Knight Capital Group Announces Consolidated Earnings of $0.58 per Diluted Share for the Second Quarter 2010

JERSEY CITY, N.J., July 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Knight Capital Group, Inc. (NYSE Euronext: KCG) today reported consolidated earnings of $54.4 million, or $0.58 per diluted share.

For the second quarter of 2009, the company reported earnings from continuing operations of $48.0 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, and a loss from discontinued operations, net of tax, of $12.5 million, or $0.13 loss per diluted share. On a consolidated basis, the company reported earnings of $35.5 million, or $0.39 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2009.

Revenues from continuing operations for the second quarter of 2010 were $366.3 million, compared to $313.9 million from continuing operations for the second quarter of 2009.

"Knight's strong results in the second quarter of 2010 were aided by an upturn in volatility following five straight quarters of declines," said Thomas M. Joyce, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Knight Capital Group. "Consolidated revenues increased 17 percent, compared to the second quarter of 2009, driven by market conditions, electronic market-making and diversification across products and services. In capital markets, Knight announced a marketing alliance with investment bank Houlihan Lokey to provide best-in-class advice and distribution to public and private companies. We made further progress in expanding Knight's research offering across equities and fixed income. In addition, on May 25th, Knight transferred its listing to the NYSE and simultaneously cross-listed on NYSE Euronext."

"Continuing operations" includes the company's Equities, FICC and Corporate operating segments. Equities includes all global equities market-making and institutional sales and trading, such as Knight Direct and Knight Link. FICC includes all global trade execution services in fixed income, foreign exchange and commodities, such as fixed income sales, trading and research, Knight BondPoint and Hotspot FX. Corporate includes strategic investments primarily in financial services-related ventures, corporate overhead expenses and all other expenses that are not attributable to the Equities and FICC segments. "Discontinued operations" primarily comprises the company's former Asset Management segment, which closed the sale of substantially all of its assets and was replaced as the investment adviser for the Deephaven funds on March 31, 2009.

Equities

During the second quarter of 2010, the Equities segment generated total revenues of $305.0 million and pre-tax income of $111.3 million. In the second quarter of 2009, Equities reported total revenues of $243.9 million and pre-tax income of $67.3 million. Equities had pre-tax margins of 36% in the second quarter of 2010, compared to pre-tax margins of 28% in the second quarter of 2009.

"In Equities, Knight grew second quarter revenues as heightened volatility in May propelled broad U.S. equity market volumes to the highest monthly total in more than two years," said Mr. Joyce. "During periods of intense trading activity, Knight continued to play a critical role in adding liquidity to the U.S. equity markets. The combination of advanced electronic trading with traditional sales and trading allowed Knight to garner a sizeable share of Listed and NASDAQ order flow. In the second quarter, on a year-over-year basis, we increased average daily U.S. equity dollar volume, trade volume and share volume. In addition, our algorithmic principal trading models performed particularly well because of the intraday volatility."

FICC

During the second quarter of 2010, the FICC segment generated total revenues of $60.4 million and pre-tax income of $0.9 million. In the second quarter of 2009, FICC reported total revenues of $66.1 million and pre-tax income of $14.8 million. FICC had pre-tax margins of 1% in the second quarter of 2010, compared to pre-tax margins of 22% in the second quarter of 2009.

"In FICC, Knight continued to invest in expanding the firm's multi-asset class platform," said Mr. Joyce. "Results were impacted by a broad market decline in volumes of investment grade, high yield and convertibles, and higher compensation costs in institutional fixed income for hiring and retention. On July 1, 2010, we closed the acquisition of Urban Financial Group which will strengthen Knight's ABS/MBS capabilities by establishing a captive pipeline of HMBS for institutional clients. We added to the retail fixed income offering with the introduction of a new team to provide financial advisors with access to fixed income trading and research. In foreign exchange, we turned in another record quarter in terms of average daily notional value traded as a result of new client growth and continued currency volatility."

Corporate

In the second quarter of 2010, the Corporate segment reported a pre-tax loss of $21.0 million, compared to a pre-tax loss of $1.2 million in the second quarter of 2009. During the second quarter of 2009, Knight recorded a pre-tax benefit of $13.1 million related to an adjustment of a previously recognized lease loss with respect to the company's headquarters in Jersey City, New Jersey. Excluding the $13.1 million lease loss benefit during the second quarter of 2009, the pre-tax loss from the Corporate segment was $14.3 million.

In March 2010, the company issued $375 million in Cash Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes, which mature in five years and carry a 3.5 percent coupon and an effective interest rate of approximately 7.9 percent. For the second quarter of 2010, the company recorded interest expense of $6.4 million related to the debt.

"During the second quarter of 2010, Knight's results reflect market conditions and investments made to enhance and expand our businesses," said Mr. Joyce. "Knight possesses considerable intellectual capital which drives innovative new models, products and services. We have several ongoing initiatives to realize future growth across asset classes and geographies."

Headcount at June 30, 2010 was 1,207 full-time employees, as compared to 1,046 full-time employees at June 30, 2009. With the close of the acquisition of Urban Financial Group on July 1, 2010, the company added 109 employees.

As of June 30, 2010, the company had $422.7 million in cash and cash equivalents. The company had $1.3 billion in stockholders' equity as of June 30, 2010, equivalent to a book value of $13.96 per diluted share. The company had a book value of $11.97 per diluted share as of June 30, 2009.

During the second quarter of 2010, the company repurchased 900,000 shares for approximately $13.1 million under the company's $1.0 billion stock repurchase program. To date, the company has repurchased 69.7 million shares for $791.2 million. The company has approximately $208.8 million of availability to repurchase shares under the program. The company cautions that there are no assurances that any further repurchases may actually occur.

Discontinued operations

In the second quarter of 2010, the company reported a loss from discontinued operations of $44,000, net of tax, compared to a loss of $12.5 million, net of tax in the second quarter of 2009. These losses primarily relate to the wind-down of the Asset Management segment which was designated a discontinued operation for financial reporting purposes as of the close of business on March 31, 2009.

Copies of this earnings release and other company information can be obtained on Knight's website, http://www.knight.com. The company will conduct its second quarter 2010 earnings conference call for analysts, investors and the media at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) today, July 21, 2010. To access Knight's earnings conference call, please dial 888-298-3451 for domestic callers or 719-325-2234 for international callers. When prompted, please enter passcode 3688845. A replay of the second quarter 2010 earnings conference call will be available by dialing 888-203-1112 for domestic callers or 719-457-0820 for international callers. When prompted, please enter passcode 3688845. The conference call will be webcast live at 9:00 a.m. ET for all investors and interested parties on Knight's website. In addition, the company will release its monthly volume statistics for June 2010 on its website at http://www.knight.com/ourfirm/volumestats.asp before the start of trading today.

About Knight

Knight Capital Group, Inc. (NYSE Euronext: KCG) is a global financial services firm that provides market access and trade execution services across multiple asset classes to buy- and sell-side firms. Knight's hybrid market model features complementary electronic and voice trade execution services in global equities and fixed income as well as foreign exchange, futures and options. The firm is the leading source of liquidity in U.S. equities by share volume. Knight also offers capital markets services to corporate issuers. Knight is headquartered in Jersey City, NJ with a growing global presence across the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information, please go to www.knight.com.

Certain statements contained herein may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond our control. Accordingly, readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict including, without limitation, risks associated with changes in market structure, legislative or regulatory rule changes, the costs, integration, performance and operation of businesses recently acquired or developed organically, or that may be acquired in the future, by the Company and risks related to the costs and expenses associated with the Company's exit from the Asset Management business. Since such statements involve risks and uncertainties, the actual results and performance of the Company may turn out to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Unless otherwise required by law, the Company also disclaims any obligation to update its view of any such risks or uncertainties or to announce publicly the result of any revisions to the forward-looking statements made herein. Readers should carefully review the risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including, without limitation, those detailed under the headings "Certain Factors Affecting Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year-ended December 31, 2009, "Risk Factors" in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter-ended March 31, 2010, and in other reports or documents the Company files with, or furnishes to, the SEC from time to time. This information should also be read in conjunction with the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year-ended December 31, 2009, and in other reports or documents the Company files with, or furnishes to, the SEC from time to time.

SOURCE Knight Capital Group, Inc.