Annual Report 2022
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Download the Close Brothers Group plc Annual Report 2022
Financial highlights for the year ended 31 July 2022
Adjusted1 operating profit
£234.8m
2021: £270.7m
Operating profit before tax
£232.8m
2021: £265.2m
Adjusted1 basic earnings per share
111.5p
2021: 140.4p
Basic earnings per share
110.4p
2021: 134.8p
Return on opening equity2
10.6%
2021: 14.5%
Profit attributable to shareholders
£165.2m
2021: £202.1m
Ordinary dividend per share3
66.0p
2021: 60.0p
1 Adjusted measures are presented on a basis consistent with prior periods and exclude amortisation of intangible assets on acquisition, to present the performance of the group’s acquired businesses consistent with its other businesses, and any exceptional and other adjusting items which do not reflect underlying trading performance.
2 Adjusted operating profit attributable to shareholders divided by opening equity, excluding non-controlling interests.
3 Represents the final dividend proposed for the respective years together with the interim dividend declared and paid in those years.
Commercial
The Commercial businesses lend principally to small and medium-sized enterprises, both through their direct sales force and via third party distribution channels. Their highly specialist sales force operates from offices throughout the UK, Ireland and Germany.
Adjusted operating profit: £91.0 million (2021: £52.8 million)
Retail
The Retail businesses provide loans to predominantly individuals and small businesses, through a network of intermediaries.
Adjusted operating profit: £61.0 million (2021: £71.9 million)
Property
The Property business specialises in short-term residential development finance through Property Finance, and also offers refurbishment and bridging loans through Commercial Acceptances.
Operating profit: £75.2 million (2021: £87.8 million)
Close Brothers Asset Management is a vertically integrated top 20 UK wealth manager, providing financial advice and investment management services to private clients in the UK. Our clients range
from mid to high net worth individuals.
Adjusted operating profit: £21.7 million (2021: £23.7 million)
The Securities division comprises Winterflood, a leading market maker for retail stockbrokers and institutions.
Operating profit: £14.1 million (2021: £60.9 million)
Chairman's Statement
Our purpose is to help the people and businesses of Britain thrive over the long term.
Our purpose is at the heart of our business and guides every decision we make. We take a long-term approach to managing our business.
Our distinctive culture and long-term approach are embedded throughout the organisation.
It combines our values of service, expertise and relationships with our ways of working: teamwork, integrity and prudence. These values ensure we continue to provide excellent service for our customers and clients over the long term, bringing out the best in our people and supporting our strong reputation.
To protect, grow and sustain our proven and resilient business model so that it continues to deliver in the long term.
Our responsibility is to help address the social, economic and environmental challenges facing our business, employees, customers and clients, now and into the future.
We see this responsibility as a core part of our business and central to our success. It encourages us to look at how we operate our business more broadly, as we focus on achieving the best outcomes for our stakeholders and making a positive impact on the society and the environment we operate in.