KCG announces First Quarter 2016 Results 

KCG ANNOUNCES CONSOLIDATED EARNINGS OF $0.41 PER DILUTED SHARE FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2016

KCG reports consolidated revenues of $345.4 million
and pre-tax earnings of $60.0 million for the quarter

KCG increases book value to $16.42 per share and
tangible book value to $15.30 per share

KCG’s Board of Directors authorizes expanded share repurchase program
of up to $200 million of KCG common stock and warrants

KCG Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: KCG) today reported consolidated earnings of $37.2 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2016. Included in these results is $9.5 million of other income primarily related to sales of certain assets and gains on repurchases of the company’s debt.

* Effective January 1, 2016, KCG will no longer adjust GAAP results for writedowns, investment gains and losses and similar items. See Exhibit 4 for a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results for pre-2016 periods.

First Quarter Highlights

• KCG U.S. equity market making grew revenues 22 percent year over year
• KCG Institutional Equities grew average daily U.S. equity share volume 17 percent year over year
• KCG BondPoint set a new quarterly record for average daily fixed income par value traded with growth of 32 percent year over year
• KCG announced an agreement to sell its NYSE Designated Market Maker (DMM) and completed the sales of assets related to retail U.S. options market making
• KCG repurchased 1.8 million shares of KCG Class A Common Stock for $20.5 million, $1.0 million in warrants and $35.0 million par value of its 6.875 percent Senior Secured Notes for $31.2 million

Daniel Coleman, Chief Executive Officer of KCG, said, “KCG generated strong financial results in the first quarter of 2016 as a result of  the market conditions in U.S. equities, increased penetration of strategic clients and the performance of KCG’s trading models. KCG U.S. equity market making posted strong revenues from client and exchange-based activities. We took further action to streamline and simplify KCG by exiting certain businesses following a strategic review. In addition, we utilized free cash to repurchase shares, warrants and debt as opportunities arose. Subsequent to the first quarter, we monetized a portion of our stake in Bats Global Markets, which added to free cash available for deployment.”

Market Making
The Market Making segment encompasses direct-to-client and non-client, exchange-based market making across multiple asset classes and is an active participant in all major cash, options and futures markets in the U.S., Europe and Asia. During the first quarter of 2016, the segment generated total revenues of $258.9 million and pre-tax income of $75.5 million. Included in first quarter revenues is a $2.9 million gain from the sale of assets related to retail U.S. options market making.

In the first quarter of 2016, the market selloff to start the year contributed to a 7 percent rise in consolidated U.S. equity dollar volume, a widening of spreads and higher realized volatility for the S&P 500 year-over-year. In addition, the market produced seasonally strong retail trading activity and a 31 percent increase in U.S. equity futures contracts. Outside of U.S. equities, results were affected by the rise in market volumes of U.S. Treasuries and Asian equities year-over-year, offset in part by the declines in market volumes of European equities and foreign exchange as well as the continued deterioration in prices of commodities. For the quarter, revenues for the Market Making segment rose 15.3 percent year over year.

Mr. Coleman commented, “Despite the difficulties presented by the market selloff in the first half of January and heightened competition for retail order flow, market making in U.S. equities generated a substantial contribution to KCG’s first quarter results. We continued to focus on strategic clients as well as develop the pipeline of new strategies and enhance currently deployed models. The results from global equities and FICC rebounded from the previous quarter. KCG Acknowledge FI more than doubled client market making volume in U.S. Treasuries year over year. In Asia, trading during the quarter was led by Japan and Singapore.”

In the fourth quarter of 2015, the segment generated total revenues of $168.2 million and a pre-tax loss of $5.1 million. Excluding charges related to asset writedowns of $14.2 million, the segment generated non-GAAP pre-tax income of $9.1 million.

During the first quarter of 2015, the segment generated total revenues of $224.5 million and pre-tax income of $39.3 million.

Select Trade Statistics: U.S. Equity Market Making

Global Execution Services
The Global Execution Services segment comprises agency execution services and trading venues. During the first quarter of 2016, the segment generated total revenues of $76.4 million and pre-tax income of $6.3 million.

In the first quarter of 2016, institutional trading activity drove the heightened U.S. equity market volumes and volatility to start the year. The deleveraging in January shifted to rebalancing which prolonged the high levels of trading through February. KCG Institutional Equities grew volumes of U.S. equities year over year from algorithmic trading and high touch sales trading in single stocks, ETFs and programs. KCG BondPoint set a new quarterly record for fixed income par value traded, which was attributable to market share gains compounded by increased market volumes of corporate and municipal bonds. The decline in revenues for the Global Execution Services segment year over year is attributable to the sale of KCG Hotspot, which was completed on March 13, 2015.

Mr. Coleman commented, “During the first quarter, KCG Algorithmic Trading grew U.S. equity share volume from the 25 largest U.S. asset managers 67 percent year over year. KCG’s ETF trading team posted strong results from facilitating standard orders, risk markets for blocks, NAV-based executions, and creations and redemptions. In addition, KCG BondPoint grew trade volumes from a combination of new and existing retail broker clients.”

In the fourth quarter of 2015, the segment generated total revenues of $70.2 million and a pre-tax loss of $1.1 million. Excluding a writedown of goodwill of $0.9 million, the segment generated a non-GAAP pre-tax loss of $0.2 million.

In the first quarter of 2015, excluding the gain of $385.0 million on the sale of KCG Hotspot and related professional and compensation expenses totaling $11.2 million, the segment generated non-GAAP total revenues of $79.2 million and pre-tax income of $7.2 million.

Select Trade Statistics: Agency Execution and Trading Venues

1. KCG Institutional Equities average daily U.S. National Market System (NMS) equity share volume represents trading on behalf of clients covering algorithmic trading and high touch sales trading in single stocks, ETFs and programs. In 2016, KCG modified the reporting of trading volumes within the Global Execution Services segment to remove internal volume generated by KCG trading desks and add volume from sales trading. Prior periods have been recast for this new presentation.

Corporate and Other
The Corporate and Other segment includes strategic investments and corporate overhead expenses. During the first quarter of 2016, the segment generated total revenues of $10.1 million and a pre-tax loss of $21.8 million. Included in first quarter revenues are a $3.7 million gain from KCG’s repurchase of a portion of its 6.875 percent Senior Secured Notes and a $2.8 million net gain primarily tied to a distribution from an investment.

In the fourth quarter of 2015, the segment generated total revenues of $25.6 million and pre-tax income of $1.8 million. Excluding gains on sales and writedowns of investments of $19.8 million and $3.2 million, respectively and a $1.0 million writedown of an intangible asset, the segment generated a non-GAAP pre-tax loss of $13.7 million.

In the first quarter of 2015, the segment generated total revenues of $7.3 million and a pre-tax loss of $14.3 million.

Financial Condition
As of March 31, 2016, KCG had $647.1 million in cash and cash equivalents. Total outstanding debt was $451.9 million. KCG had $1.48 billion in stockholders’ equity, equivalent to a book value of $16.42 per share and tangible book value, which includes the value of its assets of businesses held for sale, of $15.30 per share based on total shares outstanding of 90.4 million, including restricted stock units.

During the first quarter of 2016, KCG repurchased 1.8 million shares for approximately $20.5 million, $1.0 million in warrants and $35.0 million par value of its 6.875 percent Senior Secured Notes for $31.2 million.

KCG’s headcount was 972 full-time employees at March 31, 2016, compared to 1,006 at December 31, 2015.

Subsequent Events
On April 15, 2016, shares of Bats Global Markets, Inc. common stock began trading on the BATS BZX Exchange under ticker symbol BATS. As part of the initial public offering, KCG sold 2.6 million shares for approximately $46 million after commissions and will recognize a pre-tax gain of approximately $33 million in the second quarter of 2016 on this sale. Following the offering, KCG’s ownership stake in Bats was reduced to approximately 13.7 percent.

On April 20, 2016, KCG’s Board of Directors authorized an expanded share repurchase program of up to $200 million of KCG common stock and warrants (including the remaining capacity under the previously authorized repurchase program), subject to compliance with the covenants contained in the company’s debt indenture. Under the program, the company may repurchase shares of common stock or warrants from time to time in open market transactions, accelerated stock buyback programs, tender offers, privately-negotiated transactions or by other means. Repurchases of shares may also be made under a Rule 10b5-1 plan. The timing and amount of repurchase transactions will be based on market conditions, share price, legal requirements and other factors. The program has no expiration date and may be suspended, modified or discontinued at any time without prior notice. There are no assurances that any repurchases of shares of common stock or warrants may actually occur.

Conference Call
KCG will hold a conference call to discuss first quarter 2016 financial results starting at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time today, April 21, 2016. To access the call, dial 800-344-6698 (domestic) or 785-830-7979 (international) and enter passcode 5948540. In addition, the call will be webcast at http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/kbqkwypj. Following the conclusion of the call, a replay will be available by selecting a number based on country of origin from a list posted at:https://replaynumbers.conferencinghub.com/index.aspx?confid=5948540&passcode=5948540  and entering passcode 5948540.

Additional information for investors, including a presentation of the first quarter financial results, can be found at http://investors.kcg.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Presentations
KCG believes that certain non-GAAP financial presentations, when taken into consideration with the corresponding GAAP financial presentations, are important in understanding operating results. Selected financial information is included in the non-GAAP financial presentations for the three months ended December 31, 2015 and March 31, 2015. KCG believes the presentations provide a meaningful summary of revenues and results of operations for each of the three month periods. Reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP results are included in the schedules in Exhibit 4.

Source: KCG