Purple Group reports 143% rise in earnings per share, highlighting retail investing success

Purple Group’s, headline earnings per share soared 143% to 4.3 cents in the year to August 31, marking a decade of execution of its mission to make investing easy, accessible, and rewarding for everyone.

Group revenue increased by 21.5% to R487 million, with profit before tax up 156% to R110m. Net asset value per share climbed 11% to 47.23 cents, the company said Wednesday.

EasyEquities, the flagship retail investing platform, increased revenue by 25% to R450m, and profit before tax more than doubled to R107m. Active clients grew 157% to 1.15 million, and client assets surged 38.6% to R80.7 billion.

“Every value driver delivered. Client behaviours compounded. And every line in our income statement evidenced our progress – proving, durably, that purpose scales profitably with discipline,” said CEO Charles Savage in a statement.

A decade ago, the investment industry dismissed retail investing as unworkable, arguing that individuals weren’t equipped to manage their own portfolios. Today EasyEquities has South African retail investors participating at scale.

Savage said the longer clients stay with the group, the more good habits stick, such as… “increased deposits, broader product adoption, smarter diversification, and the confidence that comes from lived experience.”

Over 10 years, the average client asset base had grown roughly 14 times.

EasyEquities’ cost to serve per active retail client increased by just 1%, underscoring the scalability of the platform. Retail inflows rose 48% to R11.1 billion, while outflows as a percentage of average client assets fell from 14.9% to 12%.

CFO Gary van Dyk said their growth trajectory had been steady, not speculative.

“Our numbers show a business that delivers year on year, not a flash in the pan,” he said. “We’ve built a strong foundation and continue to execute with consistency and confidence.”

Over the past three years, Purple Group’s revenue has risen by 76%, with a swing from loss to profit of more than R150m. EasyEquities’ retail efficiency ratio improved from 99% in 2023 to 58% in 2024, demonstrating the benefits of scale and cost discipline.

Looking ahead, Savage said their focus remains on deepening engagement and extending its ecosystem.

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