AJ Bell shares surge as investors give £3.3bn boost
Shares in AJ Bell have leapt ten per cent after the London-listed firm posted a strong half year performance.
The Salford-headquartered group’s assets under administration (AUA) have hit a new peak of £90.4bn, buoyed by investors injecting £3.3bn and the firm benefiting from £600m of favourable market movements.
Revenue was up 17 per cent to £153.2m in the six months to 31 March, 2025, up from £131.3m in the previous half year, while AJ Bell’s profit also grew by 12 per cent to £68.8m.
User numbers on the firm’s investment platform have swelled by nine per cent, up by 51,000 to 593,000.
The investments business line saw assets under management grow ten per cent, closing off the quarter at £7.5bn.
Michael Summersgill, AJ Bell’s chief executive, said: “We have repeatedly broken our own records for new customer applications during the recent tax year end, seamlessly adding thousands of new customers attracted to the AJ Bell brand and our simple, low-cost products.
“This performance has been driven by our low-cost, easy-to-use propositions, excellent customer service and improved brand awareness, demonstrating the benefits of our continued investment in these areas.”
AJ Bell weathers ‘significant market volatility’
AJ Bell announced that it has agreed to sell two of its pension products – its Platinum Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) and its Small Self Administered Scheme (SSAS) – to Investacc.
The firm managed to swerve the worst of the Trump tariff-fueled market chaos in April, with the platform’s assets reaching a record £96.2bn in the first quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, competitors St James’s Place and Polar Capital lost £3.3bn and £2.4bn respectively.
“In March and April there was also significant market volatility, resulting in heightened levels of customer activity,” said Summersgill.
“During this period, we continued to provide great service to our customers and advisers, illustrating the scalability and resilience of our operations.”
He said of the firm’s outlook: “Our focus remains on delivering long-term organic growth and continuing to increase our market share.”