JP Morgan Chase reported increased assets under management and assets under custody this week in group results that beat analysts’ expectations.
Despite a fall in group profit to $6 billion in the second quarter (Q2) compared to $6.5 billion a year earlier, and a decline in revenue, the bank reported $1.46 earnings per share (EPS) – higher than the $1.26 EPS that Thomson Reuters had predicted.
Assets under management in the bank’s asset management unit were $1.7 trillion, an increase of $237 billion, or 16%, from the prior year, due to the effect of higher market levels and net inflows to long-term products. The business saw its 21st quarter of net long-term inflows.
According to Jamie Dimon, group chairman and chief executive, asset management had “excellent performance across all measures”.
Assets under custody in the bank’s investor services unit reached a record $21.7 trillion, up 14% from the prior year and 2% from the prior quarter.
Asset management and investor services, two separate business lines, increased revenues and profits while falls were seen in other business lines.
Investor services revenue was $1.1 billion, up 5% from the prior year primarily driven by higher net interest income on increased deposits.
Asset management profit was $552 million, an increase of $52 million, or 10%, from Q2 in the prior year, reflecting higher net revenue, largely offset by higher noninterest expense.
Dimon offered insight that supports a positive outlook for the US economy.
“Consumers, middle market companies and corporations are in increasingly good financial shape and the labor market is showing steady improvement.”
He said JPMorgan Chase provided credit and raised capital of over $1 trillion for clients during the first half of 2014, which included $10 billion for US small businesses.
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