
structural growth across all market segments. We are well placed to
capitalise upon this opportunity and build upon our long track
record of success given the strengths of our distinct business
model that include the Partnership, our Academy and our investment
management approach.
Our strategic direction going
forwards is underpinned by our redefined purpose: to empower
clients with invaluable advice to realise bolder ambitions. This is
what drives our advisers, our employees and everyone else across
our community of 15,000 people. We will leverage our great
strengths, whilst making changes where necessary to drive sustained
growth, and to ensure we capture economies of scale as we succeed.
We will build a confident, high-performance culture that will see
SJP thrive for the benefit of all our stakeholders.
We will focus our priorities on 4
strategic pillars. These are:
· Brilliant basics: simplifying and
standardising our operations, sharpening focus on delivering
excellent client outcomes. This includes
building on our core technology infrastructure to improve our
operational and administrative processes, leveraging our rich data
universe to provide unparalleled insight and support Partner
productivity, and driving improved awareness of the value of
financial advice.
· Differentiated client proposition: enhancing our client proposition to provide a quality
offering
across differing client segments, for example by tailoring it to
better serve the needs of high-net-worth clients, developing our
digital capabilities and broadening our investment shelf to provide
greater choice. This includes increasing our use of passives,
deepening our alternatives offering and building on our cash
proposition.
· Leading adviser offering: continuing to be the best place to
be a professional financial adviser in the UK, setting the standard
for the future of financial advice. This includes further enhancing
our Academy programme, evolving our Partnership support model to
focus on helping our quality advisers to become more productive,
while supporting the continued evolution of our
market-leading succession proposition
· Performance-focused organisation: fostering empowerment and accountability, embedding a
high-performance culture through a new leadership framework while
also optimising our cost base for a more efficient operating model
which is aligned to our redefined purpose and refreshed
strategy.
We have an ambition to reduce our
addressable cost base by around £100 million per annum before tax.
We will have completed the work to achieve these cost savings by
the end of 2026, with one-off costs to achieve of approximately £80
million.
This means that up to 2030, we
estimate cumulative savings, net of costs to achieve, of
approaching £500m. In creating this significant capacity, we have
the opportunity to fund investment in a disciplined manner. This
investment will enable us to deliver on our strategic initiatives,
further underpin our long-term growth ambitions, and improve the
Cash result.
1Source: GlobalData
-8-
We expect to invest a total of
around £250 million through to 2030, or around half the total
savings we will create over this period. Our investment priorities
will be primarily focused around three areas:
1) enhancing our
technology and data capabilities;
2) developing
and tailoring our differentiated client proposition;
and,
3) broadening
our investment shelf.
These will support our operational
performance, adviser productivity and further enhance our
differentiated client offering.
The net effect of costs savings,
costs to achieve, and investing for growth, is expected to be
broadly neutral to our cost base in 2024-2026. Net positive
benefits to our cost base are expected to emerge thereafter, of
around £30 million in 2027 and £50 million in 2028, before we
achieve full ongoing savings of around £70 million per annum by
2029.
We know that for all our qualities
as a business, we have a lot of hard work ahead of us over the next
24 months. We need to deliver our simpler and more comparable
charging structure, and refund those clients where ongoing
servicing has not been evidenced historically. We therefore have an
initial period of heavy lifting ahead of us, where a lot of our
work is about strengthening our core and executing to become a more
efficient and effective business. From a strong base, we can look
to drive sustained growth over the long term, managing all aspects
of our business to drive returns and create long-term value for
shareholders.
Summary and outlook
It has been a challenging period
for the business, but we have made good progress on many fronts
during the first half of the year, which is testament to the
resilience of our business model and the hard work of all our
advisers, Partner Support Staff and our employees. I thank them all
for their continued efforts.
We are ambitious and have a clear
direction of travel for how we are going to achieve sustained
success. I am confident that the approach we have set out following
our business review will enable us to achieve annual FUM growth in
the mid-to-high single digits over time. While near-term profit
growth will reflect the impact of transitioning to our new charging
structure as announced last October, we expect to see the
Underlying cash result accelerate in 2027 and beyond, doubling
between 2023 and 2030. Importantly, much of this rapid growth is
highly predictable because of those
changes that we are making to our charges.
We are positioning for further
success, and I am confident that our refreshed strategic focus
leaves us well placed for a very bright future ahead.
Mark
FitzPatrick, Chief Executive
Officer
29 July 2024
-9-
Chief Financial Officer's
report
We are pleased to report a strong
set of financial results for the first half of 2024, as the
operating environment shows early signs of improvement following a
challenging couple of years.
As already summarised in the Chief
Executive Officer's Report, our business has performed well in the
first half delivering positive flows and growth in funds under
management. This has underpinned growth in fee income, enabling us
to deliver a post-tax Underlying cash result for the half year
of £205.2 million
(six months to 30 June 2023: £207.1 million, year to 31 December
2023: £392.4 million), despite significant
additional investment as we implement our new charging
structure.
Our financial results are
presented in more detail on pages 13 to 38 of the Financial Review,
but this report provides a summary of financial performance on a
statutory International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) basis,
as well as our chosen alternative performance measures
(APMs).
Financial results
IFRS
As is often the case,
IFRS profit before tax of £577.0 million (six months to 30 June 2023: £385.0
million, year to 31 December 2023: £439.6 million) and
IFRS profit before shareholder tax
of £225.1 million (six months to 30 June
2023: £215.7 million, year to 31 December 2023: £4.5 million loss)
are each heavily distorted by the inclusion of policyholder tax and
the associated charges, with further detail included in the
Financial Review on page 19.
Excluding the short-term impact of
items related to policyholder tax, IFRS profit before shareholder tax is
subject to similar drivers as those described for the Cash result
below.
Cash result
The Cash result, and the Underlying cash result contained within
it, are based on IFRS but adjusted to exclude certain non-cash
items. They therefore represent useful guides to the level of cash
profit generated by the business. All items in the Cash result, and
in the commentary below, are presented net of tax, with prior
period comparisons impacted by a change in the rate of corporation
tax on 1 April 2023.
The post-tax Underlying cash result of £205.2
million (six months to 30 June 2023: £207.1 million, year to
31 December 2023: £392.4 million) has reduced by 1%, as increased
recurring net income was offset by significant additional
short-term costs as we invest in the systems and processes required
to implement our new charging structure; excluding these short-term
costs, the Underlying cash result increased by 11%. It was also
impacted by a higher rate of corporation tax.
The key driver of our Underlying
cash result is the Net income from
funds under management which has increased by 8% to £324.8
million (six months to 30 June 2023:
£299.6 million, year to 31 December 2023: £599.2 million) as a
result of strong growth in funds under management and the first
contribution from gestation balances that matured during the
period.
With a further £49.5 billion of
gestation FUM that is not currently contributing to the Cash
result, but will begin to as it matures over the next six years, we are well placed for further
growth in net income in the years ahead. For illustrative purposes,
our current stock of funds in gestation would, in due course,
contribute around £295.5 million a year in recurring income to the
Cash result.
In addition, we have also
generated income through a Margin
arising from new business where initial product charges
levied on gross inflows exceed new-business-related expenses, as
well as Shareholder interest which
represents the interest earned on shareholder working capital and
business loans to Partners.
These sources of income are used
to meet our costs, including Controllable expenses which have
increased by 8% on a post-tax basis, reflecting a weighting of
development expenditure towards the first half of the year, as well
as our Investment in Asia and
DFM and our FSCS levy and
other regulatory costs.
As referenced above, we have also
incurred additional short-term Charge structure
implementation costs of £25.0
million post-tax (six months to 30
June 2023: £nil, year to 31 December 2023: £7.2 million).
Our guidance on implementation costs remains
unchanged.
-10-
European Embedded Value
We supplement our IFRS and Cash
results with additional disclosure on a European Embedded Value
(EEV) basis, providing a measure of the total value that might be
expected to arise over the lifetime of the existing business,
though without making any allowance for new business that may be
written in the future.
The EEV
operating profit before exceptional items of £545.9 million for the period (six months to 30 June 2023: £740.1 million, year to 31
December 2023: £1,041.0 million), has reduced as
a result of the ongoing impact of changes to our charging structure
announced in 2023, which have reduced the contribution from new
business in the period, as well as reducing the opening value of
in-force business and the associated unwind of the discount
rate.
The EEV
operating profit after exceptional items of £793.1 million (six months to 30
June 2023: £119.1 million loss, year to 31 December 2023: £1,891.6
million loss) has been impacted in both the
current and prior year by the announced changes to our charging
structure.
The EEV
profit before tax of £1,229.0 million for the
period (six months to 30 June 2023: £76.3
million, year to 31 December 2023: £1,387.4 million loss)
has benefitted from a positive investment return
variance of £437.9 million (six months to 30 June 2023:
£157.6 million, year to 31 December 2023: £501.7
million), reflecting the increased market values
across our FUM that exceeded our long-term
assumptions.
The EEV net asset value per
share was £15.71 at 30 June 2024 (30 June 2023: £16.28,
31 December 2023: £14.11).
Solvency and capital
We take a prudent approach to
managing the balance sheet and our capital requirements. This
continues to be the case, with both the Group and our life
companies in a strong financial position. Given the simplicity of
our business model, our preferred approach to considering solvency
remains to hold assets to match client unit-linked liabilities and
allow for a management solvency buffer (MSB).
At 30 June 2024 we held surplus
assets over the MSB of £711.2 million (30 June 2023: £824.2
million, 31 December 2023: £603.5 million), increasing as a result
of cash generated exceeding the dividend paid during the
period.
We also ensure that our approach
meets the requirements of the Solvency II regime. Our UK life
company, the largest insurance entity in the Group, targets capital
equal to 130% of the standard formula requirement. This is a
prudent and sustainable policy given the risk profile of our
business, which is largely operational.
At 30 June 2024, the solvency
ratio for our life companies was 164% (30 June 2023: 131%, 31
December 2023: 162%) of the standard formula capital requirements,
comfortably exceeding our target capital levels.
Taking into account entities in the rest of the
Group, the Group solvency ratio at 30 June 2024 was 188% (30
June 2023: 151%, 31 December 2023: 191%).
Financial position
Our IFRS Condensed Consolidated
Statement of Financial Position, presented on page 46, contains
policyholder interests in unit-linked liabilities and the
underlying assets that are held to match them. To understand the
true assets and liabilities that the shareholder can benefit from,
these policyholder balances, along with non-cash 'accounting'
balances such as deferred income (DIR) and deferred acquisition
costs (DAC), are removed in the Solvency II Net Assets balance
sheet. This balance sheet is straightforward and demonstrates that
the Group has deep liquidity. Further information on liquidity can
be found on page 30.
Analysis of the key movements in
the Solvency II Net Assets balance sheet during the period is set
out on pages 28 to 31.
-11-
Capital allocation
As stewards of shareholder
capital, disciplined allocation of our capital resources is of the
utmost importance. Our capital allocation framework sets out our
priorities:
1. We
will maintain a strong balance
sheet, ensuring the safety of our client
investments;
2. We
will invest to drive organic
growth, ensuring we have the necessary
core capabilities in the business;
3. We
will deliver annual shareholder
returns, which are reliable and in line
with our guidance; and
4. We
will return excess capital
over and above what we need to invest in the
business at attractive returns.
We see being deliberate and
disciplined in how we manage capital allocation as critical to
ensuring we have a well invested business that drives returns and
creates sustained value for shareholders.
Shareholder returns
As we announced in February, our
approach is to return 50% of the full year Underlying cash result.
For 2024, this is expected to comprise 18.00 pence per share in
annual dividends declared with the balance returned through share
buybacks.
We target an interim return of
approximately one-third of the anticipated full year total. The
Board is therefore declaring an interim dividend of 6.00 pence per
share, together with an interim share buyback of £32.9 million,
equivalent to 6.00 pence per share, due to be completed in the
third quarter of the year.
Craig Gentle, Chief Financial Officer
29 July 2024
-12-
Summary financial information
Page
reference
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FUM-based metrics
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross inflows
(£'Billion)
|
|
15
|
8.5
|
8.0
|
15.4
|
Net inflows (£'Billion)
|
|
15
|
1.9
|
3.4
|
5.1
|
Total FUM (£'Billion)
|
|
15
|
181.9
|
157.5
|
168.2
|
Total FUM in gestation
(£'Billion)
|
|
16
|
49.5
|
47.2
|
47.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IFRS-based metrics
|
|
|
|
|
|
IFRS profit/(loss) after tax
(£'Million)
|
|
18
|
165.1
|
161.7
|
(9.9)
|
IFRS profit/(loss) before
shareholder tax (£'Million)
|
|
18
|
225.1
|
215.7
|
(4.5)
|
Underlying profit/(loss) before
shareholder tax (£'Million)
|
|
19
|
222.0
|
215.8
|
(8.0)
|
IFRS basic earnings per share (EPS)
(Pence)
|
|
|
30.1
|
29.6
|
(1.8)
|
IFRS diluted EPS (Pence)
|
|
|
29.9
|
29.5
|
(1.8)
|
IFRS net asset value per share
(Pence)
|
|
|
201.1
|
227.1
|
179.3
|
Dividend per share
(Pence)
|
|
|
6.00
|
15.83
|
23.83
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash result-based metrics
|
|
|
|
|
|
Controllable expenses
(£'Million)
|
|
22
|
144.9
|
134.0
|
283.3
|
Underlying cash result
(£'Million)
|
|
22
|
205.2
|
207.1
|
392.4
|
Cash result (£'Million)
|
|
22
|
202.2
|
202.4
|
68.7
|
Underlying cash result basic EPS
(Pence)
|
|
|
37.4
|
37.9
|
71.7
|
Underlying cash result diluted EPS
(Pence)
|
|
|
37.1
|
37.7
|
70.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EEV-based metrics
|
|
|
|
|
|
EEV operating profit/(loss) after
exceptional items before tax (£'Million)
|
|
32
|
793.1
|
(119.1)
|
(1,891.6)
|
EEV operating profit/(loss) after
exceptional items after tax basic EPS (Pence)
|
|
|
108.8
|
(16.9)
|
(260.6)
|
EEV operating profit/(loss) after
exceptional items after tax diluted EPS (Pence)
|
|
|
107.9
|
(16.9)
|
(256.5)
|
EEV net asset value per share
(£)
|
|
|
15.71
|
16.28
|
14.11
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Solvency-based metrics
|
|
|
|
|
|
Solvency II net assets
(£'Million)
|
|
37
|
1,251.1
|
1,351.3
|
1,133.0
|
Management solvency buffer
(£'Million)
|
|
37
|
539.9
|
527.1
|
529.5
|
Solvency II free assets
(£'Million)
|
|
37
|
1,682.6
|
1,760.0
|
1,572.1
|
Solvency ratio
(Percentage)
|
|
37
|
188%
|
151%
|
191%
|
The Cash result should not be
confused with the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash
Flows, which is prepared in accordance with IAS 7.
-13-
Financial Review
This financial review provides
analysis of the Group's financial position and
performance.
It is split into
the following sections:
Section 1
Funds under management
(FUM)
1.1
FUM analysis
1.2 Gestation
As set out on page
15 and below, FUM is a
key driver of ongoing profitability on all measures,
and so information on growth in FUM is provided in Section
1.
Find out more on pages
15 to 17.
Section 2
Performance measurement
2.1
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
2.2 Cash
result
2.3
European Embedded Value (EEV)
Section 2 analyses the performance
of the business using three different bases: IFRS, the Cash result,
and EEV.
Find out more on pages 18 to
36.
Section 3
Solvency
Section 3 addresses solvency,
which is an important area given the multiple regulated activities
carried out within the Group.
Find out more on pages
37 and
38.
-14-
Our financial business
model
Our financial business model
is straightforward. We generate revenue by attracting
clients through the value of our proposition, who trust us
with their investments and then stay with us. This grows
our funds under management (FUM), on which
we receive:
· advice charges for the provision of valuable, face-to-face
advice; and
· product charges for our manufactured investment, pension and
ISA/unit trust products.
Further information on our charges
can be found on our website: www.sjp.co.uk/charges.
A breakdown of fee and commission income, our primary source of
revenue under IFRS, is set out in Note 4 on page
53.
The primary source of the Group's
profit is the income we receive from annual product
management charges on FUM. However, under our current charging
structure, most of our investment and pension products are
structured so that annual product management charges are not taken
for the first six years after the business is written. This
means that the Group has six years' worth of FUM in the 'gestation'
period that is not generating annual product management charges,
but will 'mature' over a six-year period and begin to contribute
annual product management charges.
We will be simplifying our
charging structure from the middle of 2025 and new business will no
longer enter a gestation period, but in the meantime, gestation FUM
represents a significant store of shareholder value.
Initial and ongoing advice
charges, and initial product charges levied when a client
first invests into one of our products, are not major
drivers of the Group's profitability, because:
· most
advice charges received are offset by corresponding
remuneration for Partners, so an increase in these revenue
streams will correspond with an increase in the associated
expense and vice versa; and
· under IFRS, initial product charges are spread over the
expected life of the investment through deferred income (DIR -
see page 20 for further detail). The contribution to the IFRS
result from spreading these historic charges can be seen in Note 4
as amortisation of DIR. Initial product charges contribute
immediately to our Cash result through margin arising on new
business.
Our income is used to meet
overheads, pay ongoing product expenses and invest in the business.
Controllable expenses, being the costs of running the Group's
infrastructure, the Academy and development expenses, are carefully
managed to ensure strong discipline on costs. Other ongoing
expenses, including payments to Partners, increase with business
levels and are generally aligned with product charges.
Gross inflows into FUM
-15-
Section 1: Funds under
management
1.1 FUM analysis
Our financial business model is to
attract and retain FUM, on which we receive an annual management
fee. As a result, the level of income we receive is ultimately
dependent on the value of our FUM, and so its growth is a clear
driver of future growth in profits. The key drivers for FUM
are:
· our
ability to attract new funds in the form of gross
inflows;
· our
ability to retain FUM by keeping unplanned withdrawals at a low
level; and
· net
investment returns.
The following table shows how FUM
evolved during the six months to 30 June 2024 and 30 June 2023, and
the year to 31 December 2023. Investment return is presented net of
all charges.
|
Six months ended 30 June 2024
|
Six
months
ended
30 June
2023
|
Year
ended
31
December
2023
|
Investment
|
Pension
|
UT/ISA
and
DFM
|
Total
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
Opening FUM
|
35.99
|
87.32
|
44.89
|
168.20
|
148.37
|
148.37
|
Gross inflows
|
1.00
|
5.59
|
1.94
|
8.53
|
8.04
|
15.39
|
Net investment return
|
2.24
|
6.53
|
2.98
|
11.75
|
5.71
|
14.71
|
Regular income withdrawals and
maturities
|
(0.19)
|
(1.68)
|
-
|
(1.87)
|
(1.27)
|
(2.77)
|
Surrenders and
part-surrenders
|
(1.14)
|
(1.50)
|
(2.11)
|
(4.75)
|
(3.33)
|
(7.50)
|
Closing FUM
|
37.90
|
96.26
|
47.70
|
181.86
|
157.52
|
168.20
|
Net (outflows)/inflows
|
(0.33)
|
2.41
|
(0.17)
|
1.91
|
3.44
|
5.12
|
Implied surrender rate as a percentage of average
FUM
|
6.2%
|
3.3%
|
9.1%
|
5.4%
|
4.4%
|
4.7%
|
Included in the table above
is:
· Rowan Dartington Group FUM of £3.53 billion at 30 June 2024
(30 June 2023: £3.33 billion, 31 December 2023: £3.43 billion),
gross inflows of £0.14 billion for the period (six months to 30
June 2023: £0.20 billion, year to 31 December 2023: £0.36 billion)
and outflows of £0.12 billion for the period (six months to 30 June
2023: £0.09 billion, year to 31 December 2023: £0.18 billion);
and
· SJP
Asia FUM of £1.77 billion at 30 June 2024 (30 June 2023: £1.62
billion, 31 December 2023: £1.72 billion), gross inflows of £0.11
billion for the period (six months to 30 June 2023: £0.12 billion,
year to 31 December 2023: £0.21 billion) and outflows of £0.11
billion for the period (six months to 30 June 2023: £0.06 billion,
year to 31 December 2023: £0.15 billion).
The following table shows the
significant net inflows and the progression of FUM over recent
periods:
Period
|
Opening FUM
|
Net inflows
|
Investment return
|
Closing FUM
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
Six months to 30 June 2024
|
168.2
|
1.9
|
11.8
|
181.9
|
Year to 31 December 2023
|
148.4
|
5.1
|
14.7
|
168.2
|
Year to 31 December 2022
|
154.0
|
9.8
|
(15.4)
|
148.4
|
Year to 31 December 2021
|
129.3
|
11.0
|
13.7
|
154.0
|
Year to 31 December 2020
|
117.0
|
8.2
|
4.1
|
129.3
|
Year to 31 December 2019
|
95.6
|
9.0
|
12.4
|
117.0
|
-16-
The table below provides a
geographical and investment-type analysis of FUM at the end of each
period:
|
30
June 2024
|
30 June 2023
|
31 December 2023
|
£'Billion
|
Percentage
of
total
|
£'Billion
|
Percentage
of total
|
£'Billion
|
Percentage
of total
|
North American equities
|
66.8
|
37%
|
52.2
|
33%
|
57.4
|
34%
|
Fixed income securities
|
29.6
|
16%
|
24.4
|
16%
|
27.1
|
16%
|
European equities
|
26.2
|
14%
|
22.0
|
14%
|
23.6
|
14%
|
Asia and Pacific
equities
|
22.9
|
13%
|
19.6
|
12%
|
20.5
|
12%
|
UK
equities
|
15.0
|
8%
|
16.0
|
10%
|
16.0
|
10%
|
Alternative investments
|
8.6
|
5%
|
11.9
|
8%
|
10.5
|
6%
|
Cash
|
6.7
|
4%
|
6.1
|
4%
|
7.2
|
4%
|
Other
|
4.5
|
2%
|
3.3
|
2%
|
4.1
|
3%
|
Property
|
1.6
|
1%
|
2.0
|
1%
|
1.8
|
1%
|
Total
|
181.9
|
100%
|
157.5
|
100%
|
168.2
|
100%
|
1.2 Gestation
As explained in our financial
business model on page 14, due to our current product structure,
there is a significant amount of FUM that has not yet started
to contribute net income to the Cash result.
When we attract new FUM there is a
margin arising on new business that emerges at the point of
investment, which is a surplus of income over and above the
initial costs incurred at the outset. Within our Cash result
presentation this is recognised as it arises, but it is deferred
under IFRS.
Once the margin arising on new
business has been recognised, the pattern of future emergence of
cash from annual product management charges differs by product.
Broadly, annual product management charges from unit trust and ISA
business begin contributing positively to the Cash result from day
one, whilst investment and pensions business enters a six-year
gestation period during which no net income from FUM is included in
the Cash result. Once this business has reached its six-year
maturity point, it starts contributing positively to the Cash
result, and will continue to do so in each year that it remains
with the Group. Approximately 53% of gross inflows for 2024, after
initial charges, moved into gestation FUM (six months to 30 June
2023: 54%, year to 31 December 2023: 54%).
The following table shows an
analysis of FUM, after initial charges, split between mature FUM
that is contributing net income to the Cash result and FUM in
gestation which is not yet contributing as at 30 June 2024, as well
as at the year-end for the past five years. The value of both
mature and gestation FUM is impacted by investment return as well
as net inflows.
|
Mature
FUM
contributing
to
the Cash
result
|
Gestation FUM
that
will
contribute
to the Cash
result
in the
future
|
Total
FUM
|
Position as at
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
£'Billion
|
30
June 2024
|
132.4
|
49.5
|
181.9
|
31 December 2023
|
120.6
|
47.6
|
168.2
|
31 December 2022
|
102.9
|
45.5
|
148.4
|
31 December 2021
|
104.7
|
49.3
|
154.0
|
31 December 2020
|
85.9
|
43.4
|
129.3
|
31 December 2019
|
76.8
|
40.2
|
117.0
|
-17-
We will be simplifying our
charging structure in the second half of 2025 following a period of
investment in the required systems and processes. Under the revised
charging structure, new business will no longer enter a period of
gestation and the existing gestation business at the point of
implementation will gradually mature, after which there will be no
further concept of gestation FUM. In the meantime, gestation FUM
continues to be a material store of shareholder value that will
make a significant contribution to the Cash result in the
future.
The following table gives an
indication, for illustrative purposes, of the way in which the
reduction in fees in the gestation period element of the Cash
result could unwind, and so how the gestation balance of £49.5
billion at 30 June 2024 may start to contribute to the Cash result
over the next six years and beyond:
Year
|
Cumulative gestation FUM
maturity
profile
|
Gestation FUM future contribution to the post-tax Cash
result
|
£'Billion
|
£'Million
|
2024
|
3.6
|
31.2
|
2025
|
10.7
|
78.5
|
2026
|
18.4
|
109.6
|
2027
|
27.0
|
161.3
|
2028
|
36.4
|
217.7
|
2029
|
45.2
|
269.8
|
2030 onwards
|
49.5
|
295.5
|
The contribution of gestation FUM
to the Cash result shown in the table above allows for a reduction
in ongoing charges in the second half of 2025 as we simplify our
charging structure. For simplicity the table assumes that FUM
values remain unchanged, that there are no surrenders, and that
business is written at the start of the year. Actual emergence
in the Cash result will reflect the varying business mix of
the relevant cohort and business experience.
-18-
Section 2: Performance
measurement
In line with statutory reporting
requirements we report profits assessed on an IFRS basis. The
presence of a significant life insurance company within the
Group means that, although we are a wealth management group in
substance with a simple business model, we apply IFRS
accounting requirements for insurance companies. These requirements
lead to financial statements which are more complex than those of a
typical wealth manager and so our IFRS results may not provide the
clearest presentation for users who are trying to understand our
wealth management business.
Key examples of this include the
following:
· our
IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
includes policyholder tax balances which we are required to
recognise as part of our corporation tax arrangements. This
means that our Group IFRS profit before tax includes amounts
charged to clients to meet policyholder tax expenses, which are
unrelated to the underlying performance of our business;
and
· our
IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
includes policyholder liabilities and the corresponding assets held
to match them, and so policyholder liabilities increase or decrease
to match increases or decreases experienced on these assets. This
means that shareholders are not exposed to any gains or losses
on the £182.3 billion of policyholder assets and liabilities
recognised in our IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of
Financial Position, which represented over 97% of our IFRS total
assets at 30 June 2024.
To address this, we developed
alternative performance measures (APMs) with the objective of
stripping out the policyholder element to present solely
shareholder-impacting balances, as well as removing items such as
deferred acquisition costs and deferred income to reflect
Solvency II recognition requirements and to better match the way in
which cash emerges from the business. We therefore present our
financial performance and position on three different bases, using
a range of APMs to supplement our IFRS reporting. The three
different bases, which are consistent with those presented last
year, are:
· International Financial Reporting Standards
(IFRS);
· Cash
result; and
· European Embedded Value (EEV).
APMs are not defined by the
relevant financial reporting framework (which for the Group is
IFRS), but we use them to provide greater insight to the financial
performance, financial position and cash flows of the Group and the
way it is managed. A complete glossary of APMs is set out on pages
96 to 99, in which we define each APM used in our financial review,
explain why it is used and, if applicable, explain how the measure
can be reconciled to the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements.
2.1 International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS)
The following table demonstrates
the way in which IFRS profit is presented in the Condensed
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income:
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
IFRS profit before tax
|
577.0
|
385.0
|
439.6
|
Policyholder tax
|
(351.9)
|
(169.3)
|
(444.1)
|
IFRS profit/(loss) before shareholder tax
|
225.1
|
215.7
|
(4.5)
|
Shareholder tax
|
(60.0)
|
(54.0)
|
(5.4)
|
IFRS profit/(loss) after tax
|
165.1
|
161.7
|
(9.9)
|
-19-
As referenced above, our IFRS
results are impacted by policyholder tax balances which we are
required to recognise as part of our corporation tax
arrangements. This means that our Group IFRS profit before tax
includes amounts charged to clients to meet policyholder tax
expenses, which are unrelated to the underlying performance of our
business. The scale and direction of these amounts can vary
significantly: for example, in the first half of 2024 we deducted
£351.9 million from clients due to investment market gains which
flowed through our IFRS profit before tax as income, compared to an
equivalent deduction of £169.3 million in the first half of 2023,
resulting in a period-on-period impact of £182.6 million. See Note
4 Fee and commission income for further information.
To address the challenge of
policyholder tax being included in the IFRS results we focus on the
following two APMs, based on IFRS, as our pre-tax
metrics:
· IFRS
profit before shareholder tax; and
· underlying profit.
Further information on these
IFRS-based measures is set out below.
Profit before shareholder
tax
This is a profit measure based on
IFRS which aims to remove the impact of policyholder tax. The
policyholder tax expense or credit is typically matched by an
equivalent deduction or credit from the relevant funds, which is
recorded within Fee and commission income in the Condensed
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income. Policyholder tax
does not therefore normally impact the Group's overall profit after
tax.
However, in both the current and
prior year IFRS profit before shareholder tax and IFRS profit after
tax have been impacted by another nuance of life insurance tax,
which has acted to reduce these balances.
As set out above, life insurance
tax incorporates a policyholder tax element, and the financial
statements of a life insurance group need to reflect the
liability to HMRC and the corresponding deductions incorporated
into policy charges. In particular, the tax liability to HMRC is
assessed using IAS 12 Income Taxes, which does not allow
discounting, whereas the policy charges are designed to ensure
fair outcomes between clients and so reflect a wide range of
possible outcomes.
This gives rise to different
assessments of the current value of future cash flows and hence an
asymmetry in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial
Position between the deferred tax position and the offsetting
client balance. The net balance reflects a temporary
position, and in the absence of market volatility we expect it will
unwind as future cash flows become less uncertain and are
ultimately realised. Movement in the asymmetry is recognised
in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive
Income and analysed in Note 4 Fee and commission income.
We refer to it throughout this Annual
Report and Accounts as the impact of policyholder tax
asymmetry.
Under normal conditions this
asymmetry is small, but market volatility can result in significant
balances. Market gains in the six months to 30 June 2024 have
resulted in a negative policyholder tax asymmetry impact of £33.4
million, compared to a negative impact of £17.5 million in the six
months to 30 June 2023. This leads to a negative £15.9 million
period-on-period difference in both IFRS profit after tax and IFRS
profit before shareholder tax, which can be seen in the underlying
profit to Cash result reconciliation on page 21.
Ultimately the effect of the
policyholder tax asymmetry will be eliminated from the Condensed
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, and so it is
temporary and we expect it to reverse over time.
Shareholder tax reflects the tax
charge attributable to shareholders and is closely related to the
performance of the business. However, it can vary year on year due
to several factors: further detail is set out in Note 6 Income and
deferred taxes.
Underlying profit
This is IFRS profit before
shareholder tax (as calculated above) adjusted to remove the impact
of accounting for deferred acquisition costs (DAC), deferred income
(DIR) and the purchased value of in-force business
(PVIF).
IFRS requires certain upfront
expenses incurred and income received to be deferred. The deferred
amounts are initially recognised on the Condensed Consolidated
Statement of Financial Position as a DAC asset and DIR liability,
which are subsequently amortised to the Condensed
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income over a future
period. Substantially all of the Group's deferred expenses
are amortised over a 14-year period, and substantially all
deferred income is amortised over a six-year period.
-20-
The impact of accounting for DAC,
DIR and PVIF in the IFRS result is that there is a significant
accounting timing difference between the emergence of accounting
profits and actual cash flows. For this reason, Underlying profit
is considered to be a helpful metric. The following table
demonstrates the way in which IFRS profit reconciles to Underlying
profit.
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
IFRS profit/(loss) before shareholder tax
|
225.1
|
215.7
|
(4.5)
|
Remove the impact of movements in
DAC/DIR/PVIF
|
(3.1)
|
0.1
|
(3.5)
|
Underlying profit/(loss) before shareholder
tax
|
222.0
|
215.8
|
(8.0)
|
The impact of movements in DAC,
DIR and PVIF on IFRS profit before shareholder tax is further
analysed as follows. Due to policyholder tax on DIR, the
amortisation of DIR and DIR on new business for the period set out
below cannot be agreed to those set out in Note 7, which is
presented before both policyholder tax and shareholder
tax.
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Amortisation of DAC
|
(31.6)
|
(36.1)
|
(72.2)
|
DAC on new business for the
period
|
22.3
|
20.9
|
39.9
|
Net impact of DAC
|
(9.3)
|
(15.2)
|
(32.3)
|
Amortisation of DIR
|
71.0
|
74.6
|
149.3
|
DIR on new business for the
period
|
(57.0)
|
(57.9)
|
(110.3)
|
Net impact of DIR
|
14.0
|
16.7
|
39.0
|
Amortisation of PVIF
|
(1.6)
|
(1.6)
|
(3.2)
|
Movement in the period
|
3.1
|
(0.1)
|
3.5
|
Net impact of DAC
The scale of the £9.3 million
negative overall impact of DAC on the IFRS result (six months to 30
June 2023: negative £15.2 million, year to 31 December 2023:
negative £32.3 million) is largely due to changes arising from the
2013 Retail Distribution Review (RDR). After these changes, the
level of expenses that qualified for deferral reduced
significantly, but the large balance accrued previously is still
being amortised. As deferred expenses are amortised over a 14-year
period there is a significant transition period, which could last
until 2027, over which the amortisation of pre-RDR expenses
previously deferred will significantly outweigh new post-RDR
expenses deferred despite significant business growth, resulting in
a net negative impact on IFRS profits.
Net impact of DIR
The new business income deferred
and the income released from the deferred income liability has
remained broadly static in the first half of 2024. Together, these
effects mean that DIR has had a positive £14.0 million impact on
the IFRS result in the six months to 30 June 2024 (six months to 30
June 2023: £16.7 million positive, year to 31 December 2023: £39.0
million positive).
The simplification of our charging
structure in the second half of 2025 will see the removal of
initial product fees and result in immaterial income being deferred
from this point onwards. The existing DIR liability from the point
of implementation of our simplified charging structure will
continue to amortise over a further period of six years.
-21-
2.2 Cash result
The Cash result is used by the
Board to assess and monitor the level of cash profit (net of tax)
generated by the business. It is based on IFRS with
adjustments made to exclude policyholder balances and certain
non-cash items, such as DAC, DIR, deferred tax and
equity-settled share-based payment costs. Further details,
including the full definition of the Cash result, can be found in
the glossary of APMs. Although the Cash result should not be
confused with the IAS 7 Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash
Flows, it provides a helpful supplementary view of the way in which
cash is generated and emerges within the Group.
The Cash result reconciles to
Underlying profit, as presented in Section 2.1, as
follows.
|
Six months ended
30 June 2024
|
Six months ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December 2023
|
Before
Shareholder
tax
|
After tax
|
Before
Shareholder
tax
|
After tax
|
Before
Shareholder
tax
|
After tax
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Underlying profit/(loss)
|
222.0
|
162.5
|
215.8
|
161.4
|
(8.0)
|
(13.0)
|
Impact of policyholder tax
asymmetry
|
33.4
|
33.4
|
17.5
|
17.5
|
44.4
|
44.4
|
Equity-settled share-based
payments
|
2.1
|
2.1
|
9.9
|
9.9
|
5.4
|
5.4
|
Impact of deferred tax
|
-
|
9.2
|
-
|
12.1
|
-
|
24.9
|
Other
|
(2.2)
|
(5.0)
|
5.0
|
1.5
|
15.2
|
7.0
|
Cash result
|
255.2
|
202.2
|
248.2
|
202.4
|
57.0
|
68.7
|
The impact of policyholder tax asymmetry is
a temporary effect caused by asymmetries between fund tax
deductions and the policyholder tax due to HMRC. Movement in the
asymmetry can be significant dependent on market conditions. For
further explanation, refer to page 19.
Equity-settled share-based payments
represent the expense associated with a number of
equity-settled share schemes across the Group. The expense has
reduced in the six months to 30 June 2024 compared to the same
period in 2023, reflecting a reduction in the anticipated vesting
rate on specific schemes.
The impact of deferred tax is the
recognition in the Cash result of the benefit from realising tax
relief on various items including share options, capital allowances
and deferred expenses. This has already been recognised under IFRS,
through the establishment of deferred tax assets. More information can be found in Note
6 within the IFRS
Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Other represents a number of
other small items, including the removal of other intangibles and
the difference between the lease expense recognised under IFRS
16 Leases and lease payments made.
The following table shows an
analysis of the Cash result using two different
measures:
· Underlying cash
result
This measure represents the
regular emergence of cash from the business, excluding any items of
a one-off nature and temporary timing differences; and
· Cash
result
This measure includes items of a
one-off nature and temporary timing differences.
-22-
Consolidated cash result (presented
post-tax)
|
Note
|
Six months ended 30 June
2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
30 December 2023
|
In-force
|
New
business
|
Total
|
Total
|
Total
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Net annual management
fee
|
1
|
523.4
|
15.6
|
539.0
|
497.7
|
1,000.8
|
Reduction in fees in gestation
period
|
1
|
(214.2)
|
-
|
(214.2)
|
(198.1)
|
(401.6)
|
Net income from FUM
|
1
|
309.2
|
15.6
|
324.8
|
299.6
|
599.2
|
Margin arising from new
business
|
2
|
-
|
53.7
|
53.7
|
53.0
|
104.5
|
Controllable expenses
|
3
|
(11.0)
|
(133.9)
|
(144.9)
|
(134.0)
|
(283.3)
|
Asia - net investment
|
4
|
-
|
(4.5)
|
(4.5)
|
(10.8)
|
(19.4)
|
DFM - net investment
|
4
|
-
|
(2.3)
|
(2.3)
|
(2.6)
|
(6.4)
|
Regulatory fees and FSCS
levy
|
5
|
(1.5)
|
(13.8)
|
(15.3)
|
(16.5)
|
(23.1)
|
Shareholder interest
|
6
|
36.3
|
-
|
36.3
|
27.5
|
61.8
|
Tax relief from capital
losses
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2.1
|
2.1
|
Charge structure implementation
costs
|
8
|
-
|
(25.0)
|
(25.0)
|
-
|
(7.2)
|
Miscellaneous
|
9
|
(17.6)
|
-
|
(17.6)
|
(11.2)
|
(35.8)
|
Underlying cash result
|
|
315.4
|
(110.2)
|
205.2
|
207.1
|
392.4
|
Establishment of Ongoing Service
Evidence provision
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(323.7)
|
Variance
|
11
|
(3.0)
|
-
|
(3.0)
|
(4.7)
|
-
|
Cash result
|
|
312.4
|
(110.2)
|
202.2
|
202.4
|
68.7
|
The Cash result comprises the
emergence of cash from in-force business of £312.4 million (six
months to 30 June 2023: £286.8 million, year to 31 December 2023:
£222.5 million) and an investment in new business of £110.2 million
(six months to 30 June 2023: £84.4 million, year to 31 December
2023: £153.8 million)
Notes to the Cash
result
1. Net income from FUM
The net
annual management fee is the net margin
that the Group retains from FUM after payment of
the associated costs: for example, advice fees paid to
Partners, investment management fees paid to external fund managers
and the policy servicing tariff paid to our third-party
administration provider.
As noted on page 14, however, our
investment and pension business product structure means that these
products do not generate net Cash result, after the
margin arising from new business, during the first six years. This
is known as the 'gestation period' and is reflected in
the reduction in fees in gestation
period line.
We focus our explanatory analysis
on the net income from
FUM, which reflects the net annual
management fee after the reduction in fees in the gestation period,
representing the Cash result income from FUM that has reached
maturity.
The average rate of net income can
vary over time with business mix. Each product has standard fees,
but they vary between products and their historic versions, with
products also subject to different tax treatments, particularly
life insurance tax on onshore investment business. To allow for
this annual variation, we guide to a margin range, with the range
being applicable to average mature FUM, excluding discretionary
fund management (DFM) and Asia FUM.
For the first half of 2024, our
net income from FUM is consistent with our margin range
of 0.54% to 0.56%, reflecting the introduction in the second
half of 2023 of a charge cap applicable to client bonds and pension
investments with a duration longer than ten years,
together with the 25% rate of corporation tax being applicable
throughout 2024.
Following the simplification of
our charging structure in the second half of 2025, the range will
reduce by 0.11%, resulting in a range from 0.43% to 0.45%. However,
new business after this date will no longer enter a period of
gestation and so once the existing gestation FUM has matured over a
six-year period there will be no further gestation FUM, and the
margin will apply to all FUM.
Net income from Asia and DFM FUM
is not included in this line. Instead, this is included in the Asia
- net investment and DFM - net investment lines.
-23-
2. Margin arising from new business
This is the net positive Cash
result impact of new business in the year, reflecting initial
charges levied on gross inflows and new-business-related expenses.
The majority of these expenses vary with new business levels, such
as the incremental third-party administration costs of setting up a
new policy on our back-office systems, and payments to Partners for
the initial advice provided to secure clients' investment. As
a result, gross inflows are a key driver behind this
line.
However, the margin arising from new business also contains some fixed expenses, and elements which do not
vary exactly in line with gross inflows. For example, our
third-party administration tariff structure includes a fixed fee,
and to provide some stability for Partner businesses, elements of
our support for them are linked to prior-year new business
levels.
Therefore, whilst the margin
arising from new business tends to move directionally with the
scale of gross inflows generated during the year, the relationship
between the two is not linear.
3. Controllable expenses
Controllable expenses
are those which do not vary with business
volumes, including the costs of running the Group's infrastructure,
development expenses and the costs associated with running our
Academy. Growth in controllable expenses has been contained to 10%
on a pre-tax basis, with the increase driven by the phasing of
development expenses which are weighted towards the first half of
the year. This is equivalent to an 8% increase on a post-tax basis
as presented in the Cash result, reflecting the corporation tax of
25% being applicable for the whole year.
4. Asia and DFM
These lines represent the net
income from Asia and DFM FUM, including the Asia and DFM expenses
set out in the reconciliation on page 25 between expenses presented
separately on the face of the Cash result before tax and IFRS
expenses.
We have continued to invest in
developing our presence in Asia, as well as in discretionary fund management via Rowan
Dartington. Investment in Asia has reduced, reflecting the
restructuring undertaken during the prior year. Investment in DFM
is anticipated to reduce sharply as it is in the final stages of a
back-office restructuring programme that
is expected to result in the business materially breaking even by
the end of the year.
5. Regulatory fees and FSCS levy
The costs of operating in a
regulated sector include regulatory fees and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
levy. On a post-tax basis, these are as follows:
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
FSCS levy
|
8.7
|
10.2
|
10.0
|
Regulatory fees
|
6.6
|
6.3
|
13.1
|
Regulatory fees and FSCS levy
|
15.3
|
16.5
|
23.1
|
-24-
Our position as a market-leading
provider of advice means we make a very substantial contribution to
supporting the FSCS, thereby providing protection for clients of
other businesses in the sector that fail. The FSCS levy in 2024
remains at a level below that typically seen in recent years, as a
result of the FSCS having a surplus brought forward.
6. Shareholder interest
This is the income accruing on
shareholder investments and cash held for regulatory purposes
together with the interest received on the surplus capital held by
the Group. It is presented net of funding-related expenses,
including interest paid on borrowings and securitisation costs. It
has increased significantly period-on-period following rises in the
Bank of England base rate.
7. Tax relief from capital losses
A deferred tax asset was
previously recognised under IFRS for historic capital losses which
were regarded as being capable of utilisation over the medium term.
The tax asset was ignored for Cash result purposes as it was not
fungible, but instead the cash benefit realised when losses were
utilised were shown in the tax relief from capital losses line. Due
to the utilisation in full of the remaining stock of capital losses
in 2023, this is no longer a feature of the Cash result.
8. Charge structure implementation costs
We announced in October 2023 that
we would be simplifying our charging structure and disaggregating
our charges into their component parts, supporting clients by
making it easier to compare charges for advice, investment
management and other services, on a component-by-component
basis.
We have commenced a broad and
complex programme to accommodate these changes, investing £140
to £160 million
over a two-year period to develop our systems and processes to
support the new charging structure to be implemented in the
second half of 2025.
9. Miscellaneous
This category represents the net
cash flow of the business not covered in any of the other
categories. It includes Group contributions to the St. James's
Place Charitable Foundation, movements in the fair value of
renewal income assets and the remediation costs associated with
client complaints.
10. Ongoing Service Evidence provision
The Ongoing Service Evidence
provision was established in 2023 following the appointment of a
skilled person and an assessment undertaken into the evidencing and
delivery of historic ongoing servicing, reflecting the anticipated
cost of refunding ongoing servicing charges, together with the
interest, and the administrative costs associated with completing
the work. More information can be found in Note 11 within the IFRS Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements.
11. Variance
The variance recognised at the
half-year reflects an allowance for fewer days of AMC income in the
first half compared to the second half. It will reverse in the
second half of the year and will not feature in the full year Cash
result.
-25-
Reconciliation of Cash result
expenses to IFRS expenses
Whilst certain expenses are
recognised in separate line items on the face of the Cash result,
expenses which vary with business volumes, such as payments to
Partners and third-party administration expenses, and expenses
which relate to investment in specific areas of the business such
as DFM, are netted from the relevant income lines rather than
presented separately. In order to reconcile to the IFRS expenses
presented on the face of the Condensed Consolidated Statement of
Comprehensive Income, the expenses netted from income lines in the
Cash result need to be added in, as do certain IFRS expenses which
by definition are not included in the Cash result. In addition, all
expenses need to be converted from post-tax, as they are presented
in the Cash result, to pre-tax, as they are presented under
IFRS.
Expenses presented on the face of
the Cash result before and after tax are set out below:
|
Six months
ended
30 June
2024
|
Six
months ended
30 June
2023
|
Year
ended
31
December 2023
|
|
Before
tax
|
Tax rate
|
After
tax
|
Before
tax
|
Tax rate
|
After
tax
|
Before
tax
|
Tax rate
|
After
tax
|
|
£'Million
|
Percentage
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Percentage
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Percentage
|
£'Million
|
Controllable expenses
|
193.2
|
25.0%
|
144.9
|
175.2
|
23.5%
|
134.0
|
370.4
|
23.5%
|
283.3
|
Regulatory fees and FSCS
levy
|
20.4
|
25.0%
|
15.3
|
21.6
|
23.5%
|
16.5
|
30.2
|
23.5%
|
23.1
|
Charge structure implementation
costs
|
33.3
|
25.0%
|
25.0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
9.4
|
23.5%
|
7.2
|
Total expenses presented on the face of the Cash
result
|
246.9
|
|
185.2
|
196.8
|
|
150.5
|
410.0
|
|
313.6
|
The total expenses presented
separately on the face of the Cash result before tax then
reconciles to IFRS expenses as set out below:
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30
June 20231
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Total expenses presented on the face of the Cash result
before tax
|
246.9
|
196.8
|
410.0
|
Expenses which vary with
business volumes
|
|
|
|
Other performance-related
costs
|
76.4
|
76.3
|
147.4
|
Payments to Partners
|
551.5
|
511.9
|
1,013.2
|
Investment expenses
|
54.2
|
48.2
|
96.9
|
Third-party
administration
|
84.3
|
79.1
|
151.8
|
Other1
|
46.3
|
37.7
|
513.3
|
Expenses relating to
investment in specific areas of the business
|
|
|
|
Asia expenses
|
9.2
|
13.9
|
26.5
|
DFM expenses
|
15.4
|
18.0
|
33.3
|
Total expenses included in the Cash result
|
1,084.2
|
981.9
|
2,392.4
|
Reconciling items to IFRS
expenses
|
|
|
|
Amortisation of DAC and PVIF, net
of additions
|
11.0
|
16.9
|
35.5
|
Equity-settled share-based payments
expenses
|
2.1
|
9.9
|
5.4
|
Insurance contract expenses
presented elsewhere
|
0.7
|
(2.1)
|
2.4
|
Other
|
(0.5)
|
1.3
|
(2.4)
|
Total IFRS Group expenses before tax
|
1,097.5
|
1,007.9
|
2,433.3
|
1 Restated to reclassify interest paid of £7.0 million to Other
finance income.
-26-
Expenses which vary with business volumes
Other performance-related costs, for both Partners and employees, vary with the level of new
business and the financial performance of the business.
Payments to Partners,
investment expenses and
third-party administration
costs are met through charges to clients, and so any
variation in them from changes in the volumes of new business or
the level of the stock markets does not impact Group profitability
significantly.
Each of these items is recognised
within the most relevant line of the Cash result, which is
determined based on the nature of the expense. In most cases, this
is either the net annual management fee or margin arising from new
business lines.
Other expenses include
operating costs of acquired financial adviser businesses, donations
to the St. James's Place Charitable Foundation and
complaint costs. They are recognised across various lines in the
Cash result.
Expenses relating to investment in
specific areas of the business
Asia expenses and
DFM expenses both reflect
disciplined expense control during the year, whilst continuing to
invest to support growth.
In the Cash result, Asia and DFM
expenses are presented net of the income they generate in the Asia
- net investment and DFM - net investment lines.
Reconciling items to IFRS expenses
DAC amortisation, net of additions,
PVIF amortisation and equity-settled share-based payment expenses
are the primary expenses which are recognised under IFRS but are
excluded from the Cash result.
Expenses associated with insurance
contract expenses are included in the Cash result but are shown
within the Insurance service expense rather than the Expenses line
under IFRS 17.
-27-
Derivation of the Cash
result
The Cash result is derived from
the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position in
a two-stage process:
Stage 1: Solvency II Net Assets
Balance Sheet
Firstly, the IFRS Condensed
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position is adjusted for a
number of material balances that reflect policyholder interests in
unit-linked liabilities together with the underlying assets that
are held to match them. Secondly, it is adjusted for a number
of non-cash 'accounting' balances such as DIR, DAC and associated
deferred tax. The result of these adjustments is the Solvency II
Net Assets Balance Sheet and the following table shows the way in
which it has been calculated at 30 June 2024.
|
|
IFRS
Balance
Sheet
|
Adjustment
1
|
Adjustment
2
|
Solvency II
Net Assets
Balance
Sheet
|
Solvency II Net Assets
Balance Sheet
|
|
|
30 June 2023
|
31 December
2023
|
30
June 2024
|
Note
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goodwill
|
1
|
33.6
|
-
|
(33.6)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Deferred acquisition
costs
|
2
|
295.0
|
-
|
(295.0)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Purchased value of in-force
business
|
1
|
6.4
|
-
|
(6.4)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Computer software
|
1
|
21.2
|
-
|
(21.2)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Property and equipment
|
3
|
147.9
|
-
|
-
|
147.9
|
156.8
|
153.1
|
Deferred tax assets
|
4
|
13.2
|
-
|
(11.5)
|
1.7
|
2.2
|
20.4
|
Investment in
associates
|
|
10.4
|
-
|
-
|
10.4
|
4.7
|
10.2
|
Reinsurance assets
|
|
15.9
|
-
|
(6.2)
|
9.7
|
7.0
|
6.7
|
Other receivables
|
5
|
4,023.8
|
(1,419.9)
|
(3.1)
|
2,600.8
|
2,064.1
|
2,147.3
|
Investment property
|
|
1,039.5
|
(1,039.5)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Equities
|
|
125,349.2
|
(125,349.2)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Fixed income securities
|
6
|
25,185.5
|
(25,177.1)
|
-
|
8.4
|
8.0
|
8.2
|
Investment in Collective
Investment Schemes
|
6
|
21,432.2
|
(19,354.3)
|
-
|
2,077.9
|
1,250.5
|
1,454.4
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
|
3,828.0
|
(3,828.0)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Cash and cash
equivalents
|
6
|
6,504.8
|
(6,155.4)
|
-
|
349.4
|
268.7
|
285.4
|
Total assets
|
|
187,906.6
|
(182,323.4)
|
(377.0)
|
5,206.2
|
3,762.0
|
4,085.7
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Borrowings
|
7
|
490.6
|
-
|
-
|
490.6
|
189.2
|
251.4
|
Deferred tax
liabilities
|
4
|
565.2
|
-
|
2.5
|
567.7
|
228.9
|
414.5
|
Insurance contract
liabilities
|
|
517.4
|
(453.9)
|
(38.8)
|
24.7
|
20.1
|
18.2
|
Deferred income
|
2
|
477.9
|
-
|
(477.9)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Other provisions
|
8
|
508.1
|
-
|
-
|
508.1
|
55.5
|
500.1
|
Other payables
|
3, 9
|
4,080.8
|
(1,780.5)
|
(10.7)
|
2,289.6
|
1,890.4
|
1,757.0
|
Investment contract
benefits
|
|
133,823.5
|
(133,823.5)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
|
2,807.5
|
(2,807.5)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Net asset value attributable to
unit holders
|
|
43,458.0
|
(43,458.0)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Income tax liabilities
|
10
|
74.4
|
-
|
-
|
74.4
|
26.6
|
11.5
|
Total liabilities
|
|
186,803.4
|
(182,323.4)
|
(524.9)
|
3,955.1
|
2,410.7
|
2,952.7
|
Net assets
|
|
1,103.2
|
-
|
147.9
|
1,251.1
|
1,351.3
|
1,133.0
|
Adjustment 1 strips out the
policyholder interest in unit-linked assets and liabilities, to
present solely shareholder-impacting balances.
Adjustment 2 removes items
such as DAC, DIR, PVIF and their associated deferred tax balances
from the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial
Position to bring it in line with Solvency II recognition
requirements.
-28-
Notes to the Solvency II Net
Assets Balance Sheet
1. Goodwill / Purchased value of in-force business / Computer
software
Goodwill represents the excess of
the cost of an acquisition over the fair value of the Group's share
of the identifiable net assets of the acquired entity at the date
of acquisition. Goodwill is not amortised, but is reviewed annually
for impairment.
The purchased value of in-force
business represents the present value of future profits that are
expected to emerge from insurance business acquired on business
combinations, calculated at the time of acquisition using
best-estimate assumptions. The balance is amortised over the
anticipated lives of the related insurance contracts.
Each of these items is excluded
from the Solvency II Net Assets due to their intangible
nature. See Note 7 to the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for
further detail.
2. Deferred acquisition costs / Deferred
income
IFRS requires certain upfront
expenses incurred and income received to be deferred. The deferred
amounts are initially recognised on the IFRS Condensed Consolidated
Statement of Financial Position as a DAC asset and DIR liability,
which are subsequently amortised to the Condensed
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income over a future
period.
They are each excluded from the
Solvency II Net Assets due to their intangible nature.
See Note 7
to the IFRS Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements for further
detail.
3. Property and equipment, and other
payables
The property and equipment balance
includes the right to use leased assets of £114.6 million (30 June 2023: £124.5 million, 31 December
2023: £118.5 million). It has decreased
over the period as the leased assets are depreciated.
Lease liabilities of £117.3
million are recognised within the other payables line (30 June
2023: £127.0 million, 31 December 2023: £120.5 million).
4. Deferred tax assets and liabilities
Analysis of deferred tax assets
and liabilities, including how they have moved year on year, is set
out in Note 6 Income and deferred taxes within the IFRS
Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements.
5. Other receivables
Other receivables on the Solvency
II Net Assets Balance Sheet have increased from £2,147.3 million at
31 December 2023 to £2,600.8 million at 30 June 2024,
principally reflecting an increase in short-term outstanding market
trade settlements. Other receivables on the IFRS balance sheet have
increased from £2,997.4 million at 31 December 2023
to £4,023.8 million at 30 June 2024, additionally reflecting
receivables within policyholder funds.
Detailed breakdowns of other
receivables can be found in Note 9 Other receivables within the
IFRS Condensed Consolidated
Financial Statements.
Within other receivables there are
two items which merit further analysis:
Operational readiness prepayment
The operational readiness
prepayment asset arose from the investment we have made into our
back-office infrastructure project, which was a complex, multi-year
programme. In addition to expensing our internal project costs
through the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive
Income and Cash result as incurred, we capitalised Bluedoor
development costs as a prepayment asset.
-29-
The asset, which stood at £272.3
million at 30 June 2024 (30 June 2023:
£277.1 million, 31 December 2023: £283.5
million) has been amortising through the IFRS Condensed
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income and the Cash result
since 2017 and will continue to do so over the remaining
life of the contract.
The amortisation expense is
recognised within third-party administration expenses in the IFRS
result, and within the net annual management fee line of the Cash
result. It is more than offset by the lower tariff charges on
Bluedoor compared to the previous system, which grew as the
business grew, benefiting both the IFRS and Cash
results.
Business loans to Partners
Facilitating business loans to
Partners is a key way in which we are able to support growing
Partner businesses. Such loans are principally used to enable
Partners to take over the businesses of retiring or downsizing
Partners, and this process creates broad stakeholder benefits.
First, clients benefit from enhanced continuity of
St. James's Place advice and service over time; second,
Partners are able to build and ultimately realise value in the
high-quality and sustainable businesses they have created; and
finally, the Group and, in turn, shareholders, benefit from high
levels of adviser and client retention.
In addition to recognising a
strong business case for facilitating such lending, we recognise
too the fundamental strength and credit quality of business loans
to Partners. Over more than ten years, cumulative write-offs have
totalled less than 5bps of gross loans advanced, with such low
impairment experience attributable to a number of factors that help
to mitigate the inherent credit risk in lending. These include
taking a cautious approach to Group credit decisions, with lending
secured against prudent business valuations. Demonstrating this,
loan-to-value (LTV) information is set out in the table
below.
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
Aggregate LTV across the total
Partner lending book
|
26%
|
30%
|
29%
|
Proportion of the book where LTV is
over 75%
|
3%
|
7%
|
5%
|
Net exposure to loans where LTV is
over 100% (£'Million)
|
7.6
|
6.8
|
6.7
|
If FUM were to decrease by 10%,
the net exposure to loans where LTV is over 100% at 30 June 2024
would increase to £8.1 million (30 June 2023: increase to
£8.8 million, 31 December 2023: increase to £7.7
million).
Our credit experience also
benefits from the repayment structure of business loans to
Partners. The Group collects advice charges from clients. Prior to
making the associated payment to Partners, we deduct loan capital
and interest payments from the amount due. This means the Group is
able to control repayments.
We have continued to facilitate
business loans to Partners during the period and have also
repurchased a proportion of the loans previously funded by third
parties and guaranteed by the Group, with the majority of these
loans transferring into our externally funded securitisation
vehicle. Further information is provided in Note 9 Other
receivables, Note 12 Borrowings and financial commitments and Note
16 Events after the end of the reporting period.
|
30
June
2024
|
30
June
2023
|
31
December 2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Total business loans to
Partners
|
507.0
|
400.2
|
408.0
|
Split by funding type:
|
|
|
|
Business loans to Partners
directly funded by the Group
|
384.9
|
362.2
|
340.8
|
Securitised business loans to
Partners
|
122.1
|
38.0
|
67.2
|
-30-
6. Liquidity
Cash generated by the business is
held in highly rated government securities, AAA-rated money market
funds, and bank accounts. Although these are all highly liquid,
only the latter is classified as cash and cash equivalents on the
Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet. The total liquid assets held
are as follows:
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Fixed interest
securities
|
8.4
|
8.0
|
8.2
|
Investment in Collective Investment
Schemes
(AAA-rated money market funds)
|
2,077.9
|
1,250.5
|
1,454.4
|
Cash and cash
equivalents
|
349.4
|
268.7
|
285.4
|
Total liquid assets
|
2,435.7
|
1,527.2
|
1,748.0
|
The Group's primary source of net
cash generation is product charges. In line with profit generation,
as most of our investment and pension business enters a gestation
period, there is no cash generated (apart from initial charges)
for the first six years of an investment. This means that
the amount of FUM that is contributing to the Cash result will
increase year on year as FUM in the gestation
period becomes mature and is subject to annual product management
charges. Unit trust and ISA business does not enter the
gestation period, and so generates cash immediately from the point
of investment.
Cash is used to invest in the
business and to support returns to shareholders. Our shareholder
return guidance is set such that appropriate cash is retained in
the business to support the investment needed to meet our future
growth aspirations.
7. Borrowings
The Group continues to pursue a
strategy of diversifying and broadening its access to debt finance.
We have done this successfully over time, including via the
creation and execution of the securitisation vehicle referred to
above. For accounting purposes we are obliged to disclose on
our Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position the
value of loan notes relating to the securitisation. However,
as the securitisation loan notes were secured only on the
securitised portfolio of business loans to Partners, they were
non-recourse to the Group's other assets. This means that the
senior tranche of non-recourse securitisation loan notes, whilst
included within borrowing, is very different from the Group's
senior unsecured corporate borrowings, which are used to
manage working capital and fund investment in the
business.
Senior unsecured corporate
borrowings of £401.1 million at 30 June 2024
has increased from 31 December
2023, reflecting the drawing of an
additional £250.0 million loan facility to provide additional
funding certainty. Further information is provided in Note 12 Borrowings and
financial commitments within the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements.
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Corporate borrowings: bank
loans
|
250.0
|
-
|
50.0
|
Corporate borrowings: loan
notes
|
151.1
|
163.9
|
151.1
|
Senior unsecured corporate borrowings
|
401.1
|
163.9
|
201.1
|
Senior tranche of non-recourse
securitisation loan notes
|
89.5
|
25.3
|
50.3
|
Total borrowings
|
490.6
|
189.2
|
251.4
|
-31-
8. Other Provisions
Further information on other
provisions, including how the balance has moved period on period,
is set out in Note 11 Other provisions and contingent liabilities
within the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements.
9. Other payables
Other payables on the Solvency II
Net Assets Balance Sheet have increased from £1,757.0 million at 31
December 2023 to £2,289.6 million at 30 June 2024, largely due
to an increase in short-term outstanding policy related
settlements. Other payables on the IFRS balance sheet have
increased from £2,388.1 million at 31 December 2023 to £
4,080.8 million at 30 June 2024, additionally reflecting payables
within policyholder funds.
Detailed breakdowns of other
payables can be found in Note 10 Other payables within the
IFRS Condensed Consolidated
Financial Statements.
10. Income tax liabilities
The Group has an income tax
liability of £74.4
million at 30 June 2024 compared to a liability of £11.5 million at
31 December 2023. This is due to a current tax charge of
£253.1 million, tax paid in the year of £162.1 million and other
credits of £28.1 million relating to interactions between current
tax and other taxes such as deferred taxes. Further detail is
provided in Note 6 Income and deferred taxes within the
IFRS Condensed Consolidated
Financial Statements.
Stage 2: Movement in Solvency II
Net Assets Balance Sheet
After the Solvency II Net Assets
Balance Sheet has been determined, the second stage in the
derivation of the Cash result identifies a number of movements in
that balance sheet which do not represent cash flows for inclusion
within the Cash result. The following table explains how the
overall Cash result reconciles to the total
movement.
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Opening Solvency II net
assets
|
1,133.0
|
1,379.9
|
1,379.9
|
Dividend paid
|
(43.9)
|
(203.3)
|
(289.9)
|
Issue of share capital and exercise
of options
|
-
|
6.4
|
6.8
|
Consideration paid for own
shares
|
(3.6)
|
(0.5)
|
(0.5)
|
Change in deferred tax
|
(9.2)
|
(12.1)
|
(24.9)
|
Impact of policyholder tax
asymmetry
|
(33.4)
|
(17.5)
|
(44.4)
|
Reassurance recapture
add-back
|
-
|
-
|
39.8
|
Change in goodwill, intangibles and
other non-cash movements
|
6.0
|
(4.0)
|
(2.5)
|
Cash result
|
202.2
|
202.4
|
68.7
|
Closing Solvency II net
assets
|
1,251.1
|
1,351.3
|
1,133.0
|
Further detail can be found in the
Consolidated Financial Statements on a Cash Result Basis on pages
88 - 94.
-32-
2.3 European Embedded Value
(EEV)
Wealth management differs from
most other businesses, in that the expected shareholder income from
client investment activity emerges over a long period in the
future. We therefore supplement the IFRS and Cash results by
providing additional disclosure on an EEV basis, which brings into
account the net present value of the expected future cash flows. We
believe that a measure of the total economic value of the Group's
operating performance is useful to investors.
As in previous reporting, our EEV
continues to be calculated on a basis determined in accordance with
the EEV principles originally issued in May 2004 by the Chief
Financial Officers Forum (CFO Forum) and supplemented both in
October 2005 and, following the introduction of Solvency II, in
April 2016. Many of the principles and practices underlying EEV are
similar to the requirements of Solvency II, and we have sought to
align them as closely as possible. The table below and accompanying
notes summarise the profit before tax of the combined
business.
|
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
|
Note
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Funds management
business
|
1
|
633.1
|
818.7
|
1,234.3
|
Distribution business
|
2
|
(35.9)
|
(34.1)
|
(68.3)
|
Other
|
|
(51.3)
|
(44.5)
|
(125.0)
|
EEV operating profit before
exceptional items
|
|
545.9
|
740.1
|
1,041.0
|
Exceptional item: Charge
structure
|
3
|
247.2
|
(859.2)
|
(2,506.6)
|
Exceptional item: Ongoing Service
Evidence provision
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
(426.0)
|
EEV operating profit/(loss) after
exceptional items
|
|
793.1
|
(119.1)
|
(1,891.6)
|
Investment return
variance
|
4
|
437.9
|
157.6
|
501.7
|
Economic assumption
changes
|
5
|
(2.0)
|
37.8
|
2.5
|
EEV profit/(loss) before
tax
|
|
1,229.0
|
76.3
|
(1,387.4)
|
Tax
|
|
(304.6)
|
(20.6)
|
340.3
|
EEV profit/(loss) after
tax
|
|
924.4
|
55.7
|
(1,047.1)
|
A reconciliation between EEV
operating profit before tax and IFRS profit before tax is provided
in Note 3 Segment reporting within the within the
IFRS Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Notes to the EEV result
1. Funds management business EEV operating profit before
exceptional items
The funds management business
operating profit has reduced to £633.1 million (six months to 30
June 2023: £818.7 million, year to 31 December 2023: £1,234.3
million) and a full analysis of the result is shown
below:
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
New business
contribution
|
399.6
|
463.7
|
695.4
|
Profit from existing
business
|
|
|
|
- unwind of the discount
rate
|
297.1
|
346.8
|
506.0
|
- experience variance
|
(76.1)
|
(3.8)
|
(11.3)
|
- operating assumption
change
|
-
|
-
|
13.9
|
Investment income
|
12.5
|
12.0
|
30.3
|
Funds management EEV operating
profit before exceptional items
|
633.1
|
818.7
|
1,234.3
|
-33-
The new business contribution for the
period at £399.6 million (six months to 30 June 2023: £463.7
million, year to 31 December 2023: £695.4 million) was 14% lower
than the prior period, primarily reflecting the impact of changes to our charging structure described
below.
The unwind of the discount rate for the
period was lower at £297.1 million (six months to 30 June 2023:
£346.8 million, year to 31 December 2023: £506.0 million),
reflecting the decrease in the opening risk
discount rate to 6.8% (2023: 7.0%), together with a lower value of
in-force business after allowing for the changes to our charging
structure described below.
The experience
variance during the period was
negative £76.1 million (six months to 30 June 2023: £3.8 million
negative, year to 31 December 2023: £11.3 million
negative). The change relative to
2023 principally reflects persistency experience in the period
being lower than our long-term assumptions, which represent a
best-estimate of likely experience over the lifetime of the
in-force business.
The impact of operating assumption changes
in the period was £nil (six months to 30 June 2023: £nil, year to
31 December 2023: positive £13.9 million). The impact in the prior
year reflects a small improvement to the persistency assumptions
for our offshore bond business.
2. Distribution business
The distribution loss includes the
positive gross margin arising from advice income less payments to
advisers, offset by the costs of supporting the Partnership
and building the distribution capabilities in Asia. The reported
loss has benefited from a reduction in the FSCS levy expense for
our distribution business to £7.0 million (six months to 30 June
2023: £10.8 million, year to 31 December 2023: £10.6
million).
3. Exceptional items
The exceptional charges recorded
in the prior periods reflected the impact on the opening position
of changes to our charge structure announced during 2023 as
well as the impact of a provision that we established following a
review into the evidencing of historic ongoing servicing. The
changes announced to our charge structure include:
· the
change, announced in July 2023, to improve value for long-term
clients by capping annual product management charges at 0.85% for
bond and pension investments with a duration longer than ten
years;
· the
change, announced in October 2023, to simplify our charging
structure in the second half of 2025.
The exceptional profit recorded in
the current period reflects a revision to the anticipated impact of
the charge structure changes for our UT/ISA product, reducing the
exceptional impact recorded in the prior year.
4. Investment return variance
The investment return variance
reflects the capitalised impact on the future annual management
fees resulting from the difference between the actual and assumed
investment returns. Given the size of our FUM, a small difference
can result in a large positive or negative variance.
The typical investment return on
our funds during the period was 7.7% after charges, compared to the
assumed investment return of 2.6%. This resulted in an investment
return variance of £437.9 million (six months to 30 June 2023:
positive £157.6 million, year to 31 December 2023: positive £501.7
million).
5.
Economic assumption changes
The negative variance of £2.0
million arising in the period (six months to 30 June 2023: positive
£37.8 million, year to 31 December 2023: positive £2.5 million)
reflects the impact of an increase in the risk-free rate and
long-term inflation.
New business margin
The largest single element of the
EEV operating profit (analysed in the previous section) is the new
business contribution. The level of new business contribution
generally moves in line with new business levels. To demonstrate
this link, and aid understanding of the results, we provide
additional analysis of the new business margin (the 'margin'). This
is calculated as the new business contribution divided by the
gross inflows, and is expressed as a percentage.
-34-
The table below presents the margin
before tax from our manufactured business:
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
Investment
|
|
|
|
New business contribution
(£'Million)
|
48.0
|
67.4
|
96.6
|
Gross inflows
(£'Billion)
|
1.00
|
1.10
|
2.09
|
Margin (%)
|
4.8
|
6.1
|
4.6
|
Pension
|
|
|
|
New business contribution
(£'Million)
|
258.5
|
256.6
|
469.2
|
Gross inflows
(£'Billion)
|
5.59
|
4.89
|
9.77
|
Margin (%)
|
4.6
|
5.2
|
4.8
|
Unit trust and DFM
|
|
|
|
New business contribution
(£'Million)
|
93.1
|
139.7
|
129.6
|
Gross inflows
(£'Billion)
|
1.94
|
2.05
|
3.53
|
Margin (%)
|
4.8
|
6.8
|
3.7
|
Total business
|
|
|
|
New business contribution
(£'Million)
|
399.6
|
463.7
|
695.4
|
Gross inflows
(£'Billion)
|
8.53
|
8.04
|
15.39
|
Margin (%)
|
4.7
|
5.8
|
4.5
|
Post-tax margin (%)
|
3.5
|
4.3
|
3.4
|
The overall margin for the period
was 4.7% (six months to 30 June 2023: 5.8%, year to 31 December
2023: 4.5%). This has reduced compared to the same period in
2023 reflecting the impact of the
exceptional changes to our charge structure, which have
subsequently been revised upwards for our UT/ISA
product.
Economic assumptions
The principal economic assumptions
used within the cash flows are set out below:
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
Risk-free rate
|
4.3%
|
4.5%
|
3.7%
|
Inflation rate
|
3.6%
|
3.6%
|
3.5%
|
Risk discount rate
|
7.3%
|
7.6%
|
6.8%
|
Future investment
returns:
|
|
|
|
- Gilts
|
4.3%
|
4.5%
|
3.7%
|
- Equities
|
7.3%
|
7.5%
|
6.7%
|
- Unit-linked funds
|
6.5%
|
6.8%
|
6.0%
|
The risk-free rate is set by
reference to the yield on ten-year gilts. Other investment returns
are set by reference to the risk-free rate.
The inflation rate is derived from
the implicit inflation in the valuation of ten-year index-linked
gilts. This rate is increased to reflect higher increases in
earnings-related expenses.
-35-
EEV sensitivities
The table below shows the
estimated impact on the reported value of new business and EEV to
changes in various EEV-calculated assumptions. The sensitivities
are specified by the EEV principles and reflect reasonably possible
levels of change. In each case, only the indicated item is
varied relative to the restated values.
|
Note
|
Change
in new business contribution
|
Change
in European Embedded Value
|
Pre-tax
|
Post-tax
|
Post-tax
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Value at 30 June 2024
|
|
399.6
|
301.6
|
8,618.1
|
100bps reduction in risk-free
rates, with corresponding change in fixed interest asset
values
|
1
|
(4.2)
|
(3.2)
|
(60.9)
|
10% increase in withdrawal
rates
|
2
|
(27.7)
|
(20.8)
|
(399.9)
|
10% reduction in market value of
equity assets
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
(817.6)
|
10% increase in
expenses
|
4
|
(4.7)
|
(3.5)
|
(72.5)
|
100bps increase in assumed
inflation
|
5
|
(5.3)
|
(4.0)
|
(70.8)
|
Notes to the EEV
sensitivities
1. This is the key
economic basis change sensitivity. The business model is relatively
insensitive to change in economic basis. Note that the sensitivity
assumes a corresponding change in all investment returns but no
change in inflation.
2. The 10% increase is
applied to the withdrawal rate. For instance, if the withdrawal
rate is 8% then a 10% increase would reflect a change
to 8.8%.
3. For the purposes of
this sensitivity all unit-linked funds are assumed to be invested
in equities. The actual mix of assets varies and in recent years
the proportion invested directly in UK and overseas equities has
exceeded 70%.
4. For the purposes of
this sensitivity only non-fixed elements of the expenses are
increased by 10%.
5. This reflects a
100bps increase in the assumed RPI underlying the expense inflation
calculation.
|
Change in new business contribution
|
Change
in
European
Embedded
Value
|
Pre-tax
|
Post-tax
|
Post-tax
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
100bps reduction in risk discount
rate
|
52.6
|
39.5
|
684.5
|
Although not directly relevant
under a market-consistent valuation, this sensitivity shows the
level of adjustment which would be required to reflect differing
investor views of risk.
-36-
Analysis of the EEV
result
The table below provides a
summarised breakdown of the embedded value position at the
reporting dates.
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Value of in-force
business
|
7,367.0
|
7,581.5
|
6,606.1
|
Solvency II net assets
|
1,251.1
|
1,351.3
|
1,133.0
|
Total embedded value
|
8,618.1
|
8,932.8
|
7,739.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
Net asset value per share
|
15.71
|
16.28
|
14.11
|
The EEV result above reflects the
specific terms and conditions of our products. Our pension business
is split between two portfolios. Our current product, the
Retirement Account, was launched in 2016 and incorporates both
pre-retirement and post-retirement phases of investment in the same
product. Earlier business was written in our separate Retirement
Plan and Drawdown Plan products, targeted at each of the two phases
separately, and therefore has a slightly shorter term and lower new
business margin.
Our experience is that much of our
Retirement Plan business converts into Drawdown Plan business at
retirement, but, in line with the EEV guidelines, we are required
to defer recognition of the additional value from the Drawdown Plan
until it crystallises. If instead we were to assess the future
value of Retirement Plan business (beyond the immediate contract
boundary) in a more holistic fashion, in line with Retirement
Account business, this would result in an increase of approximately
£255 million to our embedded value at 30 June 2024 (30 June 2023:
approximately £290 million, 31 December 2023: approximately £250
million).
-37-
Section 3: Solvency
St. James's Place has a business
model and risk appetite that results in underlying assets being
held that fully match our obligations to clients. Our clients can
access their investments 'on demand' and because the encashment
value is matched, movements in equity markets, currency markets,
interest rates, mortality, morbidity and longevity have very little
impact on our ability to meet liabilities. We also have a prudent
approach to investing shareholder funds and surplus assets in cash,
AAA-rated money market funds and highly rated government
securities. The overall effect of the business model and risk
appetite is a resilient solvency position capable of enabling
liabilities to be met even during adverse market
conditions.
Our Life businesses are subject to
the Solvency II capital regime which applied for the first time in
2016. Given the relative simplicity of our business compared to
many, if not most, other organisations that fall within the scope
of Solvency II, we have continued to manage the solvency of the
business on the basis of holding assets to match client unit-linked
liabilities plus a management solvency buffer (MSB). This has
ensured that not only can we meet client liabilities at all times
(beyond the Solvency II requirement of a '1-in-200 years' event),
but we also have a prudent level of protection against other risks
to the business. At the same time, we have ensured that the
resulting capital held meets with the requirements of the Solvency
II regime, to which we are ultimately accountable.
The Group's overall Solvency II
net assets position, MSB, and management solvency ratios are as
follows:
30
June 2024
|
Life
|
Other
regulated
|
Other
|
Total
|
30 June
2023
Total
|
31 December
2023
Total
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Solvency II net assets
|
601.6
|
404.8
|
244.7
|
1,251.1
|
1,351.3
|
1,133.0
|
MSB
|
355.0
|
184.9
|
-
|
539.9
|
527.1
|
529.5
|
Management solvency ratio
|
169%
|
219%
|
|
|
|
|
Solvency II Balance
Sheet
Whilst we focus on Solvency II net
assets and the MSB to manage solvency, we provide additional
information about the Solvency II free asset position for
information. The presentation starts from the same Solvency II net
assets, but includes recognition of an asset in respect of the
expected value of in-force (VIF) cash flows and a risk margin (RM)
reflecting the potential cost to secure the transfer of the
business to a third party.
The Solvency II net assets, VIF
and RM comprise the 'own funds', which are assessed against our
regulatory solvency capital requirement (SCR), reflecting the
capital required to protect against a range of '1-in-200' stresses.
The SCR is calculated on the standard formula approach. No
allowance has been made for transitional provisions in the
calculation of technical provisions or the SCR.
An analysis of the Solvency II
position for our Group, split by regulated and non-regulated
entities at the year-end,
is presented in the table
below:
30
June 2024
|
Life
|
Other
regulated
|
Other
|
Total
|
30 June
2023
Total
|
31 December
2023
Total
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Solvency II net assets
|
601.6
|
404.8
|
244.7
|
1,251.1
|
1,351.3
|
1,133.0
|
Value of in-force (VIF)
|
2,664.9
|
-
|
-
|
2,664.9
|
5,289.9
|
2,485.2
|
Risk margin
|
(320.2)
|
-
|
-
|
(320.2)
|
(1,419.5)
|
(318.4)
|
Own funds (A)
|
2,946.3
|
404.8
|
244.7
|
3,595.8
|
5,221.7
|
3,299.8
|
Solvency capital requirement
(B)
|
(1,791.1)
|
(122.1)
|
-
|
(1,913.2)
|
(3,461.7)
|
(1,727.7)
|
Solvency II free assets
|
1,155.2
|
282.7
|
244.7
|
1,682.6
|
1,760.0
|
1,572.1
|
Solvency ratio (A/B)
|
164%
|
332%
|
|
188%
|
151%
|
191%
|
-38-
The solvency ratio after payment
of the proposed Group interim dividend is 186% at 30 June 2024 (30
June 2023: 148%, 31 December 2023: 188%).
We target a solvency ratio of 130%
for St. James's Place UK plc, our largest insurance
subsidiary. The combined solvency ratio for our life companies,
after payment of the year-end intra-Group dividend,
is 164% at 30 June 2024 (30 June
2023: 131%, 31 December 2023: 162%).
-39-
Risk and risk
management
The Group's approach to risk
management continues to provide assurance of SJP's financial and
operational resilience.
The Risk and Risk Management
section on pages 74 to 84 of the 2023 Annual Report and Accounts
provides a comprehensive review of the principal risks facing the
business, and the Group's approach to managing these risks. The
section below highlights the key developments in the risk
environment since the year-end Annual Report and
Accounts.
Risk environment
Following a prolonged period of
high inflation it has now fallen to meet the Bank of England's 2%
long-term target for the first time since 2021. The Bank of England
base rate rose to 5.25% in August of last year and there are
increased expectations of reduction in the second half of 2024. The
impact of the recent change in UK Government remains to be seen,
with an Autumn budget expected to give more clarity on economic
impacts of the new government's policies. However, the key
potential financial risks for SJP remain consistent and arise
through:
· increases in non-controllable expenses in particular arising
through complaints management;
· reductions in asset prices;
· changes in new business levels due to factors such as
shifting consumer confidence, market sentiment, government policy
changes, reduced investable income and/or attraction of lower risk
savings accounts;
· changes in withdrawal rates to maintain living standards or
in response to consumer confidence and sentiment; and,
· increased financial pressure on Partner businesses, which are
exposed to their own expense increases, including interest rate
risk on borrowing, and pressure on revenue.
We expect and have shown in the
stress and scenario testing carried out as part of our Own Risk and
Solvency Assessment (ORSA) and Group dividend assessments, that the
Group continues to remain resilient (from a solvency and liquidity
perspective) to macroeconomic shocks (including inflation, interest
rate shifts and increased withdrawals) as well as more extreme and
prolonged operational events.
In October 2023, SJP announced
important changes to its costs and charges for clients, which are
expected to come into force in the second half of 2025. We
believe the change improves our proposition for clients and as such
will have long-term benefits for the business, and it also reflects
the Group's long-term commitment to improving client outcomes. A
significant programme of work is underway involving system
developments in 2024. We are conscious of the implementation risks
introduced through this significant change, with the need for
strong change discipline and careful management to deliver this
without undue operational risks that could impact client outcomes
and/or financial risk through additional expenditure.
SJP has several other significant
programmes of work underway, most notably work to manage elevated
levels of complaints, primarily from Claims Management Companies
(CMC). This includes the changes made to ensure more consistent,
centralised evidence of the activities of the Partnership with
clients to reduce the risk of clients not receiving an ongoing
advice service of value to them. This also involves reviewing
present and historic (since the start of 2018) evidential standards
for ongoing advice, switching off ongoing advice charges for
clients where an ongoing annual advice service is not sufficiently
evidenced, and refunding clients for previous charges where
evidence of delivery falls below an acceptable standard. The
estimated financial cost of this was recognised in 2023 year-end
accounts based on an informed set of assumptions, as set out in the
2023 Annual Report and Accounts. No change is considered necessary
to these assumptions or to the disclosures of estimation
uncertainty made at the last year end.
We have embraced the significant
regulatory change agenda, including Consumer Duty which requires
continuous monitoring of client outcomes. We have been working on
improving and embedding our governance arrangements, including for
closed products ahead of July 2024. Looking forward, SJP will
continue to focus on embedding activity to monitor and assess
client outcomes, and ensuring good outcomes are central to our SJP
strategy.
-40-
The Board has been and continues
to be actively involved in defining responses to macroeconomic
trends, regulatory change, emerging risks and threats as they
arise. Timely and targeted risk-based information has been provided
to the Board to continue to support decision-making and help in the
understanding of key issues to ensure risks are mitigated and
opportunities are identified. The risk activity undertaken in the
past 12 months demonstrates that SJP continues to remain resilient
to the potential threats it faces.
Principal risks and
uncertainties
A summary of the principal risks
and uncertainties which could impact the Group for the remainder of
the current financial year have been provided in the table
below.
|
Risk
description
|
Risk considerations
|
Mitigations/controls
|
Client proposition
|
Our product proposition fails to
meet the needs, objectives and expectations of our clients. This
includes poor relative investment performance and poor product
design.
|
•
Investments provide poor returns relative to
their benchmarks or peers and/or do not deliver expected client
outcomes.
•
Range of solutions does not align with the
product and service requirements of our current and potential
future clients.
•
Failure to meet client expectations of a
sustainable business, not least in respect of climate change and
responsible investing.
|
•
Monitoring of asset allocations across portfolios
to consider whether they are performing as expected in working
towards long-term objectives.
•
Monitoring funds against their objectives mindful
of an appropriate level of investment risk.
•
Ongoing assessment of value delivered by funds
and portfolios versus their objectives.
•
Where necessary, managers are changed in the most
effective way possible (other actions include reducing
fees).
•
Continuous review and development of the range of
services offered to clients.
•
Engagement with fund managers around principles
of responsible investment.
|
Conduct
|
We fail to provide quality, suitable
advice or service to clients.
|
•
Advisers deliver poor-quality or unsuitable
advice.
•
Failure to evidence the provision of good-quality
service and advice.
•
Increasing complaint volumes.
|
•
Licensing programme which supports the quality of
advice and service from advisers.
•
Technical support helplines for
advisers.
•
Client complaint handling process and
reporting.
•
Evidence of ongoing servicing of clients and
charge switch-off process where ongoing advice is not sufficiently
evidenced.
•
Review of the provision of ongoing advice
services in line with expectations and acceptable evidential
standards, and refund of charges as appropriate.
•
Robust oversight process of the advice provided
to clients delivered by Business Assurance, Field Risk, Advice
Guidance and Compliance Monitoring teams.
•
Partner financial monitoring.
|
Financial
|
We fail to effectively manage the
business's finances.
|
•
Failure to meet client liabilities.
•
Investment/market risk.
•
Credit risk.
•
Liquidity risk.
•
Insurance risk.
•
Expense risk.
|
•
Policyholder liabilities are fully
matched.
•
Excess assets generally invested in high-quality,
high-liquidity cash and cash equivalents.
•
Direct lending to the Partnership is
secured.
•
Part-reinsurance of insurance risks.
•
Ongoing monitoring of all risk exposures and
experience analysis.
•
Setting and monitoring budgets.
•
Monitoring and management of subsidiaries'
solvency to minimise Group interdependency.
|
Partner proposition
|
Our proposition solution fails to
meet the needs, objectives and expectations of our current and
potential future advisers.
|
•
Failure to attract new members of the
Partnership.
•
Failure to retain advisers.
•
Failure to increase adviser
productivity.
•
Available technology falls short of client and
adviser expectations and fails to support growth
objectives.
•
The Academy does not adequately support growth of
the Partnership.
|
•
Focus on providing a market-leading Partner
proposition.
•
Adequately skilled and resourced population of
supporting field managers.
•
Reliable systems and administration
support.
•
Expanding the Academy capacity and supporting
recruits through the Academy and beyond.
•
Market leading support to Partners'
businesses.
|
|
Risk
description
|
Risk considerations
|
Mitigations/controls
|
Third parties
|
Third-party outsourcers' activities
impact our performance and risk management.
|
•
Operational failures by material
outsourcers.
•
Failure of critical services. Significant areas
include:
o investment administration.
o fund management.
o custody.
o policy administration.
o cloud services.
|
•
Oversight regime in place to identify prudent
steps to reduce risk of operational failures by material
third-party providers.
•
Ongoing monitoring, including assessment of
operational resilience.
•
Due diligence on key suppliers.
•
Oversight of service levels of our third-party
administration provider.
|
-43-
Condensed Consolidated Half-Year
Financial Statements prepared under International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the United Kingdom
(UK)
-44-
Condensed Consolidated Statement
of Comprehensive Income
|
Note
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 20231
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Fee and commission
income
|
4
|
1,604.4
|
1,351.7
|
2,788.9
|
Expenses1
|
|
(1,097.5)
|
(1,007.9)
|
(2,433.3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment
return1
|
5
|
14,162.4
|
6,629.5
|
16,197.6
|
Movement in investment contract
benefits
|
|
(14,102.2)
|
(6,595.8)
|
(16,130.9)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Insurance revenue
|
|
10.6
|
12.6
|
25.3
|
Insurance service
expenses
|
|
(16.3)
|
(12.3)
|
(24.5)
|
Net reinsurance
income/(expense)
|
|
2.7
|
(3.3)
|
(5.0)
|
Insurance service result
|
|
(3.0)
|
(3.0)
|
(4.2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net insurance finance
income/(expense)
|
|
3.2
|
(0.3)
|
(10.0)
|
Other finance
income1
|
|
9.7
|
10.8
|
31.5
|
Profit before tax
|
3
|
577.0
|
385.0
|
439.6
|
Tax attributable to policyholders'
returns
|
6
|
(351.9)
|
(169.3)
|
(444.1)
|
Profit/(loss) before tax attributable to shareholders'
returns
|
|
225.1
|
215.7
|
(4.5)
|
Total tax charge
|
6
|
(411.9)
|
(223.3)
|
(449.5)
|
Less: tax attributable to
policyholders' returns
|
6
|
351.9
|
169.3
|
444.1
|
Tax attributable to shareholders'
returns
|
6
|
(60.0)
|
(54.0)
|
(5.4)
|
Profit/(loss) and total comprehensive income for the
year
|
|
165.1
|
161.7
|
(9.9)
|
Profit attributable to
non-controlling interests
|
|
-
|
0.1
|
0.2
|
Profit/(loss) attributable to
equity shareholders
|
|
165.1
|
161.6
|
(10.1)
|
Profit/(loss) and total comprehensive income for the
year
|
|
165.1
|
161.7
|
(9.9)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pence
|
Pence
|
Pence
|
Basic earnings per share
|
15
|
30.1
|
29.6
|
(1.8)
|
Diluted earnings per share
|
15
|
29.9
|
29.5
|
(1.8)
|
1 Restated to reclassify Other finance income which had been
misclassified. For the six months ended 30 June 2023 the
restatement comprised a decrease of £7.0 million in expenses,
decrease of £17.8 million in investment return and a corresponding
net £10.8 million Other finance income recognised resulting in a
net nil impact on the profit for the period.
The results relate to continuing
operations.
The Notes and information on pages
48 to 84 form part of these Condensed Consolidated Financial
Statements.
-45-
Condensed Consolidated Statement
of Changes in Equity
|
|
Equity attributable to
owners of the Parent Company
|
|
|
|
|
Share capital
|
Share premium
|
Shares in trust reserve
|
Misc. reserves
|
Retained earnings
|
Total
|
Non-controlling interests
|
Total
equity
|
|
Note
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
At 1 January 2023
|
|
81.6
|
227.8
|
(4.1)
|
2.5
|
963.8
|
1,271.6
|
0.2
|
1,271.8
|
Profit and total comprehensive
income for the period
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
161.6
|
161.6
|
0.1
|
161.7
|
Dividends
|
15
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(203.1)
|
(203.1)
|
(0.2)
|
(203.3)
|
Exercise of options
|
15
|
0.7
|
5.7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6.4
|
-
|
6.4
|
Consideration paid for own
shares
|
|
-
|
-
|
(0.5)
|
-
|
-
|
(0.5)
|
-
|
(0.5)
|
Shares sold during the
period
|
|
-
|
-
|
3.8
|
-
|
(3.8)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Retained earnings credit in respect
of share option charges
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
9.9
|
9.9
|
-
|
9.9
|
At 30 June 2023
|
|
82.3
|
233.5
|
(0.8)
|
2.5
|
928.4
|
1,245.9
|
0.1
|
1,246.0
|
At 1 January 2024
|
|
82.3
|
233.9
|
(0.7)
|
2.5
|
665.4
|
983.4
|
0.1
|
983.5
|
Profit and total comprehensive
income for the period
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
165.1
|
165.1
|
-
|
165.1
|
Dividends
|
15
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(43.8)
|
(43.8)
|
(0.1)
|
(43.9)
|
Exercise of options
|
15
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Consideration paid for own
shares
|
|
-
|
-
|
(3.6)
|
-
|
-
|
(3.6)
|
-
|
(3.6)
|
Shares sold during the
period
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Retained earnings credit in respect
of share option charges
|
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2.1
|
2.1
|
-
|
2.1
|
At 30 June 2024
|
|
82.3
|
233.9
|
(4.3)
|
2.5
|
788.8
|
1,103.2
|
-
|
1,103.2
|
Miscellaneous reserves represent
other non-distributable reserves.
-46-
Condensed Consolidated Statement
of Financial Position
|
Note
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
Goodwill
|
7
|
33.6
|
33.6
|
33.6
|
Deferred
acquisition costs
|
7
|
295.0
|
321.4
|
304.4
|
Intangible assets
|
|
|
|
|
-
Purchased value of in-force business
|
7
|
6.4
|
9.6
|
8.0
|
-
Computer software
|
7
|
21.2
|
32.7
|
28.0
|
Property
and equipment, including leased assets
|
|
147.9
|
156.8
|
153.1
|
Deferred
tax assets
|
6
|
13.2
|
6.4
|
36.5
|
Investment in associates
|
|
10.4
|
4.7
|
10.2
|
Reinsurance assets
|
|
15.9
|
55.3
|
13.0
|
Other
receivables
|
9
|
4,023.8
|
3,177.0
|
2,997.4
|
Investments
|
|
|
|
|
-
Investment property
|
8
|
1,039.5
|
1,191.9
|
1,110.3
|
-
Equities
|
8
|
125,349.2
|
110,771.4
|
116,761.5
|
- Fixed
income securities
|
8
|
25,185.5
|
27,886.4
|
27,244.7
|
-
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
|
8
|
21,432.2
|
7,174.1
|
13,967.5
|
-
Derivative financial instruments
|
8
|
3,828.0
|
4,149.6
|
3,420.6
|
Cash and
cash equivalents
|
|
6,504.8
|
6,684.0
|
6,204.3
|
Total
assets
|
|
187,906.6
|
161,654.9
|
172,293.1
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Borrowings
|
12
|
490.6
|
189.2
|
251.4
|
Deferred
tax liabilities
|
6
|
565.2
|
219.5
|
411.7
|
Insurance
contract liabilities
|
|
517.4
|
475.3
|
496.0
|
Deferred
income
|
7
|
477.9
|
513.6
|
491.5
|
Other
provisions
|
11
|
508.1
|
55.5
|
500.1
|
Other
payables
|
10
|
4,080.8
|
2,670.2
|
2,388.1
|
Investment contract benefits
|
8
|
133,823.5
|
113,924.8
|
123,149.8
|
Derivative financial instruments
|
8
|
2,807.5
|
3,490.4
|
3,073.0
|
Net asset
value attributable to unit holders
|
8
|
43,458.0
|
38,843.8
|
40,536.5
|
Income
tax liabilities
|
|
74.4
|
26.6
|
11.5
|
Total
liabilities
|
|
186,803.4
|
160,408.9
|
171,309.6
|
Net
assets
|
|
1,103.2
|
1,246.0
|
983.5
|
Shareholders' equity
|
|
|
|
|
Share
capital
|
15
|
82.3
|
82.3
|
82.3
|
Share
premium
|
|
233.9
|
233.5
|
233.9
|
Shares in
trust reserve
|
|
(4.3)
|
(0.8)
|
(0.7)
|
Miscellaneous reserves
|
|
2.5
|
2.5
|
2.5
|
Retained
earnings
|
|
788.8
|
928.4
|
665.4
|
Equity
attributable to owners of the Parent Company
|
|
1,103.2
|
1,245.9
|
983.4
|
Non-controlling interests
|
|
-
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
Total
equity
|
|
1,103.2
|
1,246.0
|
983.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pence
|
Pence
|
Pence
|
Net assets per
share
|
|
201.1
|
227.1
|
179.3
|
-47-
Condensed Consolidated Statement
of Cash Flows
|
Note
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30
June 20231
|
Year ended
31 December
20231
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Cash flows from operating
activities
|
|
|
|
|
Cash generated from
operations1
|
14
|
187.5
|
476.1
|
53.4
|
Interest
received1
|
|
113.3
|
76.2
|
168.6
|
Interest paid
|
|
(16.2)
|
(7.0)
|
(17.3)
|
Income taxes paid
|
6
|
(162.1)
|
(99.1)
|
(179.4)
|
Contingent consideration
paid
|
|
-
|
-
|
(6.7)
|
Net cash inflow from operating
activities
|
|
122.5
|
446.2
|
18.6
|
Cash flows from investing
activities
|
|
|
|
|
Payments for property and
equipment
|
|
(3.5)
|
(4.5)
|
(11.2)
|
Payment of software development
costs
|
7
|
(3.0)
|
(6.7)
|
(10.9)
|
Payments for acquisition of
subsidiaries and other business combinations, net of cash
acquired
|
|
-
|
-
|
(5.4)
|
Payments for associates
|
|
-
|
(3.3)
|
(8.8)
|
Proceeds from sale of shares in
subsidiaries and other business combinations, net of cash
disposed
|
|
-
|
-
|
1.1
|
Net cash outflow from investing
activities
|
|
(6.5)
|
(14.5)
|
(35.2)
|
Cash flows from financing
activities
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from the issue of share
capital and exercise of options
|
|
-
|
6.4
|
6.8
|
Consideration paid for own
shares
|
|
(3.6)
|
(0.5)
|
(0.5)
|
Proceeds from borrowings
|
|
412.7
|
58.1
|
233.1
|
Repayment of borrowings
|
|
(173.6)
|
(33.0)
|
(144.8)
|
Principal elements of lease
payments
|
|
(6.7)
|
(7.9)
|
(14.2)
|
Dividends paid to Company's
shareholders
|
15
|
(43.8)
|
(203.1)
|
(289.6)
|
Dividends paid to non-controlling
interests in subsidiaries
|
|
(0.1)
|
(0.2)
|
(0.3)
|
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from
financing activities
|
|
184.9
|
(180.2)
|
(209.5)
|
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and
cash equivalents
|
|
300.9
|
251.5
|
(226.1)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at
beginning of period
|
|
6,204.3
|
6,432.8
|
6,432.8
|
Effects of exchange rate changes on
cash and cash equivalents
|
|
(0.4)
|
(0.3)
|
(2.4)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of
period
|
|
6,504.8
|
6,684.0
|
6,204.3
|
1 Restated to reclassify money market fund interest from cash
generated from operations to interest received (six months ended 30
June 2023: £28.1 million, year ended 31 December 2023: £60.6
million), which had been misclassified.
-48-
Notes to the Financial
Statements
1. Basis of preparation
This condensed set of Consolidated
Half-Year Financial Statements for the six months ended 30 June
2024, which comprise the Half-Year Financial Statements of St.
James's Place plc (the Company) and its subsidiaries (together
referred to as the 'Group'), has been prepared in accordance with
the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules sourcebook of the
Financial Conduct Authority and with IAS 34 'Interim Financial
Reporting', an International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) as
adopted by the United Kingdom (UK). The Condensed Consolidated
Half-Year Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with
the Annual Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December
2023, which have been prepared in accordance with UK-adopted
International Accounting Standards and with the requirements of the
Companies Act 2006.
Going concern
The Group's business activities,
together with the factors likely to affect its future development,
performance and position, are set out in the Chief Executive's
report and the Chief Financial Officer's report. The financial
performance and financial position of the Group are described in
the Financial Review.
The Board has considered the
ongoing financial pressures faced by clients which prevailed during
the period, noting that the business continued to be successful in
this environment. Notwithstanding this challenge, the Group
attracted gross inflows of £8.5 billion and net inflows of £1.9
billion. This, along with the performance of our key
outsource providers monitored through our ongoing oversight,
supports its view that the business will continue to remain
operationally resilient.
Forecasts have been considered and
there are no material adverse changes to the approach and
conclusions stated in the Group Annual Report and Financial
Statements for 2023, a copy of which is available on the Group's
website, www.sjp.co.uk.
As a result of its review, the
Board believes that the Group will continue to operate, with
neither the intention nor the necessity of liquidation, ceasing
trading or seeking protection from creditors pursuant to laws or
regulations, for a period of at least 12 months from the date of
approval of the Group Interim Financial Statements, and that it is
appropriate to prepare them on a going concern basis.
2. Significant accounting
policies
(a) Statement of
compliance
These Condensed Consolidated
Half-Year Financial Statements were prepared and approved by the
Directors in accordance with International Financial Reporting
Standards as adopted by the UK.
There were no new or amended IFRS
standards, effective for periods beginning 1 January
2024.
In preparing these Condensed
Consolidated Half-Year Financial Statements the significant
judgements made by management in applying the Group's accounting
policies and the key sources of estimation uncertainty were the
same as those applied to the Consolidated Financial Statements for
the year ended 31 December 2023, except for:
Determining the value of a complaints
provision
In accordance with IAS 37 the
Group has continued to quantify the complaints provision as the
best estimate of the amount necessary to settle the present
obligation, taking into account the associated risks and
uncertainties. The key estimate in assessing the value of the
provision is the assessment of the proportion of cases requiring
redress.
Further details of the provision,
including sensitivity analysis, are set out in Note
11.
-49-
(b) New and amended accounting
standards not yet effective
As at 30 June 2024, the following
new and amended standards, which are relevant to the Group but have
not been applied in the Financial Statements, were in issue but are
not yet effective. All of the below are yet to be endorsed by the
UK endorsement board.
· Amendments to the Classification and Measurement of Financial
Instruments - Amendments to IFRS 9 and IFRS 7;
· IFRS
18 Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements;
and
· IFRS
19 Subsidiaries without Public Accountability:
Disclosures.
The Group is currently assessing
the impact that the adoption of the above standards and amendments
will have on the Group's results reported within the Financial
Statements. The only one expected to have a significant impact on
the Group's Financial Statements is IFRS 18 Presentation and
Disclosure in Financial Statements. Further information on this
standard is given below.
IFRS 18 Presentation and Disclosure in Financial
Statements
The IASB issued IFRS 18
Presentation and Disclosure in Financial Statements on 9 April 2024
which will replace IAS 1. IFRS 18 introduces three sets of new
requirements to improve companies' reporting of financial
performance and gives investors better basis for analysing and
comparing companies:
· Improved comparability in the income statement.
· Enhanced transparency of management-defined performance
measures; and
· More
useful grouping of information in the Financial
Statements.
Management are currently assessing
the impacts of adopting the new standard however it is only
expected to have an impact on the presentation and disclosure of
the Financial Statements and is not expected to have an impact on
recognition and measurement. The effective date of the standard
is 1 January 2027.
3. Segment reporting
IFRS 8 Operating Segments requires
operating segments to be identified on the basis of internal
reports about components of the Group that are regularly reviewed
by the Board, in order to allocate resources to each segment and
assess its performance.
The Group's only reportable
segment under IFRS 8 is a 'wealth management' business - providing
support to our clients through our network of advisers providing
valuable face-to-face financial advice, and financial solutions
including (but not limited to) wealth management products
manufactured in the Group, such as insurance bonds, pensions, unit
trust and ISA investments, and a DFM service.
Separate geographical segmental
information is not presented since the Group does not segment its
business geographically. Most of its customers are based in the
United Kingdom, as is management of the assets. In particular, the
operation based in Asia is not yet sufficiently material for
separate consideration.
Segment revenue
Revenue received from fee and
commission income is set out in Note 4, which details the different
types of revenue received from our wealth management
business.
Segment profit
Two separate measures of profit
are monitored by the Board. These are the post-tax Underlying cash
result and the pre-tax European Embedded Value (EEV)
profit.
-50-
Underlying cash result
The measure of cash profit
monitored by the Board is the post-tax Underlying cash result. For
further information please refer to the glossary of
APMs.
More detail is provided in Section
2.2 of the Financial Review.
The Cash result should not be
confused with the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash
Flows, which is prepared in accordance with IAS 7.
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Underlying cash result after
tax
|
205.2
|
207.1
|
392.4
|
Equity-settled share-based
payments
|
(2.1)
|
(9.9)
|
(5.4)
|
Deferred tax impacts
|
(9.2)
|
(12.1)
|
(24.9)
|
Ongoing Service Evidence
provision
|
-
|
-
|
(323.7)
|
Impact in the period of
DAC/DIR/PVIF
|
2.6
|
0.3
|
3.1
|
Impact of policyholder tax
asymmetry (see Note 4) 1
|
(33.4)
|
(17.5)
|
(44.4)
|
Other
|
2.0
|
(6.2)
|
(7.0)
|
IFRS profit/(loss) after tax
|
165.1
|
161.7
|
(9.9)
|
Shareholder tax
|
60.0
|
54.0
|
5.4
|
Profit/(loss) before tax
attributable to shareholders' returns
|
225.1
|
215.7
|
(4.5)
|
Tax attributable to policyholder
returns
|
351.9
|
169.3
|
444.1
|
IFRS profit before tax
|
577.0
|
385.0
|
439.6
|
1 Further information on policyholder tax asymmetry can also be
found in Section 2.1 of the Financial Review.
-51-
EEV operating profit/(loss) after
exceptional item before tax
EEV operating profit is monitored
by the Board. The components of the EEV operating profit are
included in more detail in the Financial Review section.
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
EEV operating profit/(loss) after
exceptional item before tax
|
793.1
|
(119.1)
|
(1,891.6)
|
Investment return
variance
|
437.9
|
157.6
|
501.7
|
Economic assumption
changes
|
(2.0)
|
37.8
|
2.5
|
EEV profit/(loss) before
tax
|
1,229.0
|
76.3
|
(1,387.4)
|
Adjustments to IFRS
basis:
|
|
|
|
Deduct: amortisation of purchased
value of in-force business
|
(1.6)
|
(1.6)
|
(3.2)
|
Movement of balance sheet life
value of in-force business (net of tax)
|
(153.4)
|
251.6
|
2,769.6
|
Movement of balance sheet unit
trust and DFM value of in-force business (net of tax)
|
(360.5)
|
(23.4)
|
226.0
|
Movement of balance sheet other
value of in-force business (net of tax)
|
(326.5)
|
-
|
(1,918.9)
|
Tax on movement in value of
in-force business
|
(161.9)
|
(87.2)
|
309.4
|
Profit/(loss) before tax
attributable to shareholders' returns
|
225.1
|
215.7
|
(4.5)
|
Tax attributable to policyholder
returns
|
351.9
|
169.3
|
444.1
|
IFRS profit before tax
|
577.0
|
385.0
|
439.6
|
The movement in life, unit trust
and DFM, and other value of in-force business is the difference
between the opening and closing discounted value of the profits
that will emerge from the in-force book over time, after adjusting
for DAC and DIR impacts which are already included under
IFRS.
-52-
Segment assets
Funds under management
(FUM)
FUM, as reported in Section 1 of
the Financial Review, is the measure of segment assets which is
monitored on a monthly basis by the Board.
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Investment
|
37,900.0
|
34,360.0
|
35,990.0
|
Pension
|
96,260.0
|
79,870.0
|
87,320.0
|
UT/ISA and DFM
|
47,700.0
|
43,290.0
|
44,890.0
|
Total FUM
|
181,860.0
|
157,520.0
|
168,200.0
|
Exclude client and third-party
holdings in non-consolidated unit trusts and DFM
|
(4,403.1)
|
(4,367.4)
|
(4,360.4)
|
Other
|
4,866.5
|
4,287.4
|
3,968.2
|
Gross assets held to cover unit
liabilities
|
182,323.4
|
157,440.0
|
167,807.8
|
IFRS intangible assets
|
377.0
|
452.9
|
399.6
|
Shareholder gross assets
|
5,206.2
|
3,762.0
|
4,085.7
|
Total assets
|
187,906.6
|
161,654.9
|
172,293.1
|
Other represents liabilities
included within the underlying unit trusts. The unit trust
liabilities form a reconciling item between total FUM, which is
reported net of these liabilities, and total assets, which exclude
these liabilities.
More detail on IFRS intangible
assets and shareholder gross assets is provided in Section 2.2 of
the Financial Review.
-53-
4. Fee and commission
income
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Advice charges
(post-RDR)
|
528.1
|
493.7
|
954.3
|
Third-party fee and commission
income
|
62.7
|
65.9
|
132.4
|
Wealth management fees
|
577.6
|
518.7
|
1,065.0
|
Investment management
fees
|
37.1
|
36.9
|
68.4
|
Fund tax deductions
|
351.9
|
169.3
|
444.1
|
Policyholder tax
asymmetry
|
(33.4)
|
(17.5)
|
(44.4)
|
Discretionary fund management
fees
|
11.8
|
12.0
|
23.6
|
Fee and commission income before
DIR amortisation
|
1,535.8
|
1,279.0
|
2,643.4
|
Amortisation of DIR
|
68.6
|
72.7
|
145.5
|
Total fee and commission
income
|
1,604.4
|
1,351.7
|
2,788.9
|
Advice charges are received from
clients for the provision of initial and ongoing advice in relation
to a post-Retail Distribution Review (RDR) investment into a
St. James's Place or third-party product.
Third-party fee and commission
income is received from the product provider where an investment
has been made into a third-party product.
Wealth management fees represent
charges levied on manufactured business.
Investment management fees are
received from clients for the provision of all aspects of
investment management. Broadly, investment management fees are
matched by investment management expenses.
Fund tax deductions represent
amounts credited to the life insurance business to match
policyholder tax credits or charges. Market conditions will impact
the level of fund tax deductions. This may lead to significant year
on year movements when markets are volatile.
Life insurance tax incorporates a
policyholder tax element, and the Financial Statements of a life
insurance group need to reflect the liability to HMRC, with the
corresponding deductions incorporated into policy charges ('Fund
tax deductions' in the table above). The tax liability to HMRC is
assessed using IAS 12 Income Taxes, which does not allow
discounting, whereas the policy charges are designed to ensure fair
outcomes between clients and so reflect a wide range of possible
outcomes. This gives rise to different assessments of the current
value of future cash flows and hence an asymmetry in the IFRS
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position between the
deferred tax position and the offsetting client balance. The net
tax asymmetry balance reflects a temporary position, and in the
absence of market volatility we expect it will unwind as future
cash flows become less uncertain and are ultimately
realised.
Market conditions and other
macroeconomic factors, such as interest rate changes will impact
the level of asymmetry experienced in a year and may be significant
where there is volatility. Market growth experienced in 2024 has
resulted in a negative movement impacting both profit before
shareholder tax and profit after tax. For the six months ended 30
June 2023, significantly lower market growth than 2024, coupled
with interest rate increases, also resulted in a negative movement
impacting both profit before shareholder tax and profit after tax
albeit at a lower level.
Discretionary fund management fees
are received from clients for the provision of DFM
services.
Where an investment has been made
in a St. James's Place product, the initial product charge is
deferred and recognised as a deferred income liability. This
liability is extinguished, and income recognised, over the expected
life of the investment. The income is the amortisation of DIR in
the table above.
-54-
5. Investment return
The majority of the business
written by the Group is unit-linked investment business, and so
investment contract benefits are measured by reference to the
underlying net asset value of the Group's unitised investment
funds. As a result, investment return on the unitised investment
funds and the movement in investment contract benefits are
linked.
Investment return
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30
June 20231
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Attributable to unit-linked
investment contract benefits:
|
|
|
|
Rental income
|
35.4
|
35.4
|
69.9
|
(Loss)/gain on revaluation of
investment properties
|
(22.8)
|
5.2
|
(44.9)
|
Net investment return on financial
instruments classified as fair value through profit and
loss
|
9,728.7
|
4,950.7
|
13,013.4
|
|
9,741.3
|
4,991.3
|
13,038.4
|
|
|
|
|
Income attributable to third-party
holdings in unit trusts
|
4,360.9
|
1,604.5
|
3,092.5
|
|
|
|
|
Investment return on net assets
held to cover unit liabilities
|
14,102.2
|
6,595.8
|
16,130.9
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment return on financial
instruments classified as fair value through profit and
loss
|
59.5
|
27.5
|
60.2
|
Net investment return on financial
instruments held at amortised cost1
|
0.7
|
6.2
|
6.5
|
Investment return on shareholder
assets
|
60.2
|
33.7
|
66.7
|
|
|
|
|
Total investment return
|
14,162.4
|
6,629.5
|
16,197.6
|
1 Restated to reclassify interest received on business loans to
Partners of £13.4 million and shareholders cash and cash
equivalents of £4.4 million to Other finance income.
Included in the net investment
return on financial instruments classified as fair value through
profit and loss, within investment return on net assets held to
cover unit liabilities, is dividend income of £960.8 million (six
months ended 30 June 2023: £781.8 million, year ended 31 December
2023: £1,499.1 million).
-55-
6. Income and deferred
taxes
Tax for the year
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Current tax
|
|
|
|
UK corporation tax
|
|
|
|
- Current year charge
|
241.5
|
157.5
|
222.8
|
- Adjustment in respect of prior
year
|
(0.1)
|
-
|
(0.5)
|
Overseas taxes
|
|
|
|
- Current year charge
|
12.3
|
3.2
|
2.9
|
- Adjustment in respect of prior
year
|
(0.6)
|
-
|
0.1
|
|
253.1
|
160.7
|
225.3
|
Deferred tax
|
|
|
|
Unrealised capital gains in
unit-linked funds
|
151.9
|
53.7
|
243.4
|
Unrelieved expenses
|
|
|
|
- Utilisation in the
year
|
4.5
|
5.6
|
11.3
|
Capital losses
|
|
|
|
- Utilisation in the
year
|
-
|
2.1
|
2.2
|
- Adjustment in respect of prior
year
|
-
|
-
|
(0.1)
|
DAC, DIR and PVIF
|
(2.4)
|
(3.9)
|
(7.8)
|
Share-based payments
|
0.6
|
3.6
|
8.1
|
Renewal income assets
|
1.8
|
(0.6)
|
(1.4)
|
Fixed asset timing
differences
|
0.3
|
1.2
|
2.6
|
UK trading losses
|
-
|
-
|
(36.1)
|
Other temporary
differences
|
1.7
|
0.6
|
1.8
|
Overseas losses
|
-
|
(0.1)
|
0.3
|
Adjustments in respect of prior
periods
|
0.4
|
0.4
|
(0.1)
|
|
158.8
|
62.6
|
224.2
|
Total tax charge for the
year
|
411.9
|
223.3
|
449.5
|
Attributable to:
|
|
|
|
- policyholders
|
351.9
|
169.3
|
444.1
|
- shareholders
|
60.0
|
54.0
|
5.4
|
|
411.9
|
223.3
|
449.5
|
-56-
The prior year adjustment of £0.7
million credit in current tax above represents £nil in respect of
policyholder tax (six months ended 30 June 2023: £nil, year ended
31 December 2023: £1.4 million credit) and £0.7 million credit in
respect of shareholder tax (six months ended 30 June 2023: £nil,
year ended 31 December 2023: £1.0 million charge). The prior year
adjustment of £0.4 million charge in deferred tax above represents
£nil in respect of policyholder tax (six months ended 30 June 2023:
£nil, year ended 31 December 2023: £nil) and a charge of £0.4
million in respect of shareholder tax (six months ended 30 June
2023: £0.4 million charge, year ended 31 December 2023: £0.2
million credit).
In arriving at the profit/(loss)
before tax attributable to shareholders' return, it is necessary to
estimate the analysis of the total tax charge between that payable
in respect of policyholders and that payable by shareholders.
Shareholder tax is estimated by making an assessment of the
effective rate of tax that is applicable to the shareholders on the
profits attributable to shareholders. This is calculated by
applying the appropriate effective corporate tax rates to the
shareholder profits. The remainder of the tax charge
represents tax on policyholders' investment returns. This
calculation method is consistent with the legislation relating to
the calculation of tax on shareholder profits.
Reconciliation of tax charge to
expected tax
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Profit before tax
|
577.0
|
|
385.0
|
|
439.6
|
|
Tax attributable to policyholders'
returns
|
(351.9)
|
|
(169.3)
|
|
(444.1)
|
|
Profit/(loss) before tax
attributable to shareholders' returns
|
225.1
|
|
215.7
|
|
(4.5)
|
|
Shareholder tax charge/(credit) at
corporate tax rate of 25.0% (2023: 23.5%)
|
56.3
|
25.0%
|
50.7
|
23.5%
|
(1.1)
|
23.5%
|
Adjustments:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lower rates of corporation tax in
overseas subsidiaries
|
(0.9)
|
(0.4%)
|
(0.7)
|
(0.3%)
|
(1.8)
|
39.4%
|
Expected shareholder tax
|
55.4
|
24.6%
|
50.0
|
23.2%
|
(2.9)
|
62.9%
|
Effects of:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-taxable income
|
(0.2)
|
|
(0.8)
|
|
(2.5)
|
|
Adjustment in respect of prior
year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Current tax
|
(0.7)
|
|
-
|
|
1.0
|
|
- Deferred tax
|
0.4
|
|
0.4
|
|
(0.2)
|
|
Differences in accounting and tax
bases in relation to employee share schemes
|
-
|
|
(1.7)
|
|
0.3
|
|
Impact of difference in tax rates
between current and deferred tax
|
-
|
|
-
|
|
(2.3)
|
|
Disallowable expenses
|
3.8
|
|
1.2
|
|
4.3
|
|
Provision for future
liabilities
|
0.2
|
|
3.7
|
|
5.1
|
|
Tax losses not
recognised
|
0.9
|
|
1.1
|
|
1.9
|
|
Other
|
0.2
|
|
0.1
|
|
0.7
|
|
|
4.6
|
2.1%
|
4.0
|
1.8%
|
8.3
|
(182.9%)
|
Shareholder tax charge
|
60.0
|
26.7%
|
54.0
|
25.0%
|
5.4
|
(120.0%)
|
Policyholder tax charge
|
351.9
|
|
169.3
|
|
444.1
|
|
Total tax charge for the
year
|
411.9
|
|
223.3
|
|
449.5
|
|
-57-
Tax calculated on profit before
tax at 25% (2023: 23.5%) would amount to a charge of £144.3 million
(six months to 30 June 2023: charge of £90.5 million, year to 31
December 2023: charge of £103.3 million). The difference of £267.6
million (six months to 30 June 2023: £132.8 million, year to 31
December 2023: £346.2 million) between this number and the total
tax charge of £411.9 million (six months to 30 June 2023: £223.3
million charge, year to 31 December 2023: £449.5 million charge) is
made up of the reconciling items above which total a charge of £3.7
million (six months to 30 June 2023: £3.3 million charge, year to
31 December 2023: £6.5 million charge) and the effect of the
apportionment methodology on tax applicable to policyholder returns
of £263.9 million (six months to 30 June 2023: £129.5 million
credit, year to 31 December 2023: £339.7 million
credit).
Tax paid in the year
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Current tax charge for the
period
|
253.1
|
160.7
|
225.3
|
(Payments to be made) / Refunds due
to be received in future years in respect of current
year
|
(91.0)
|
(3.8)
|
1.7
|
Refunds received in current year in
respect of prior years
|
(0.2)
|
(57.8)
|
(39.7)
|
Other
|
0.2
|
-
|
(7.9)
|
Tax paid
|
162.1
|
99.1
|
179.4
|
Tax paid can be analysed
as:
|
|
|
|
- Taxes paid in UK
|
95.0
|
92.0
|
156.4
|
- Taxes paid in overseas
jurisdictions
|
0.7
|
0.4
|
6.2
|
- Withholding taxes suffered on
investment income received
|
66.4
|
6.7
|
16.8
|
Total
|
162.1
|
99.1
|
179.4
|
-58-
Deferred tax balances
Deferred tax assets
|
As at
1 January
2024
|
Credit/(charge) to
the Statement of Comprehensive Income
|
Reanalysis to deferred tax
liabilities
|
|
As at 30 June
2024
|
Expected utilisation
period
|
Utilised and created in
year
|
Total
credit/
(charge)
|
Transfers
|
As at 30 June
2024
|
£ Million
|
£ Million
|
£ Million
|
£ Million
|
£ Million
|
£ Million
|
|
Deferred acquisition costs
(DAC)
|
(18.6)
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
(0.5)
|
-
|
(18.6)
|
14
years
|
Deferred income (DIR)
|
35.1
|
(1.8)
|
(1.8)
|
-
|
-
|
33.3
|
14
years
|
Fixed asset temporary
differences
|
1.3
|
(0.7)
|
(0.7)
|
-
|
-
|
0.6
|
6 years
|
Renewal income assets
|
(19.9)
|
(1.8)
|
(1.8)
|
-
|
-
|
(21.7)
|
20
years
|
Share-based payments
|
4.8
|
(0.6)
|
(0.6)
|
0.1
|
-
|
4.3
|
3 years
|
UK trading losses
|
36.1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(18.0)
|
18.1
|
0.5
years
|
Other temporary
differences
|
(2.3)
|
(1.6)
|
(1.6)
|
1.1
|
-
|
(2.8)
|
-
|
Total
|
36.5
|
(6.0)
|
(6.0)
|
0.7
|
(18.0)
|
13.2
|
|
|
As
at
1
January
2023
|
Credit/(charge) to the Statement of Comprehensive
Income
|
Impact
of acquisitions
|
Reanalysis to deferred tax liabilities
|
As at
30 June 2023
|
Expected
utilisation period
|
Utilised
and created in year
|
Total
credit/
(charge)
|
As at
30 June 2023
|
£
Million
|
£
Million
|
£
Million
|
£
Million
|
£
Million
|
£
Million
|
|
Deferred acquisition costs
(DAC)
|
(20.4)
|
0.7
|
0.7
|
-
|
(0.5)
|
(20.2)
|
14
years
|
Deferred income (DIR)
|
37.7
|
(1.2)
|
(1.2)
|
-
|
-
|
36.5
|
14
years
|
Fixed asset temporary
differences
|
3.9
|
(1.6)
|
(1.6)
|
-
|
-
|
2.3
|
6
years
|
Renewal income assets
|
(20.7)
|
0.6
|
0.6
|
(0.1)
|
-
|
(20.2)
|
20
years
|
Share-based payments
|
12.9
|
(3.6)
|
(3.6)
|
-
|
-
|
9.3
|
3
years
|
Other temporary
differences
|
(0.9)
|
(0.9)
|
(0.9)
|
-
|
0.5
|
(1.3)
|
-
|
Total
|
12.5
|
(6.0)
|
(6.0)
|
(0.1)
|
-
|
6.4
|
|
-59-
Deferred tax liabilities
|
As at
1 January
2024
|
Credit/(charge) to
the Statement of Comprehensive Income
|
Reanalysis to deferred tax
liabilities
|
As at 30 June
2024
|
Expected utilisation
period
|
Utilised and created in
year
|
Total
credit/(charge)
|
As at 30 June
2024
|
£ Million
|
£ Million
|
£ Million
|
£ Million
|
£ Million
|
|
Deferred acquisition costs
(DAC)
|
12.3
|
(3.3)
|
(3.3)
|
(0.5)
|
8.5
|
14
years
|
Purchased value of in-force
business (PVIF)
|
2.0
|
(0.4)
|
(0.4)
|
-
|
1.6
|
2
years
|
Share based payments
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
3
years
|
Unrealised capital gains on
life insurance (BLAGAB) assets
backing unit liabilities
|
423.4
|
151.9
|
151.9
|
-
|
575.3
|
6
years
|
Unrelieved expenses on life
insurance business
|
(26.2)
|
4.5
|
4.5
|
-
|
(21.7)
|
5
years
|
Other temporary
differences
|
0.2
|
0.1
|
0.1
|
1.1
|
1.4
|
-
|
Total
|
411.7
|
152.8
|
152.8
|
0.7
|
565.2
|
|
|
As
at
1
January
2023
|
Credit/(charge) to the Statement of Comprehensive
Income
|
Reanalysis to deferred tax liabilities
|
As at
30 June 2023
|
Expected
utilisation period
|
Utilised
and created in year
|
Total
credit/(charge)
|
As at
30 June 2023
|
£
Million
|
£
Million
|
£
Million
|
£
Million
|
£
Million
|
|
Capital losses
(available for future relief)
|
(2.1)
|
2.1
|
2.1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Deferred acquisition costs
(DAC)
|
20.2
|
(4.1)
|
(4.1)
|
(0.5)
|
15.6
|
14
years
|
Purchased value of in-force
business (PVIF)
|
2.8
|
(0.4)
|
(0.4)
|
-
|
2.4
|
2.5
years
|
Unrealised capital gains on
life insurance (BLAGAB) assets backing unit
liabilities
|
180.1
|
53.7
|
53.7
|
-
|
233.8
|
6
years
|
Unrelieved expenses on life
insurance business
|
(37.5)
|
5.6
|
5.6
|
-
|
(31.9)
|
6
years
|
Other temporary
differences
|
(0.6)
|
(0.3)
|
(0.3)
|
0.5
|
(0.4)
|
-
|
Total
|
162.9
|
56.6
|
56.6
|
-
|
219.5
|
|
-60-
Appropriate investment income,
gains or profits are expected to arise against which the tax assets
can be utilised. Whilst the actual rates of utilisation will depend
on business growth and external factors, particularly investment
market conditions, they have been tested for sensitivity to
experience and are resilient to a range of reasonably foreseeable
scenarios.
At the reporting date there were
unrecognised deferred tax assets of £18.2 million (30 June 2023:
£16.2 million, 31 December 2023: £17.3 million) in respect of
£107.6 million (30 June 2023: £95.5 million, 31 December 2023:
£101.9 million) of losses in companies where appropriate profits
are not considered probable in the forecast period. These losses
primarily relate to our Asia-based businesses and can be carried
forward indefinitely.
UK Corporation Tax Rate
The main rate of corporation tax
in the UK was increased from 19% to 25% on 1 April 2023.
Pillar Two - Global minimum tax
With effect from 1 January 2024
the SJP Group is subject to the Global minimum tax rules introduced
by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) and adopted into local legislation of various territories in
which the SJP Group operates; including the UK and Ireland. The
Group is subject to a domestic top-up tax in relation to its
operations in Ireland, where the statutory corporate tax rate is
12.5%. This increases the effective tax rate for the profits
arising in Ireland to 15% and at the half year an adjustment of
£0.3 million additional Irish tax has been posted in this respect.
It is not expected that a Pillar Two adjustment will be required in
respect of any other SJP location.
-61-
7. Goodwill, intangible assets,
deferred acquisition costs and deferred income
|
Goodwill
|
Purchased
value of in-force
business
|
Computer
software and
other specific
software
developments
|
DAC
|
DIR
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Cost
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 1 January 2023
|
36.6
|
73.4
|
70.9
|
1,050.6
|
(1,635.0)
|
Additions
|
-
|
-
|
6.7
|
20.9
|
(55.9)
|
Disposals
|
-
|
-
|
(15.4)
|
(69.4)
|
45.0
|
At 30 June 2023
|
36.6
|
73.4
|
62.2
|
1,002.1
|
(1,645.9)
|
Additions
|
-
|
-
|
4.2
|
19.0
|
(50.7)
|
Disposals
|
_
|
-
|
(0.8)
|
(75.3)
|
60.3
|
At
31 December 2023
|
36.6
|
73.4
|
65.6
|
945.8
|
(1,636.3)
|
Additions
|
-
|
-
|
3.0
|
22.3
|
(55.0)
|
Disposals
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(89.4)
|
72.2
|
At
30 June 2024
|
36.6
|
73.4
|
68.6
|
878.7
|
(1,619.1)
|
Accumulated amortisation
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 1 January 2023
|
3.0
|
62.2
|
37.6
|
714.0
|
(1,104.6)
|
Charge for the period
|
-
|
1.6
|
7.3
|
36.1
|
(72.7)
|
Eliminated on disposal
|
-
|
-
|
(15.4)
|
(69.4)
|
45.0
|
At 30 June 2023
|
3.0
|
63.8
|
29.5
|
680.7
|
(1,132.3)
|
Charge for the period
|
-
|
1.6
|
8.1
|
36.0
|
(72.8)
|
Eliminated on disposal
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(75.3)
|
60.3
|
At
31 December 2023
|
3.0
|
65.4
|
37.6
|
641.4
|
(1,144.8)
|
Charge for the period
|
-
|
1.6
|
9.8
|
31.7
|
(68.6)
|
Eliminated on disposal
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(89.4)
|
72.2
|
At
30 June 2024
|
3.0
|
67.0
|
47.4
|
583.7
|
(1,141.2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carrying value
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 30 June 2023
|
33.6
|
9.6
|
32.7
|
321.4
|
(513.6)
|
At 31 December 2023
|
33.6
|
8.0
|
28.0
|
304.4
|
(491.5)
|
At
30 June 2024
|
33.6
|
6.4
|
21.2
|
295.0
|
(477.9)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding amortisation period
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 30 June 2023
|
n/a
|
2.5 years
|
5 years
|
14 years
|
6-14 years
|
At 31 December 2023
|
n/a
|
2 years
|
5 years
|
14 years
|
6-14 years
|
At
30 June 2024
|
n/a
|
1.5 years
|
5 years
|
14 years
|
6-14 years
|
-62-
Purchased value of in-force
business/DAC/Computer software
Amortisation is charged to
expenses in the IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of
Comprehensive Income. Amortisation profiles are reassessed
annually.
DIR
Amortisation is credited within
fee and commission income in the IFRS Condensed Consolidated
Statement of Comprehensive Income. Amortisation profiles are
reassessed annually.
8. Investments
Net assets held to cover unit
liabilities
Included within the IFRS Condensed
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position are the following
assets and liabilities comprising the net assets held to cover
unit liabilities. The net assets held to cover unit liabilities are
set out in adjustment 1 of the IFRS to Solvency II Net Assets
Balance Sheet reconciliation on page 27.
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
Investment property
|
1,039.5
|
1,191.9
|
1,110.3
|
Equities
|
125,349.2
|
110,771.4
|
116,761.5
|
Fixed income securities
|
25,177.1
|
27,878.4
|
27,236.5
|
Investment in Collective Investment
Schemes
|
19,354.3
|
5,923.6
|
12,513.1
|
Cash and cash
equivalents
|
6,155.4
|
6,415.3
|
5,918.9
|
Other receivables
|
1,419.9
|
1,109.8
|
846.9
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
3,828.0
|
4,149.6
|
3,420.6
|
Total assets
|
182,323.4
|
157,440.0
|
167,807.8
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
|
Other payables
|
1,780.5
|
763.2
|
613.3
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
2,807.5
|
3,490.4
|
3,073.0
|
Total liabilities
|
4,588.0
|
4,253.6
|
3,686.3
|
Net assets held to cover linked liabilities
|
177,735.4
|
153,186.4
|
164,121.5
|
Investment contract
benefits
|
133,823.5
|
113,924.8
|
123,149.8
|
Net asset value attributable to
unit holders
|
43,458.0
|
38,843.8
|
40,536.5
|
Unit-linked insurance contract
liabilities
|
453.9
|
417.8
|
435.2
|
Net unit-linked liabilities
|
177,735.4
|
153,186.4
|
164,121.5
|
The Condensed Consolidated
Statement of Financial Position includes shareholder assets not
included in the above net assets held to cover unit liabilities.
See Note 13 for further information.
-63-
9. Other receivables
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Receivables in relation to unit
liabilities excluding policyholder interests
|
1,259.9
|
842.9
|
956.0
|
Other receivables in relation to
life and unit trust business
|
193.6
|
203.7
|
151.9
|
Operational readiness
prepayment
|
272.3
|
277.1
|
283.5
|
Advanced payments to
Partners
|
135.5
|
99.0
|
127.4
|
Other prepayments and accrued
income
|
46.3
|
97.5
|
37.9
|
Business loans to
Partners
|
507.0
|
400.2
|
408.0
|
Renewal income assets
|
145.0
|
122.3
|
138.3
|
Miscellaneous
|
41.2
|
21.4
|
44.3
|
Total other receivables on the
Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet
|
2,600.8
|
2,064.1
|
2,147.3
|
Policyholder interests in other
receivables (see Note 8)
|
1,419.9
|
1,109.8
|
846.9
|
Other
|
3.1
|
3.1
|
3.2
|
Total other receivables
|
4,023.8
|
3,177.0
|
2,997.4
|
All items within other receivables
meet the definition of financial assets with the exception of
prepayments and advanced payments to Partners. The fair value of
those financial assets held at amortised cost is not materially
different from amortised cost.
Receivables in relation to unit
liabilities relate to outstanding market trade settlements
(sales) in the life unit-linked funds and the consolidated unit
trusts. Other receivables in relation to insurance and unit trust
business primarily relate to outstanding policy-related settlement
timings. Both of these categories of receivables are
short-term.
The operational readiness
prepayment relates to the Bluedoor administration platform which
has been developed by our key outsourced back-office administration
provider. Management has assessed the recoverability of this
prepayment against the expected cost-saving benefit of lower future
tariff costs arising from the platform. It is believed that no
reasonably possible change in the assumptions applied within this
assessment, notably levels of future business, the anticipated
future service tariffs and the discount rate, would have an impact
on the carrying value of the asset.
Renewal income assets represent
the present value of future cash flows associated with business
combinations or books of business acquired by the Group.
-64-
Business loans to
Partners
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Business loans to Partners directly
funded by the Group
|
384.9
|
362.2
|
340.8
|
Securitised business loans to
Partners
|
122.1
|
38.0
|
67.2
|
Total business loans to
Partners
|
507.0
|
400.2
|
408.0
|
Business loans to Partners are
interest-bearing (linked to Bank of England base rate plus a
margin), repayable in line with the terms of the loan contract and
secured against the future income streams of the respective
Partner.
During 2024, the Group has
securitised £54.9 million (six months ended 30 June 2023: £38.0
million, year ended 31 December 2023: £67.2 million) of business
loans to Partners. The securitised loans remain ring-fenced from
the other assets of the Group.
See Note 16 for further
information on movements in Total business loans to Partners after
the end of the reporting period.
Business loans to Partners:
provision
The expected loss impairment model
for business loans to Partners is based on the levels of loss
experienced in the portfolio, with due consideration given to
forward-looking information.
The provision held against
business loans to Partners as at 30 June 2024 was £3.9 million (30
June 2023: £3.7 million, 31 December 2023: £4.8
million).
-65-
10. Other payables
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Payables in relation to unit
liabilities excluding policyholder interests
|
597.4
|
536.0
|
437.1
|
Other payables in relation to life
and unit trust business
|
1,111.7
|
802.9
|
738.6
|
Accrual for ongoing advice
fees
|
146.7
|
128.8
|
150.0
|
Other accruals
|
112.0
|
82.4
|
101.1
|
Contract payment
|
78.2
|
90.0
|
84.2
|
Lease liabilities:
properties
|
117.3
|
127.0
|
120.5
|
Other payables in relation to
Partner payments
|
77.4
|
72.4
|
75.1
|
Miscellaneous
|
48.9
|
50.9
|
50.4
|
Total other payables on the
Solvency II Net Assets Balance Sheet
|
2,289.6
|
1,890.4
|
1,757.0
|
Policyholder interests in other
payables (see Note 8)
|
1,780.5
|
763.2
|
613.3
|
Other (see adjustment 2 on page
27)
|
10.7
|
16.6
|
17.8
|
Total other payables
|
4,080.8
|
2,670.2
|
2,388.1
|
Payables in relation to unit
liabilities relate to outstanding market trade settlements
(purchases) in the life unit-linked funds and the consolidated unit
trusts. Other payables in relation to insurance and unit trust
business primarily relate to outstanding policy-related settlement
timings. Both of these categories of payables are
short-term.
The contract payment of £78.2
million (30 June 2023: £90.0 million, 31 December 2023: £84.2
million) represents payments made by a third-party service provider
to the Group as part of a service agreement, which are
non-interest-bearing and repayable over the life of the service
agreement. The contract payment received prior to 2020 is repayable
on a straight-line basis over the original 12-year term, with
repayments commencing on 1 January 2017. The contract payment
received in 2020 is repayable on a straight-line basis over 13
years and 4 months, with repayments commencing on 1 September
2020.
The Lease liabilities: properties
line item represents the present value of future cash flows
associated with the Group's portfolio of property
leases.
The fair value of financial
instruments held at amortised cost within other payables is not
materially different from amortised cost.
Policyholder interests in other
payables are short-term in nature and can vary significantly from
period to period due to prevailing market conditions and underlying
trading activity.
-66-
11. Other provisions
|
Complaints
provision
|
Ongoing Service Evidence provision
|
Lease
provision
|
Clawback
provision
|
Total
provisions
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
At 1 January 2023
|
29.7
|
-
|
13.3
|
3.0
|
46.0
|
Additional provisions
|
28.4
|
-
|
0.6
|
-
|
29.0
|
Utilised during the
period
|
(7.3)
|
-
|
(0.6)
|
-
|
(7.9)
|
Release of provision
|
(11.4)
|
-
|
(0.2)
|
-
|
(11.6)
|
At 30 June 2023
|
39.4
|
-
|
13.1
|
3.0
|
55.5
|
Additional provisions
|
33.4
|
426.0
|
2.0
|
0.1
|
461.5
|
Utilised during the
period
|
(13.7)
|
-
|
(0.2)
|
-
|
(13.9)
|
Release of provision
|
(3.0)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(3.0)
|
At
31 December 2023
|
56.1
|
426.0
|
14.9
|
3.1
|
500.1
|
Additional provisions
|
17.6
|
-
|
0.3
|
-
|
17.9
|
Utilised during the
period
|
(13.5)
|
(0.5)
|
(0.1)
|
-
|
(14.1)
|
Impact of discounting
|
-
|
5.1
|
-
|
-
|
5.1
|
Release of provision
|
(0.6)
|
-
|
(0.3)
|
-
|
(0.9)
|
At
30 June 2024
|
59.6
|
430.6
|
14.8
|
3.1
|
508.1
|
Complaints provision
The provision represents the best
estimate of the complaint redress, based on complaints identified,
an assessment of the proportion redressed; and an estimated cost of
redress based on historic experience. A reasonably possible change
of 10% in the key assumption, being the proportion requiring
redress, would result in an increase/decrease of circa £6.0 million
to the total complaints provision. For further information see Note
2.
Ongoing Service Evidence provision
During 2023 the Group experienced
elevated levels of complaints in connection with the delivery of
historic ongoing advice services.
Given the claims experience, a
skilled person was engaged to undertake an initial assessment of a
statistically credible representative cohort of clients to explore whether issues raised by the complaints
were replicated across the wider client base. Following the
assessment, the Group has committed to review the sub-population of
clients that has been charged for ongoing servicing since the start
of 2018 but where the evidence of delivery falls below the
acceptable standard. Where the standard of evidence is deemed by
the Group to be marginal the Group will invite clients to join the
review (the "Opt-In population"), but where the standard of
evidence is deemed to be poor the Group will include clients in the
review unless instructed otherwise (the "Opt-Out
population").
The provision that has been
recognised includes an estimated refund of charges, together with
interest at FOS rates, plus the administration costs associated
with completing this work. Allowance is also made for discounting
over the expected duration of the exercise.
A provision of £426.0 million was
recognised at 31 December 2023 with the best estimate assessment
based on extrapolation of the experience of the statistically
credible representative cohort of clients.
During the period costs were
incurred in relation to the commencement of the review resulting in
the utilisation of £0.5 million.
-67-
In accordance with IAS 37 the
discounted provision recognised at 31 December 2023 has been
appropriately unwound. Note, interest income arising on the assets
held to support the provision offsets the impact of unwind of
discounting in the Group result.
IAS 37 and IAS 1 requires the
Group to set out sensitivities. In compliance with these
requirements, the following table sets out the potential change to
the provision balance at 30 June 2024 if the key assumptions were
to vary as described:
Sensitivity analysis
|
Change
in assumption
|
Change
in profit before tax
|
Favourable changes
|
Unfavourable changes
|
Percentage
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Extrapolation from a representative
cohort
- Variation in proportion of client
population subject to the review
|
2%
|
22.0
|
(22.0)
|
Extrapolation from a representative
cohort
- Variation in the level of
charges, based on average client FUM, subject to refund
|
10%
|
31.0
|
(31.0)
|
Opt-In response rate
- Variation in response
rate
|
10%
|
17.0
|
(17.0)
|
Administration costs
- Change in estimation of the cost
to fulfil the exercise (cost per claim)
|
10%
|
12.0
|
(12.0)
|
It is estimated that significantly
all the provision will be utilised over a two-to-three-year period from the reporting date.
Lease provision
The lease provision represents the
value of expected future costs of reinstating leased property to
its original condition at the end of the lease term. The estimate
is based on the square footage of leased properties and typical
costs per square foot of restoring similar buildings to their
original state.
Clawback provision
The clawback provision represents
amounts due to third parties less amounts recovered from Partners.
The provision
is based on estimates of the
indemnity commission that may be repaid.
With the exception of the
Complaints and Ongoing Service Evidence provisions, it is
considered that no reasonably possible level of changes in
estimates would have a material impact on the value of the best
estimate of the provisions.
-68-
12. Borrowings and financial
commitments
Borrowings
Borrowings are a liability arising
from financing activities. The Group has two different types of
borrowings:
· senior unsecured corporate borrowings which are used to
manage working capital, bridge intra-group cash flows and fund
investment in the business; and
· securitisation loan notes which are secured only on a legally
segregated pool of the Group's business loans to Partners, and
hence are non-recourse to the Group's other assets. Further
information about business loans to Partners is provided in Note
9.
Senior unsecured corporate
borrowings
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Corporate borrowings: bank
loans
|
250.0
|
-
|
50.0
|
Corporate borrowings: loan
notes
|
151.1
|
163.9
|
151.1
|
Senior unsecured corporate
borrowings
|
401.1
|
163.9
|
201.1
|
The primary senior unsecured
corporate borrowings are:
· a
£345.0 million revolving credit facility, which is repayable at
maturity in 2028 with a variable interest rate. At 30 June 2024 the
undrawn credit available under this facility was £345.0 million (30
June 2023: £345.0 million, 31 December 2023: £295.0
million);
· a
fully drawn £250.0 million bridging facility, which is repayable at
maturity in 2026 with a variable interest rate.
· a
Note Purchase Agreement for £51.1 million. The notes are repayable
in instalments over ten years, ending in 2027, with variable
interest rates; and
· a
Note Purchase Agreement for £100.0 million. The notes are repayable
in one amount in 2031, with variable interest rates.
The Group has a number of
covenants within the terms of its senior unsecured corporate
borrowing facilities. These covenants are monitored on a regular
basis and reported to lenders on a six-monthly basis. Since year
end the Group has satisfactorily concluded discussions with a
number of lenders regarding some routine disclosure matters. During
the course of the period all financial covenants were complied
with.
As at 30 June 2024, 30 June 2023
and 31 December 2023 the Group had sufficient headroom available
under its covenants to fully draw the remaining commitment under
its senior unsecured corporate borrowing facilities.
-69-
Total borrowings
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Senior unsecured corporate
borrowings
|
401.1
|
163.9
|
201.1
|
Senior tranche of non-recourse
securitisation loan note
|
89.5
|
25.3
|
50.3
|
Total borrowings
|
490.6
|
189.2
|
251.4
|
The senior tranche of
securitisation loan notes are AAA-rated and repayable over the
expected life of the securitisation (estimated to be five years)
with a variable interest rate. They are held by third-party
investors and secured on a legally segregated portfolio of business
loans to Partners, and on the other net assets of the
securitisation entity SJP Partner Loans No.1 Limited. Holders of
the securitisation loan notes have no recourse to the assets held
by any other entity within the Group.
In addition to the senior tranche
of securitisation loan notes, a junior tranche has been issued to
another entity within the Group. The junior notes were eliminated
on consolidation in the preparation of the Group Financial
Statements and so do not form part of Group borrowings.
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Junior tranche of non-recourse
securitisation loan note
|
37.9
|
14.8
|
20.9
|
Senior tranche of non-recourse
securitisation loan note
|
89.5
|
25.3
|
50.3
|
Total non-recourse securitisation
loan notes
|
127.4
|
40.1
|
71.2
|
Backed by
|
|
|
|
Securitised business loans to
Partners (see Note 9)
|
122.1
|
38.0
|
67.2
|
Other net assets of SJP Partner
Loans No.1 Limited
|
5.3
|
2.1
|
4.0
|
Total net assets held by SJP
Partner Loans No.1 Limited
|
127.4
|
40.1
|
71.2
|
The fair value of the outstanding
borrowings is not materially different from amortised cost.
Interest expense on borrowings is recognised within expenses in the
IFRS Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive
Income.
-70-
Financial commitments
Guarantees
The Group guarantees loans
provided by third parties to Partners. In the event of default on
any individual Partner loan, the Group guarantees to repay the full
amount of the loan, with the exception of Metro Bank. For this
third party the Group guarantees to cover losses up to 50% of the
value to the total loans drawn. These loans are secured against the
future income streams of the Partner. The value of the loans
guaranteed is as follows:
|
Loans guaranteed
|
Facility
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
30
June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Bank of Scotland
|
15.4
|
22.6
|
19.6
|
35.0
|
35.0
|
35.0
|
Investec
|
31.8
|
26.9
|
33.3
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
Metro Bank
|
13.1
|
21.1
|
17.6
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
50.0
|
NatWest
|
30.3
|
35.7
|
32.2
|
75.0
|
75.0
|
75.0
|
Santander
|
159.3
|
166.9
|
186.5
|
189.1
|
169.9
|
189.1
|
Total loans
|
249.9
|
273.2
|
289.2
|
399.1
|
379.9
|
399.1
|
The fair value of these guarantees
has been assessed as £nil (30 June 2023: £nil, 31 December 2023:
£nil).
-71-
13. Fair value
measurement
Fair value estimation
Financial assets and liabilities,
which are held at fair value in the Financial Statements, are
required to have disclosed their fair value measurements by level
from the following fair value measurement hierarchy:
· Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical
assets or liabilities (Level 1);
· Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that
are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (that
is, as prices) or indirectly (that is, derived from prices) (Level
2); and
· Inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on
observable market data (that is, unobservable inputs) (Level
3).
The following tables present the
Group's shareholder assets and liabilities measured at fair
value:
Shareholder assets and
liabilities
30 June 2024
|
Level
1
|
Level
2
|
Level
3
|
Total
balance
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Financial assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fixed income securities
|
8.4
|
-
|
-
|
8.4
|
|
Investment in Collective Investment
Schemes1
|
2,077.9
|
-
|
-
|
2,077.9
|
|
Renewal income assets
|
-
|
-
|
145.0
|
145.0
|
|
|
Total financial assets
|
2,086.3
|
-
|
145.0
|
2,231.3
|
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contingent consideration
|
-
|
-
|
3.7
|
3.7
|
|
Total financial
liabilities
|
-
|
-
|
3.7
|
3.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
30 June 2023
|
Level
1
|
Level
2
|
Level
3
|
Total
balance
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Financial assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fixed income securities
|
8.0
|
-
|
-
|
8.0
|
|
Investment in Collective Investment
Schemes1
|
1,250.5
|
-
|
-
|
1,250.5
|
|
Renewal income assets
|
-
|
-
|
122.3
|
122.3
|
|
|
Total financial assets
|
1,258.5
|
-
|
122.3
|
1,380.8
|
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contingent consideration
|
-
|
-
|
8.4
|
8.4
|
|
Total financial
liabilities
|
-
|
-
|
8.4
|
8.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
-72-
31 December 2023
|
Level
1
|
Level
2
|
Level
3
|
Total
balance
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Financial assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fixed income securities
|
8.2
|
-
|
-
|
8.2
|
|
Investment in Collective Investment
Schemes1
|
1,454.4
|
-
|
-
|
1,454.4
|
|
Renewal income assets
|
-
|
-
|
138.3
|
138.3
|
|
|
Total financial assets
|
1,462.6
|
-
|
138.3
|
1,600.9
|
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contingent consideration
|
-
|
-
|
3.2
|
3.2
|
|
Total financial
liabilities
|
-
|
-
|
3.2
|
3.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
1 All assets included as shareholder investment in collective
investment schemes are holdings of high-quality, highly liquid
unitised money market funds, containing assets which are cash and
cash equivalents.
The fair value of financial
instruments traded in active markets is based on quoted bid prices
at the reporting date. These instruments are included in Level
1.
Level 2 financial assets are
valued using observable prices for identical current arm's length
transactions.
The renewal income assets are
classified as Level 3 and are valued using a discounted cash flow
technique. The effect of applying reasonably possible alternative
assumptions of a movement of +100bps on the discount rate and a 10%
movement in the lapse rate would result in an unfavourable change
in valuation of £5.8 million (30 June 2023: £10.5 million, 31
December 2023: £5.2 million) and a favourable change in valuation
of £6.4 million (30 June 2023: £11.3 million, 31 December 2023:
£5.5 million), respectively.
The contingent consideration
liability is classified as Level 3 and is valued based on the terms
set out in the sale and purchase agreement. Given the nature of the
valuation basis, the effect of applying reasonably possible
alternative assumptions would result in an unfavourable change of
£nil (30 June 2023: £nil, 31 December 2023: £nil) and a favourable
change of £3.7 million (30 June 2023: £8.4 million, 31 December
2023: £3.2 million).
There were no transfers between
Level 1 and Level 2 during the period, nor into or out of Level
3.
The following tables present the
changes in Level 3 financial assets and liabilities at fair value
through the profit and loss:
Financial assets
|
Six
months ended
30
June 2024
|
Six
months
ended
30 June
2023
|
Year
ended
31
December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Renewal income assets
|
|
|
|
|
Opening balance
|
138.3
|
115.5
|
115.5
|
|
Additions during the
period
|
2.3
|
8.2
|
32.0
|
|
Disposals during the
period
|
(0.4)
|
(0.8)
|
(2.1)
|
|
Unrealised gains/(losses) recognised
in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive
Income
|
4.8
|
(0.6)
|
(7.1)
|
|
Closing balance
|
145.0
|
122.3
|
138.3
|
Unrealised losses on renewal
income assets are recognised within investment return in the IFRS
Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive
Income.
-73-
Financial liabilities
|
Six
months ended
30 June
2024
|
Six
months
ended
30
June 2023
|
Year
ended
31
December
2023
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Contingent consideration
|
|
|
|
|
Opening balance
|
3.2
|
8.3
|
8.3
|
|
Additions during the
period
|
0.5
|
0.1
|
3.2
|
|
Payments made during the
period
|
-
|
-
|
(6.7)
|
|
Released during the year
|
-
|
-
|
(1.6)
|
|
Closing balance
|
3.7
|
8.4
|
3.2
|
Unit liabilities and associated
assets
30 June 2024
|
Level
1
|
Level
2
|
Level
3
|
Total
balance
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Financial assets and investment
properties
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment property
|
-
|
-
|
1,039.5
|
1,039.5
|
|
Equities
|
124,208.2
|
-
|
1,141.0
|
125,349.2
|
|
Fixed income securities
|
6,686.7
|
18,354.7
|
135.7
|
25,177.1
|
|
Investment in Collective Investment
Schemes
|
19,344.5
|
-
|
9.8
|
19,354.3
|
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
3,828.0
|
-
|
3,828.0
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
6,155.4
|
-
|
-
|
6,155.4
|
|
Total financial assets and
investment properties
|
156,394.8
|
22,182.7
|
2,326.0
|
180,903.5
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Investment contract
benefits
|
-
|
133,823.5
|
-
|
133,823.5
|
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
2,807.5
|
-
|
2,807.5
|
|
Net asset value attributable to unit
holders
|
43,458.0
|
-
|
-
|
43,458.0
|
|
Total financial
liabilities
|
43,458.0
|
136,631.0
|
-
|
180,089.0
|
-74-
30 June 2023
|
Level
1
|
Level
2
|
Level
3
|
Total
balance
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Financial assets and investment
properties
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment property
|
-
|
-
|
1,191.9
|
1,191.9
|
|
Equities
|
109,188.9
|
-
|
1,582.5
|
110,771.4
|
|
Fixed income securities
|
7,204.1
|
20,355.9
|
318.4
|
27,878.4
|
|
Investment in Collective Investment
Schemes
|
5,915.9
|
-
|
7.7
|
5,923.6
|
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
4,149.6
|
-
|
4,149.6
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
6,415.3
|
-
|
-
|
6,415.3
|
|
Total financial assets and
investment properties
|
128,724.2
|
24,505.5
|
3,100.5
|
156,330.2
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Investment contract
benefits
|
-
|
113,924.8
|
-
|
113,924.8
|
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
3,490.4
|
-
|
3,490.4
|
|
Net asset value attributable to unit
holders
|
38,843.8
|
-
|
-
|
38,843.8
|
|
Total financial
liabilities
|
38,843.8
|
117,415.2
|
-
|
156,259.0
|
31 December 2023
|
Level
1
|
Level
2
|
Level
3
|
Total
balance
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Financial assets and investment
properties
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment property
|
-
|
-
|
1,110.3
|
1,110.3
|
|
Equities
|
115,134.5
|
-
|
1,627.0
|
116,761.5
|
|
Fixed income securities
|
6,883.7
|
20,006.3
|
346.5
|
27,236.5
|
|
Investment in Collective Investment
Schemes
|
12,505.7
|
-
|
7.4
|
12,513.1
|
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
3,420.6
|
-
|
3,420.6
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
5,918.9
|
-
|
-
|
5,918.9
|
|
Total financial assets and
investment properties
|
140,442.8
|
23,426.9
|
3,091.2
|
166,960.9
|
Financial liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Investment contract
benefits
|
-
|
123,149.8
|
-
|
123,149.8
|
|
Derivative financial
instruments
|
-
|
3,073.0
|
-
|
3,073.0
|
|
Net asset value attributable to unit
holders
|
40,536.5
|
-
|
-
|
40,536.5
|
|
Total financial
liabilities
|
40,536.5
|
126,222.8
|
-
|
166,759.3
|
In respect of the derivative
financial liabilities, £128.9 million of collateral has been posted
at 30 June 2024, comprising cash and treasury bills (30 June 2023:
£163.6 million, 31 December 2023: £181.3 million), in accordance
with the terms and conditions of the derivative
contracts.
The fair value of financial
instruments traded in active markets is based on quoted bid prices
at the reporting date. These instruments are included in Level
1.
-75-
The Group closely monitors the
valuation of assets in markets that have become less liquid.
Determining whether a market is active requires the exercise of
judgement and is determined based upon the facts and circumstances
of the market for the instrument being measured. Where it is
determined that there is no active market, fair value is
established using a valuation technique. The techniques applied
incorporate relevant information available and reflect appropriate
adjustments for credit and liquidity risks. These valuation
techniques maximise the use of observable market data where it is
available and rely as little as possible on entity specific
estimates. The relative weightings given to differing sources of
information and the determination of non-observable inputs to
valuation models can require the exercise of significant
judgement.
If all significant inputs required
to fair value an instrument are observable, the instrument is
included in Level 2. If one or more of the significant inputs is
not based on observable market data, the instrument is included in
Level 3.
Note that all of the resulting
fair value estimates are included in Level 2, except for certain
equities and investments in Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) and
investment properties as detailed below.
Specific valuation techniques used
to value Level 2 financial assets and liabilities include the use
of observable prices for identical current arm's length
transactions, specifically:
· The
fair value of unit-linked liabilities is assessed by reference to
the value of the underlying net asset value of the Group's unitised
investment funds, determined on a bid value, at the reporting date;
and
· The
Group's derivative financial instruments are valued using valuation
techniques commonly used by market participants. These consist of
discounted cash flow and options pricing models, which typically
incorporate observable market data, principally interest rates,
basis spreads, foreign exchange rates, equity prices and
counterparty credit.
Specific valuation techniques used
to value Level 3 financial assets and liabilities
include:
· The
use of unobservable inputs, such as expected rental values and
equivalent yields; and
· Other techniques, such as discounted cash flow and historic
lapse rates, are used to determine fair value for the remaining
financial instruments.
There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the
period.
Transfers into and out of Level 3
portfolios
Transfers out of Level 3
portfolios arise when inputs that could have a significant impact
on the instrument's valuation become market observable; conversely,
transfers into the portfolios arise when consistent sources of data
cease to be available.
Transfers in of certain equities
and investments in CIS occur when asset valuations can no longer be
obtained from an observable market price i.e. become illiquid, in
liquidation, suspended etc. The converse is true if an observable
market price becomes available.
Transfers into Level 3 during the
period total £4.0 million (30 June 2023: £3.9 million, 31 December
2023: £4.0 million) and were transferred from Level 1 to Level 3
due to asset valuations no longer being obtained from an observable
market price. The transfers out of Level 3 during the period
total £2.0 million (30 June 2023: £nil, 31 December 2023: £nil) and
were transferred from Level 3 to Level 1 due to assets being
actively priced.
-76-
The following table presents the
changes in Level 3 financial assets and liabilities at fair value
through the profit and loss:
Six months ended 30 June
2024
|
Investment
property
|
Fixed
income
securities
|
Equities
|
Investment
in
CIS
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Opening balance
|
1,110.3
|
346.5
|
1,627.0
|
7.4
|
|
Transfer into Level 3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4.6
|
|
Transfer out of Level 3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(2.0)
|
|
Additions during the
period
|
9.2
|
9.9
|
9.5
|
-
|
|
Disposals during the
period
|
(57.2)
|
(223.7)
|
(503.4)
|
(0.3)
|
|
(Losses)/gains recognised in the
Income statement
|
(22.8)
|
3.0
|
7.9
|
0.1
|
|
Closing balance
|
1,039.5
|
135.7
|
1,141.0
|
9.8
|
Realised (losses)/gains
|
(81.1)
|
2.2
|
133.4
|
-
|
Unrealised gains/(losses)
|
58.3
|
0.8
|
(125.5)
|
0.1
|
|
(Losses)/gains recognised in the
income statement
|
(22.8)
|
3.0
|
7.9
|
0.1
|
Six months ended 30 June
2023
|
Investment
property
|
Fixed
income
securities
|
Equities
|
Investment
in
CIS
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
Opening balance
|
1,294.5
|
366.4
|
1,592.0
|
3.9
|
|
Transfer into Level 3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3.9
|
|
Transfer out of Level 3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Additions during the
period
|
4.8
|
11.5
|
146.6
|
-
|
|
Disposals during the
period
|
(112.6)
|
(37.0)
|
(127.9)
|
(0.1)
|
|
Gains/(losses) recognised in the
Income statement
|
5.2
|
(22.5)
|
(28.2)
|
-
|
|
Closing balance
|
1,191.9
|
318.4
|
1,582.5
|
7.7
|
Realised (losses)/gains
|
(22.0)
|
1.3
|
5.1
|
-
|
Unrealised gains/(losses)
|
27.2
|
(23.8)
|
(33.3)
|
-
|
|
Gains/(losses) recognised in the
Income statement
|
5.2
|
(22.5)
|
(28.2)
|
-
|
-77-
Year ended 31 December
2023
|
Investment
property
|
Fixed
income
securities
|
Equities
|
Investment
in
CIS
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Opening balance
|
1,294.5
|
366.4
|
1,592.0
|
3.9
|
Transfer into Level 3
|
-
|
26.7
|
-
|
4.0
|
Additions during the year
|
10.1
|
25.9
|
227.1
|
-
|
Disposals during the year
|
(149.4)
|
(58.2)
|
(225.0)
|
(0.4)
|
(Losses)/gains recognised in the
Income statement
|
(44.9)
|
(14.3)
|
32.9
|
(0.1)
|
Closing balance
|
1,110.3
|
346.5
|
1,627.0
|
7.4
|
Realised (losses)/gains
|
(39.0)
|
7.4
|
(4.4)
|
-
|
Unrealised (losses)/gains
|
(5.9)
|
(21.7)
|
37.3
|
(0.1)
|
(Losses)/gains recognised in the
income statement
|
(44.9)
|
(14.3)
|
32.9
|
(0.1)
|
Realised (losses)/gains and
unrealised (losses)/gains for all Level 3 assets are recognised
within investment return in the IFRS Condensed Consolidated
Statement of Comprehensive Income.
Level 3 valuations
Investment property
At 30 June 2024 the Group held
£1,039.5 million (30 June 2023: £1,191.9 million, 31 December 2023:
£1,110.3 million) of investment property, all of which is
classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. It is initially
measured at cost including related acquisition costs and
subsequently valued monthly by professional external valuers at the
properties' respective fair values. The fair values derived are
based on anticipated market values for the properties in accordance
with the guidance issued by the Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors, being the estimated amount that would be received from a
sale of the assets in an orderly transaction between market
participants. The valuation of investment property is inherently
subjective as it requires, among other factors, assumptions to be
made regarding the ability of existing tenants to meet their rental
obligations over the entire life of their leases, the estimation of
the expected rental income into the future, an assessment of a
property's potential to remain as an attractive technical
configuration to existing and prospective tenants in a changing
market and a judgement on the attractiveness of a building, its
location and the surrounding environment.
-78-
|
Investment property classification
|
Office
|
Industrial
|
Retail
and
leisure
|
All
|
30 June 2024
|
|
|
|
|
Gross ERV (per sq
ft)1
|
|
|
|
|
Range
|
£29.50 -
£110.00
|
£5.25 -
£24.00
|
£1.86 -
£80.00
|
£1.86 -
£110.00
|
Weighted average
|
£49.54
|
£10.44
|
£12.35
|
£14.59
|
True equivalent yield
|
|
|
|
|
Range
|
4.7% -
10.3%
|
5.0% -
6.8%
|
6.2% -
9.6%
|
4.7% -
10.3%
|
Weighted average
|
6.6%
|
5.6%
|
7.6%
|
6.5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
30 June 2023
|
|
|
|
|
Gross ERV (per sq
ft)1
|
|
|
|
|
Range
|
£14.00 -
£107.50
|
£5.00 -
£24.00
|
£2.50 -
£91.80
|
£2.50 -
£107.50
|
Weighted average
|
£43.86
|
£13.21
|
£13.38
|
£16.78
|
True equivalent yield
|
|
|
|
|
Range
|
4.3% -
9.7%
|
5.1% -
6.7%
|
5.7% -
10.5%
|
4.3% -
10.5%
|
Weighted average
|
6.4%
|
5.4%
|
7.3%
|
6.3%
|
|
|
|
|
|
31 December 2023
|
|
|
|
|
Gross ERV (per sq
ft)1
|
|
|
|
|
Range
|
£29.50 -
£110.00
|
£5.25 -
£24.00
|
£2.50 -
£97.54
|
£2.50 -
£110.00
|
Weighted average
|
£49.58
|
£13.74
|
£13.53
|
£16.89
|
True equivalent yield
|
|
|
|
|
Range
|
4.7% -
10.3%
|
5.0% -
6.8%
|
6.2% -
13.9%
|
4.7% -
13.9%
|
Weighted average
|
7.0%
|
5.6%
|
7.8%
|
6.7%
|
1. Equivalent
rental value (per square foot).
Fixed income securities and equities
At 30 June 2024 the Group held
£135.7 million (30 June 2023: £318.4 million, 31 December 2023:
£346.5 million) in private credit investments, and £1,138.8 million
(30 June 2023: £1,581.0 million, 31 December 2023: £1,628.3
million) in private market investments through the St. James's
Place Diversified Assets (FAIF) Unit Trust. These are recognised within fixed income securities and
equities, respectively, in the IFRS Condensed Consolidated
Statement of Financial Position. They are initially measured at
cost and are subsequently remeasured to fair value following a
monthly valuation process which includes verification by suitably
qualified professional external valuers, who are members of various
industry bodies including the British Private Equity and Venture
Capital Association.
The fair values of the private
credit investments are principally determined using two valuation
methods:
1. The
shadow rating method, which assigns a shadow credit rating to the
debt issuing entity and determines an expected yield with reference
to observable yields for comparable companies with public credit
rating in the loan market; and
2. The
weighted average cost of capital (WACC) method, which determines
the debt issuing entity's WACC with reference to observable market
comparatives.
-79-
The expected yield and WACC are
used as the discount rates to calculate the present value of the
expected future cash flows under the shadow rating and WACC methods
respectively, which is taken to be the fair value.
The fair values of the private
equity investments are principally determined using two valuation
methods:
1. A
market approach with reference to suitable market comparatives;
and
2. An
income approach using discounted cash flow analysis which assesses
the fair value of each asset based on its expected future cash
flows.
The output of each method for both
the private credit and private equity investments is a range of
values, from which the mid-point is selected to be the fair value
in the majority of cases. The mid-point would not be selected if
further information is known about an investment which cannot be
factored into the valuation method used. A weighting is assigned to
the values determined following each method to determine the final
valuation.
The valuations are inherently
subjective as they require a number of assumptions to be made, such
as determining which entities provide suitable market comparatives
and their relevant performance metrics (for example earnings before
interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), determining
appropriate discount rates and cash flow forecasts to use in
models, the weighting to apply to each valuation methodologies and
the point in the range of valuations to select as the fair
value.
Sensitivity of Level 3
valuations
Investment in Collective Investment Schemes
The valuation of certain
investments in CIS are based on the latest observable price
available. Whilst such valuations are sensitive to estimates, it is
believed that changing the price applied to a reasonably possible
alternative would not change the fair value
significantly.
Investment property
As set out above, investment
property is initially measured at cost including related
acquisition costs and subsequently valued monthly by professional
external valuers at their respective fair values. The following
table sets out the effect of applying reasonably possible
alternative assumptions, being a 5% movement in estimated rental
value and a 25bps movement in the relative yield, to the valuation
of the investment properties. Any change in the value of investment
property is matched by the associated movement in the policyholder
liability, and therefore would not impact on the shareholder net
assets.
|
Investment property significant
unobservable inputs
|
|
Effect
of reasonable possible alternative assumptions
|
Carrying
value
|
Favourable
changes
|
Unfavourable
changes
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
30 June 2024
|
Expected rental value / Relative
yield
|
1,039.5
|
1,130.9
|
954.6
|
30 June 2023
|
Expected rental value / Relative
yield
|
1,191.9
|
1,311.0
|
1,103.8
|
31 December 2023
|
Expected rental value / Relative
yield
|
1,110.3
|
1,207.5
|
1,021.0
|
-80-
Fixed income securities and equities
As set out above, the fair values
of the Level 3 fixed income securities and equities are selected
from the valuation range determined through the monthly valuation
process. The following table sets out the effect of valuing each of
the assets at the high and low point of the range. As for
investment property, any change in the value of these fixed income
securities or equities is matched by an associated movement in the
policyholder liability, and therefore would not impact on the
shareholder net assets.
|
|
Effect
of reasonable possible alternative assumptions
|
|
Carrying
value
|
Favourable
changes
|
Unfavourable
changes
|
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
|
30 June 2024
|
Fixed income securities
|
135.7
|
139.9
|
131.5
|
|
|
Equities
|
1,141.0
|
1,298.3
|
1,049.4
|
|
|
30 June 2023
|
Fixed income
securities1
|
318.4
|
324.2
|
312.4
|
|
Equities
|
1,582.5
|
1,779.2
|
1,402.6
|
|
31 December 2023
|
Fixed income securities
|
346.5
|
351.9
|
340.7
|
|
|
|
Equities
|
1,627.0
|
1,813.0
|
1,449.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
1 Fixed income securities favourable and unfavourable changes
have been restated to correct an error. Favourable changes
increased £27.0 million and unfavourable changes increased £25.9
million.
-81-
14. Cash generated from
operations
|
Six months
ended
30
June
2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June
20231
|
Year ended
31 December
20231
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Cash flows from operating
activities
|
|
|
|
Profit before tax for the
period
|
577.0
|
385.0
|
439.6
|
Adjustments for:
|
|
|
|
Amortisation of purchased value of
in-force business
|
1.6
|
1.6
|
3.2
|
Amortisation of computer
software
|
9.8
|
7.3
|
15.4
|
Depreciation
|
11.7
|
11.3
|
24.0
|
Loss on disposal of computer
software
|
-
|
-
|
0.8
|
Loss on disposal of property and
equipment, including leased assets
|
1.2
|
0.5
|
2.3
|
Gain on disposal of
subsidiary
|
-
|
-
|
(1.2)
|
Equity-settled share-based payment
charge
|
2.1
|
9.9
|
4.9
|
Interest
income1
|
(113.3)
|
(76.2)
|
(168.6)
|
Interest expense
|
16.2
|
7.0
|
17.3
|
Increase in provisions
|
8.0
|
9.5
|
454.1
|
Exchange rate losses
|
0.3
|
0.4
|
2.3
|
|
(62.4)
|
(28.7)
|
354.5
|
Changes in operating assets and
liabilities
|
|
|
|
Decrease in deferred acquisition
costs
|
9.4
|
15.2
|
32.2
|
Decrease in investment
property
|
70.8
|
102.6
|
184.2
|
Increase in other
investments
|
(14,400.6)
|
(9,664.4)
|
(21,077.2)
|
(Increase)/decrease in reinsurance
assets
|
(2.9)
|
(0.7)
|
41.6
|
Increase in other
receivables
|
(1,008.5)
|
(199.8)
|
(14.2)
|
Increase in insurance contract
liabilities
|
21.4
|
4.8
|
25.5
|
Increase in financial liabilities
(excluding borrowings)
|
10,408.2
|
7,184.2
|
15,991.8
|
Decrease in deferred
income
|
(13.6)
|
(16.8)
|
(38.9)
|
Increase in other
payables
|
1,667.2
|
479.3
|
206.2
|
Increase in net assets attributable
to unit holders
|
2,921.5
|
2,215.4
|
3,908.1
|
|
(327.1)
|
119.8
|
(740.7)
|
Cash generated from
operations
|
187.5
|
476.1
|
53.4
|
1
Restated to reclassify money market fund interest
from interest income to interest received (six months ended 30 June
2023: £28.1 million, year ended 31 December 2023: £60.6 million),
which had been misclassified.
-82-
15. Share capital, earnings per
share and dividends
Share capital
|
Number of
ordinary
shares
|
Called-up
share
capital
|
|
|
|
£'Million
|
At 1 January 2023
|
544,235,757
|
81.6
|
|
- Exercise of options
|
4,320,187
|
0.7
|
At 30 June 2023
|
548,555,944
|
82.3
|
- Exercise of options
|
48,850
|
-
|
|
At 31 December 2023
|
548,604,794
|
82.3
|
|
At 30 June 2024
|
548,604,794
|
82.3
|
|
Ordinary shares have a par value
of 15 pence per share (30 June 2023: 15 pence per share, 31
December 2023: 15 pence per share) and are fully paid.
Included in the called-up share
capital are 4,218,520 (30 June 2023: 3,684,721, 31 December 2023:
3,411,743) shares held in the Shares in trust reserve with a
nominal value of £0.6 million (30 June 2023: £0.6 million, 31
December 2023: £0.5 million). The shares are held by the SJP
Employee Benefit Trust and the St. James's Place Share
Incentive Plan Trust to satisfy certain share-based payment
schemes. The Trustees of the SJP Employee Benefit Trust retain the
right to dividends on the shares held by the Trust but have chosen
to waive their entitlement to the dividends on 1,413,848 shares at
30 June 2024 (30 June 2023: 2,062,545 shares, 31 December 2023:
1,896,985 shares). The trustees of the St. James's Place Share
Incentive Plan Trust retain the right to dividends on forfeited
shares held by the Trust but have chosen to waive their entitlement
to the dividends on 205 shares at 30 June 2024 (30 June 2023: 146
shares, 31 December 2023: 556 shares).
Share capital increases are
included within the 'exercise of options' line of the table above
where they relate to the Group's share-based payment
schemes.
-83-
Earnings per share
|
Six months
ended
30
June
2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June
2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Earnings
|
|
|
|
Profit/(loss) after tax
attributable to equity shareholders (for both basic and diluted
EPS)
|
165.1
|
161.6
|
(10.1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Million
|
Million
|
Million
|
Weighted average number of
shares
|
|
|
|
Weighted average number of ordinary
shares in issue (for basic EPS)
|
548.2
|
546.0
|
547.6
|
Adjustments for outstanding share
options
|
4.7
|
2.1
|
8.8
|
Weighted average number of ordinary
shares (for diluted EPS)
|
552.9
|
548.1
|
556.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pence
|
Pence
|
Pence
|
Earnings per share (EPS)
|
|
|
|
Basic earnings per share
|
30.1
|
29.6
|
(1.8)
|
Diluted earnings per
share
|
29.9
|
29.5
|
(1.8)
|
Dividends
The following dividends have been
paid by the Group:
|
Six months
ended
30
June 2024
|
Six months
ended
30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December
2023
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
£'Million
|
Final dividend in respect of 2022 -
37.19 pence per ordinary share
|
-
|
203.1
|
203.1
|
Interim dividend in respect of 2023
- 15.83 pence per ordinary share
|
-
|
-
|
86.5
|
Final dividend in respect of 2023 -
8.0 pence per ordinary share
|
43.8
|
-
|
-
|
Total dividends
|
43.8
|
203.1
|
289.6
|
The Directors have resolved to pay
an interim dividend of 6.00 pence per share (30 June 2023: 15.83
pence per share). This amounts to £32.9 million (30 June 2023:
£86.5 million) and will be paid on 20 September 2024 to
shareholders on the register as
at 23 August 2024.
In addition, the Directors have
resolved to undertake a share buyback programme committing to
purchase shares up to a maximum value of £32.9 million. The share
buyback will be implemented in the third quarter of
2024.
-84-
16. Events after the end of the
reporting period
On 22 July 2024 £22.1 million
Business loans to Partners directly funded by the Group were sold
into Securitised business loans to Partners, with an associated
£16.3 million receipt of cash and corresponding increase in Senior
tranche of non-recourse securitisation loan notes. In addition, on
the same date, £9.9 million of Business loans to Partners directly
funded by the Group were repaid and refinanced by loans provided by
third parties directly to Partners.
17. Statutory accounts
The financial information shown in
this publication is unaudited and does not constitute statutory
accounts. The comparative figures for the financial year ended 31
December 2023 are not the Company's statutory accounts for the
financial year. Those accounts have been reported on by the
Company's auditors and delivered to the Registrar of
Companies.
The report of the auditors was
unmodified and did not include a reference to any matter to which
the auditors drew attention to, by way of emphasis without
modifying their report, and did not contain a statement under
section 498 of the Companies Act 2006.
18. Approval of the Half-Year
Report
These Condensed Consolidated
Half-Year Financial Statements were approved by the Board of
Directors on 29 July 2024.
19. National storage
mechanism
A copy of the Half-Year Report
will be submitted shortly to the National Storage Mechanism (NSM)
and will be available for inspection at the NSM, which is situated
at:
https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism.
-85-
Independent review report to St.
James's Place plc
Report on the condensed
consolidated interim Financial Statements
Our conclusion
We have reviewed St. James's Place
plc's condensed consolidated interim financial statements (the
"interim financial statements") in the Press Release and Half-Year
Report and Accounts of St. James's Place plc for the six-month
period ended 30 June 2024 (the "period").
Based on our review, nothing has
come to our attention that causes us to believe that the interim
financial statements are not prepared, in all material respects, in
accordance with UK adopted International Accounting Standard 34,
'Interim Financial Reporting' and the Disclosure Guidance and
Transparency Rules sourcebook of the United Kingdom's Financial
Conduct Authority.
The interim financial statements
comprise:
·
the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial
Position as at 30 June 2024;
·
the Condensed Consolidated Statement of
Comprehensive Income for the period then ended;
·
the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash
Flows for the period then ended;
·
the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Changes
in Equity for the period then ended; and
·
the explanatory notes to the interim financial
statements.
The interim financial statements
included in the Press Release and Half-Year Report and Accounts of
St. James's Place plc have been prepared in accordance with UK
adopted International Accounting Standard 34, 'Interim Financial
Reporting' and the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules
sourcebook of the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct
Authority.
Basis for conclusion
We conducted our review in
accordance with International Standard on Review Engagements (UK)
2410, 'Review of Interim Financial Information Performed by the
Independent Auditor of the Entity' issued by the Financial
Reporting Council for use in the United Kingdom ("ISRE (UK) 2410").
A review of interim financial information consists of making
enquiries, primarily of persons responsible for financial and
accounting matters, and applying analytical and other review
procedures.
A review is substantially
less in scope than an audit conducted in
accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) and,
consequently, does not enable us to obtain assurance that we would
become aware of all significant matters that might be identified in
an audit. Accordingly, we do not express an audit
opinion.
We have read the other information
contained in the Press Release and Half-Year Report and Accounts
and considered whether it contains any apparent misstatements or
material inconsistencies with the information in the
interim financial statements.
Conclusions relating to going
concern
Based on our review procedures,
which are less extensive than those performed in an audit as
described in the Basis for conclusion section of this report,
nothing has come to our attention to suggest that the directors
have inappropriately adopted the going concern basis of accounting
or that the directors have identified material uncertainties
relating to going concern that are not appropriately disclosed.
This conclusion is based on the review procedures performed in
accordance with ISRE (UK) 2410. However, future events or
conditions may cause the group to cease to continue as a going
concern.
-86-
Responsibilities for the interim
financial statements and the review
Our responsibilities and those of
the directors
The Press Release and Half-Year
Report and Accounts, including the interim financial statements, is
the responsibility of, and has been approved by the directors. The
directors are responsible for preparing the Press Release and
Half-Year Report and Accounts in accordance with the Disclosure
Guidance and Transparency Rules sourcebook of the United Kingdom's
Financial Conduct Authority. In preparing the Press Release and
Half-Year Report and Accounts, including the interim financial
statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the Group's
ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable,
matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis
of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the
group or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but
to do so.
Our responsibility is to express a
conclusion on the interim financial statements in the Press Release
and Half-Year Report and Accounts based on our review. Our
conclusion, including our Conclusions relating to going concern, is
based on procedures that are less extensive than audit procedures,
as described in the Basis for conclusion paragraph of this report.
This report, including the conclusion, has been prepared for and
only for the Company for the purpose of complying with the
Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules sourcebook of the United
Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority and for no other purpose. We
do not, in giving this conclusion, accept or assume responsibility
for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is
shown or into whose hands it may come, save where expressly agreed
by our prior consent in writing.
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP
Chartered Accountants
Bristol
29 July 2024
-87-
Responsibility Statement of the
Directors in respect of the Half-Year Financial Report
The Directors confirm that this
consolidated interim financial information has been prepared in
accordance with IAS 34 as adopted by the UK and that the interim
management report includes a fair review of the information
required by DTR 4.2.7R and DTR 4.2.8R, namely:
· an
indication of important events that have occurred during the first
six months of the financial year and their impact on the condensed
set of Consolidated Financial Statements, and a description of the
principal risks and uncertainties for the remaining six months of
the financial year; and
· material related-party transactions in the first six months
and any material changes in the related party transactions
described in the last Annual Report.
The Directors of St. James's Place
plc are listed in the St. James's Place plc Annual Report for 31
December 2023. A list of current Directors is maintained on the St.
James's Place plc website: www.sjp.co.uk.
The Directors are responsible for
the maintenance and integrity of the Group's website. Legislation
in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination
of Financial Statements may differ from legislation in other
jurisdictions.
On behalf of the Board:
Mark
FitzPatrick, Chief Executive
Officer
|
Craig Gentle, Chief Financial Officer
|
29 July
2024
|
29 July
2024
|
-88-