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AudioCodes Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results

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OR YEHUDA, Israel, Nov. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — 

Third Quarter Highlights

Quarterly revenues decreased by 2.2% year-over-year to $60.2 million;Quarterly service revenues increased by 6.4% year-over-year to $32.5 million;GAAP results:
– Quarterly GAAP gross margin was 65.2%;
– Quarterly GAAP operating margin was 8.1%;
– Quarterly GAAP EBITDA was $5.9 million;
– Quarterly GAAP net income was $2.7 million, or $0.09 per diluted share. Non-GAAP results:
– Quarterly Non-GAAP gross margin was 65.6%;
– Quarterly Non-GAAP operating margin was 11.7%;
– Quarterly Non-GAAP EBITDA was $7.9 million;
– Quarterly Non-GAAP net income was $4.9 million, or $0.16 per diluted share.Net cash provided by operating activities was $7.9 million for the quarter.AudioCodes repurchased 332,709 of its ordinary shares during the quarter at an aggregate cost of $3.6 million.

Details

AudioCodes (NASDAQ: AUDC), a leading provider of unified communications voice, contact center and conversational AI applications and services for enterprises, today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

Revenues for the third quarter of 2024 were $60.2 million compared to $61.6 million for the third quarter of 2023.

EBITDA for the third quarter of 2024 was $5.9 million compared to $6.4 million for the third quarter of 2023.

On a Non-GAAP basis, EBITDA for the third quarter of 2024 was $7.9 million compared to $10.1 million for the third quarter of 2023.

Net income was $2.7 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2024 compared to net income of $4.3 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2023.

On a Non-GAAP basis, net income was $4.9 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2024 compared to $8.3 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2023.

Non-GAAP net income excludes: (i) share-based compensation expenses; (ii) amortization expenses related to intangible assets; (iii) expenses related to deferred payments in connection with the acquisition of Callverso Ltd; (iv) financial income (expenses) related to exchange rate differences in connection with revaluation of assets and liabilities in non-dollar denominated currencies; (v) tax impact which relates to our Non-GAAP adjustments; and (vi) in Q1 2024 non-cash lease expense which is required to be recorded during the quarter even though this is a free rent period under the lease for the Company’s new headquarters. A reconciliation of net income on a GAAP basis to a non-GAAP basis is provided in the tables that accompany the condensed consolidated financial statements contained in this press release.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $7.9 million for the third quarter of 2024. Cash and cash equivalents, short-term bank deposits, long and short-term marketable securities and long-term financial investments were $88.4 million as of September 30, 2024 compared to $106.7 million as of December 31, 2023. The decrease in cash and cash equivalents, short-term bank deposits, long and short-term marketable securities and long-term financial investments was the result of the use of cash for the continued repurchasing of the Company’s ordinary shares pursuant to its share repurchase program and the payment of a cash dividend during each of the first and third quarters of 2024 and purchase of property and equipment related to leasehold improvements of our new corporate headquarter in Israel, offset, in part, by cash from operating activities.

“I am pleased to report we have successfully executed against our strategic priorities this quarter, as we continue to make progress in our long-term goal of leading the voice services market for the UCaaS and CX markets. We continued our transformation to become a cloud software and services company with a higher proportion of recurring revenue vs. legacy perpetual revenues,” said Shabtai Adlersberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of AudioCodes.

Third quarter services revenues grew 6.4% year-over-year and accounted for 53.9% of revenues, the highest on record for us. Fueling the strength of our services revenue stream as our primary growth engines were Live managed services (consisting of Live Teams and Live CX) and conversational AI. Specifically, Live Teams business grew 21% year over year and accounted for 44% of total Microsoft business compared to 37% a year ago. On conversational AI, third quarter dollar value of contracts signed increased roughly 50% vs the year ago period.

Our success in building Live managed services and recurring revenue stream has translated to strong year-over-year ARR growth of 40%, ending 3Q at $60 million ARR, up from $48 million exiting 2023. This success is owed to the trust we have built throughout the years with partners and enterprise customers in the voice services space. There is no better proof than our long-standing multi-year partnership with AT&T in North America, leveraging our expertise in providing secure voice connectivity to help their business customers onboard to Microsoft Teams. This fruitful partnership has contributed multi-millions of annual recurring revenues over the last several years.

Speaking of conversational AI, strong operational momentum continues, driven by long-term tailwind of infusing AI into UC and CX workflows in customers’ inexorable demand to drive ongoing productivity gains.  Accordingly, we have seen significant pick-up in pipeline activities across our entire conversational AI suite, including Voca CIC, our AI first CX solution for Microsoft Teams, SaaS Recording solutions such as Meeting Insights and interaction recording, and Voice AI Connect.

Overall, we delivered on our business priorities in the quarter, with the strength in our Live recurring businesses buttressing the healthy overall pipeline for our major practices such as Microsoft business, CX and Conversational AI.  We believe this bodes well for seeing improved top-line growth performance as we head into 2025 and beyond,” concluded Mr. Adlersberg.

Share Buy Back Program and Cash Dividend

In July 2024, the Company received court approval in Israel to purchase up to an aggregate amount of $20 million of additional ordinary shares. The court approval also permits AudioCodes to declare a dividend out of any part of this amount. The approval is valid through January 1, 2025.

On July 30, 2024, the Company declared a cash dividend of 18 cents per share. The dividend, in the aggregate amount of approximately $5.4 million, was paid on August 29, 2024, to all of the Company’s shareholders of record on August 15, 2024.

During the quarter ended September 30, 2024, the Company acquired 332,709 of its ordinary shares under its share repurchase program for a total consideration of $3.6 million.

As of September 30, 2024, the Company had $11 million available under this approval for the repurchase of shares and/or declaration of cash dividends.

Conference Call & Web Cast Information

AudioCodes will conduct a conference call at 8:30 A.M., Eastern Time today to discuss the Company’s third quarter of 2024 operating performance, financial results and outlook. Interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing one the following numbers:

United States Participants: 888-506-0062

International Participants: +1 (973) 528-0011

The conference call will also be simultaneously webcast. Investors are invited to listen to the call live via webcast at the AudioCodes investor website at http://www.audiocodes.com/investors-lobby.

About AudioCodes

AudioCodes (NASDAQ, TASE: AUDC) is a leading innovator of intelligent cloud communications solutions. AudioCodes empowers enterprises and service providers to build and operate state-of-the-art voice networks, unified communications platforms, and AI-driven productivity tools. The cutting-edge portfolio includes cloud-native applications, advanced voice AI technologies, and comprehensive communication solutions tailored for the modern digital workplace. Trusted by global Fortune 500 companies and tier-1 operators worldwide, AudioCodes drives digital transformation through seamless integration, enhanced collaboration, and unparalleled communication experiences.

For more information, visit http://www.audiocodes.com.

Follow AudioCodes’ social media channels:

AudioCodes invites you to join our online community and follow us on: AudioCodes Voice Blog, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Statements concerning AudioCodes’ business outlook or future economic performance; product introductions and plans and objectives related thereto; and statements concerning assumptions made or expectations as to any future events, conditions, performance or other matters, are “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined under U.S. Federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated in such statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to: the effect of global economic conditions in general and conditions in AudioCodes’ industry and target markets in particular; shifts in supply and demand; market acceptance of new products and the demand for existing products; the impact of competitive products and pricing on AudioCodes’ and its customers’ products and markets; timely product and technology development, upgrades and the ability to manage changes in market conditions as needed; possible need for additional financing; the ability to satisfy covenants in the Company’s loan agreements; possible disruptions from acquisitions; the ability of AudioCodes to successfully integrate the products and operations of acquired companies into AudioCodes’ business; possible adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and results of operations; the effects of the current terrorist attacks by Hamas in Israel, and the war and hostilities between Israel and Hamas, and Israel and Hezbollah as well as the possibility that this could develop into a broader regional conflict involving Israel with other parties, may affect our operations and may limit our ability to produce and sell our solutions; any disruption in our operations by the obligations of our personnel to perform military service as a result of current or future military actions involving Israel; and other factors detailed in AudioCodes’ filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. AudioCodes assumes no obligation to update the information in this release.

©2024 AudioCodes Ltd. All rights reserved. AudioCodes, AC, HD VoIP, HD VoIP Sounds Better, IPmedia, Mediant, MediaPack, What’s Inside Matters, OSN, SmartTAP, User Management Pack, VMAS, VoIPerfect, VoIPerfectHD, Your Gateway To VoIP, 3GX, VocaNom, AudioCodes One Voice, AudioCodes Meeting Insights, AudioCodes Room Experience are trademarks or registered trademarks of AudioCodes Limited. All other products or trademarks are property of their respective owners. Product specifications are subject to change without notice.

Summary financial data follows

 

 

AUDIOCODES LTD. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

U.S. dollars in thousands  

September 30,

December 31,

2024

2023

(Unaudited)

(Audited)

ASSETS

CURRENT ASSETS:

Cash and cash equivalents

$ 23,522

$ 30,546

Short-term and restricted bank deposits

202

212

Short-term marketable securities

24,245

7,438

Trade receivables, net

58,081

51,125

Other receivables and prepaid expenses

12,085

9,381

Inventories

33,677

43,959

Total current assets

151,812

142,661

LONG-TERM ASSETS:

Long-term Trade receivables

$ 15,856

$ 16,798

Long-term marketable securities

37,308

65,732

Long-term financial investments

3,123

2,730

Deferred tax assets

4,577

6,208

Operating lease right-of-use assets

33,207

36,712

Severance pay funds

17,132

17,202

Total long-term assets

111,203

145,382

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

25,236

10,893

GOODWILL, INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND OTHER, NET

38,182

38,581

Total assets

$ 326,433

$ 337,517

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

Trade payables

5,479

7,556

Other payables and accrued expenses

24,066

29,943

Deferred revenues

39,390

38,820

Short-term operating lease liabilities

5,859

7,878

Total current liabilities

74,794

84,197

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:

Accrued severance pay

$ 15,893

$ 16,662

Deferred revenues and other liabilities

18,110

17,142

Long-term operating lease liabilities

30,742

31,404

Total long-term liabilities

64,745

65,208

Total shareholders’ equity

186,894

188,112

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

$ 326,433

 

$ 337,517

 

 

AUDIOCODES LTD. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

U.S. dollars in thousands, except per share data

Nine months ended

Three months ended

September 30,

September 30,

2024

2023

2024

2023

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

Revenues:

Products

$ 84,647

$ 91,299

$ 27,750

$ 31,039

Services

95,975

89,525

32,493

30,552

Total Revenues

180,622

180,824

60,243

61,591

Cost of revenues:

Products

34,123

36,568

11,380

11,347

Services

29,057

28,299

9,563

9,307

Total Cost of revenues

63,180

64,867

20,943

20,654

Gross profit

117,442

115,957

39,300

40,937

Operating expenses:

Research and development, net

39,780

43,363

12,666

13,960

Selling and marketing

52,427

52,747

17,607

17,221

General and administrative

12,146

12,657

4,155

3,977

Total operating expenses

104,353

108,767

34,428

35,158

Operating income

13,089

7,190

4,872

5,779

Financial income (expenses), net

(195)

1,688

(614)

492

Income before taxes on income

12,894

8,878

4,258

6,271

Taxes on income, net

(4,358)

(3,753)

(1,579)

(2,019)

Net income

$ 8,536

$ 5,125

$ 2,679

$ 4,252

Basic net earnings per share

$ 0.28

$ 0.16

$ 0.09

$ 0.14

Diluted net earnings per share

$ 0.28

$ 0.16

$ 0.09

$ 0.14

Weighted average number of shares used in computing basic
 net earnings per share (in thousands)

30,239

31,642

30,218

31,390

Weighted average number of shares used in computing diluted
 net earnings per share (in thousands)

30,769

31,807

30,778

31,374

 

 

AUDIOCODES LTD. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES

RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME TO NON-GAAP NET INCOME 

U.S. dollars in thousands, except per share data

Nine months ended

Three months ended

September 30,

September 30,

2024

2023

2024

2023

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

GAAP net income

$ 8,536

$ 5,125

$ 2,679

$ 4,252

GAAP net earnings per share

$ 0.28

$ 0.16

$ 0.09

$ 0.14

Cost of revenues:

Share-based compensation (1)

274

304

99

94

Amortization expenses (2)

366

379

122

122

Lease expenses (6)

304

322

322

944

1,005

221

538

Research and development, net:

Share-based compensation (1)

1,642

2,090

471

649

Deferred payments expenses (3)

375

125

Lease expenses (6)

342

362

362

1,984

2,827

471

1,136

Selling and marketing:

Share-based compensation (1)

2,255

3,380

783

1,050

Amortization expenses (2)

33

33

11

11

Deferred payments expenses (3)

375

125

Lease expenses (6)

38

40

40

2,326

3,828

794

1,226

General and administrative:

Share-based compensation (1)

2,113

3,242

679

814

Lease expenses (6)

76

80

80

2,189

3,322

679

894

Financial expenses (income):

Exchange rate differences (4)

(754)

(1,237)

55

(767)

Income taxes:

Taxes on income, net (5)

422

1,247

1,023

Non-GAAP net income

$ 15,647

$ 16,117

$ 4,899

$ 8,302

Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share

$ 0.50

$ 0.49

$ 0.16

$ 0.25

Weighted average number of shares used in computing Non-GAAP
 diluted net earnings per share (in thousands)

31,534

32,870

31,480

32,576

(1)  Share-based compensation expenses related to options and restricted share units granted to employees and others.

(2)  Amortization expenses related to intangible assets.

(3)  Expenses related to deferred payments in connection with the acquisition of Callverso Ltd.

(4)  Financial income (expenses) related to exchange rate differences in connection with revaluation of assets and liabilities in non-dollar denominated currencies.

(5)  Tax impact which relates to our non-GAAP adjustments.

(6)  In Q1 2024, non-cash lease expense which is required to be recorded during the quarter even though this is a free rent period under the lease for the Company’s new headquarters.

 

Note:  Non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, the results prepared in accordance with GAAP.  The Company believes that non-GAAP information is useful because it can enhance the understanding of its ongoing economic performance and therefore uses internally this non-GAAP information to evaluate and manage its operations.  The Company has chosen to provide this information to investors to enable them to perform comparisons of operating results in a manner similar to how the Company analyzes its operating results and because many comparable companies report this type of information. 

 

 

AUDIOCODES LTD. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

U.S. dollars in thousands

Nine months ended

Three months ended

September 30,

September 30,

2024

2023

2024

2023

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

Cash flows from operating activities:

Net income

$ 8,536

$ 5,125

$ 2,679

$ 4,252

Adjustments required to reconcile net income to net
cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization

2,788

1,972

1,004

652

Amortization of marketable securities premiums and
accretion of discounts, net

885

1,027

270

315

Decrease in accrued severance pay, net

(699)

(493)

(220)

(221)

Share-based compensation expenses

6,284

9,016

2,032

2,607

Decrease in deferred tax assets, net

826

1,164

762

996

Cash financial loss (income), net

137

(397)

(17)

(65)

Decrease in operating lease right-of-use assets

4,755

6,688

1,198

2,406

Decrease in operating lease liabilities

(3,931)

(8,411)

(496)

(4,056)

Decrease (increase) in trade receivables, net

(6,014)

4,645

(2,247)

(2,294)

Decrease (increase) in other receivables and prepaid
expenses

(2,704)

1,572

(2,939)

(339)

Decrease (increase) in inventories

10,119

(8,605)

4,172

907

Increase (decrease in trade payables

(2,077)

(4,700)

377

(482)

Increase (decrease) in other payables and accrued
expenses

(594)

(6,414)

1,011

(1,480)

Increase (decrease) in deferred revenues

1,631

3,423

266

(3,020)

Net cash provided by operating activities

19,942

5,612

7,852

178

Cash flows from investing activities:

Proceeds from short-term deposits

10

5,008

4

2

Proceeds of marketable securities

9,991

3,846

9,991

3,846

Proceeds from financial investment

76

29

Proceeds from redemption of marketable securities

3,450

3,084

1,084

Proceeds from redemption of financial investments

14,094

3,051

Purchase of financial investments

(675)

(81)

(675)

(81)

Purchase of property and equipment

(20,768)

(5,301)

(5,505)

(2,038)

 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

(7,916)

20,650

3,844

5,864

 

 

AUDIOCODES LTD. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

U.S. dollars in thousands

Nine months ended

Three months ended

September 30,

September 30,

2024

2023

2024

2023

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

Cash flows from financing activities:

Purchase of treasury shares

(8,340)

(11,973)

(3,586)

(9,047)

Cash dividends paid to shareholders

(10,896)

(11,399)

(5,443)

(5,681)

Proceeds from issuance of shares upon exercise of options

186

254

6

140

Net cash used in financing activities

(19,050)

(23,118)

(9,023)

(14,588)

Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash

(7,025)

3,144

2,672

(8,546)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period

30,546

24,535

20,849

36,225

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period

$ 23,522

$ 27,679

$ 23,522

$ 27,679

 

 

Company Contacts

Niran Baruch,

Chief Financial Officer 

AudioCodes

Tel: +972-3-976-4000

niran.baruch@audiocodes.com

Roger L. Chuchen,

VP, Investor Relations

AudioCodes

Tel:  732-764-2552

roger.chuchen@audiocodes.com

 

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Kuaishou Technology to Report 2026 First Quarter Financial Results on May 27, 2026

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HONG KONG, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kuaishou Technology (“Kuaishou” or the “Company”; HKD Counter Stock Code: 01024 / RMB Counter Stock Code: 81024), a leading content community and social platform, today announced that it will report its unaudited consolidated first quarterly results for the three months ended March 31, 2026, after the Hong Kong market closes on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

The Company’s management will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at 7:00 PM Beijing Time (7:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time) to discuss the results.

Participants are required to pre-register for the conference call at:

Chinese Line (Mandarin):
https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10054245-xi6ksd.html

English Simultaneous Interpretation Line (listen-only mode):
https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10054246-wl3yqp.html

Participants can choose between the Chinese and English simultaneous interpretation options for pre-registration above. Please note that the English simultaneous interpretation option will be in listen-only mode. Upon registration, participants will receive an email containing conference call dial-in details, event passcode, and a unique registrant ID. This information will allow you to gain immediate access to the call. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.

Additionally, live, and archived webcasts of the conference call, for both Chinese and English simultaneous interpretation, will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at https://ir.kuaishou.com.

Replays of the conference call will be available until June 3, 2026 via the following dial-in details:

Dial-in Numbers

Mainland China:

400 1209 216

Hong Kong:

800 930 639

US/Canada:

1855 883 1031

Chinese conference ID:

10054245

English simultaneous interpretation conference ID:

10054246

About Kuaishou

Kuaishou is a leading content community and social platform in China and globally, committed to becoming the most customer-obsessed company in the world. Kuaishou uses its technological backbone, powered by cutting-edge AI technology, to continuously drive innovation and product enhancements that enrich its service offerings and application scenarios, creating exceptional customer value. Through short videos and live streams on Kuaishou’s platform, users can share their lives, discover goods and services they need and showcase their talent. By partnering closely with content creators and businesses, Kuaishou provides technologies, products, and services that cater to diverse user needs across a broad spectrum of entertainment, online marketing services, e-commerce, local services, gaming, and much more. For more information, please visit https://ir.kuaishou.com.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Kuaishou Technology
Investor Relations
Email: ir@kuaishou.com

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Mox Breaks Even in Q1 2026 amid Strengthening Profitability Outlook, Launches Mox+ Wealth Solutions and Mox Invest Upgrades

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Bringing Wealth Within Reach of all in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mox Bank Limited (“Mox” or “the Bank”), on the back of delivering a financial breakeven quarter for Q1 2026, today announced the launch of Mox+. This wealth solution is engineered for Hong Kong’s young professionals and emerging affluent and will be a driver of sustainable profitability for the Bank. Mox+ combines wealth capabilities with curated lifestyle benefits, marking Mox’s evolution from everyday banking to a comprehensive wealth partnership.

The financial achievement was driven by robust momentum across all business lines and achieving a significant milestone demonstrates the success of the accessible business model which after 5 years is now used and valued by over 750,000 customers in Hong Kong.

Barbaros Uygun, CEO of Mox, said, “Achieving financial breakeven for the first quarter of 2026 on the back of a strong 2025 set of results, shows our direction of travel. We have the momentum to drive positive change, providing wealth opportunities to all in Hong Kong and do so in a profitable manner. Our client-centric business model is proving that it is the right one for sustainable profitability. 

Our digital wealth management platform serves as a trusted partner for our over 750,000 customers at every stage of life, empowering them to manage their finances with confidence and unlock new possibilities. We are entering a new chapter of growth as we continue to expand our product portfolio and wealth management offerings, with the launch of Mox+ being one such initiative.”

He continued, “To support this evolution, we are evolving into an AI-native bank, doubling our operational capacity through a strategic human-bot partnership, equipping every staff member with a personalised AI assistant to deliver even greater service and efficiency.”

Mox+ members enjoy preferential fees and charges on Mox Invest and preferential pricing on foreign exchange, enhanced deposit rates (3.5% p.a. up to HKD5 million), as well as priority customer support and early access to experiences and new products. These benefits can be gained simply by maintaining an average daily balance of HKD 600,000 or above across all deposits and investments which will lead to automatic qualification for Mox+ for the following month. The programme integrates financial advantages with lifestyle benefits—including curated dining rebates, free hotel stays, Starbucks coffee vouchers, health benefits and exclusive member experiences—reflecting Mox’s belief that wealth building should be both strategic and rewarding.

Jayant Bhatia, Chief Business Officer of Mox, commented, “At Mox, we are dedicated to establishing the financial well-being of Hongkongers. Designed and tailored for Hong Kong’s young professionals and emerging affluent segment, which is underserved in Hong Kong, Mox+ offers solutions for daily savings and preferential wealth management service fees for long-term wealth creation as well as rewarding lifestyle benefits. This is strategically significant as one of our key initiatives to drive business growth and make Wealth Within Reach for Hongkongers.”

Throughout 2025, Mox has already strengthened its product portfolio with new solutions in Mox Invest. The Mox Invest platform saw trading volumes increasing to 2.4 times and assets under management (AUM) growing to 2.6 times that of last year. More than 10% of Mox customers have opened a Mox Invest account, reflecting strong demand for its wealth solutions driven by new products and services. In 2026, we will continue our momentum in launching new and innovative products and services and are already scaling up to serve the next generation of wealth builders in Hong Kong. Having already recently launched a crypto trading service, Mox Invest is set to introduce an IPO subscription service later this year.

The Bank has clear reasons for continuing to develop wealth management products. The “Wealth Behaviours: Insights into how individuals are saving and investing” survey conducted by Mox in collaboration with Ipsos revealed that Hongkongers continue to take a conservative approach to investing, with 63% of their liquid assets kept in cash and deposits – a trend that contributes to “cash drag” and limits potential wealth growth. More than two-thirds of respondents indicated they require an average of 5.6 months to save up to their desired investment threshold and typically delay investing their savings by a further 2.75 months on average, resulting in missed opportunities for long-term wealth accumulation[1]. This survey will continue as an ongoing research initiative to deepen our understanding of Hongkonger’s wealth management behaviours and enable the Bank to develop tailored solutions that puts wealth within reach.

After Mox was amongst the first wave of banks in Asia to offer a crypto trading service, Mox Invest now further offers One Click Investments (a simplified process for buying equities based on themes such as AI, technology, amongst others), Trading Signals, and gives customers access to professional  fund strategies including Signature CIO funds developed in partnership between Standard Chartered Bank CIO office and Amundi. The Signature CIO funds offer four different type of funds based on individuals’ risk appetite which could be Conservative, Income, Balanced or Growth. Customers also have options amongst a wide range of funds offered by other world-class fund houses.

A Track Record of Rapid Scale and Adoption in the Last 5 Years

Since its launch in September 2020, Mox has brought to the market more than 15 market-first products or services and achieved significant scale with over 750,000 customers, reflecting the trust and growing preference of Hong Kong consumers for a seamless digital banking experience. To date, Mox customers have driven a cumulative spend of HKD70 billion, supported by a robust volume of 176 million card transactions and approximately 2 billion Asia Miles earned through Mox Card and other banking services. Its commitment to delivering tangible value to customers is further evidenced by the HKD2 billion distributed in cash rewards.

Beyond daily spending, Mox has become central to its customers’ financial lives, facilitating approximately 50 million outward FPS transfers and more than 5 million bill payments. As a preferred companion for travelers, the Mox Card has been used over 31 million times in overseas transactions, contributing to a total of 250 million app engagements as we continue to redefine digital banking for the Hong Kong community.

To learn more about Mox, please visit: mox.com.

About Mox Bank Limited (“Mox”) 
Mox is a pioneering digital bank licensed in Hong Kong, and a registered institution (CE number: BNO808) powered by Standard Chartered in partnership with PCCW, HKT and Trip.com. Launched in September 2020, Mox is reimagining banking, unlock more of life’s possibilities, and setting global benchmarks for digital banking from Hong Kong.   

Mox is well on track to be the number one digital bank for cards, lending and wealth. In 2026, it was awarded as Best Pure-Play Digital Bank for CX in Hong Kong and Outstanding Digital CX in Banking App/ Platform by The Digital Banker Digital CX Awards. It was also recognised as NeoBank of the Year, Retail Banking, Hong Kong and Best Retail Banking Experience, Hong Kong by The Asset Triple A Digital Finance Awards. In 2025, Mox is ranked as the number one digital bank in Hong Kong in Neobank Ranking 2025 by The Banker, a publication by Financial Times. It was also awarded the Best Digital Bank in Hong Kong by The Asian Banker for three consecutive years, and the Digital Bank of the Year in Hong Kong by Asian Banking & Finance for two years in a row. It was also recognised as one of Asia’s Top 5 mobile banking app and the number one Hong Kong digital banking app in Sia Partners’ 2025 International Mobile Banking Benchmark. Mox Credit Card held its position as the seventh-largest credit card portfolio among all retail banks in Hong Kong[2]. Through a scalable platform, lower cost-to-serve, top-notch customer experience and the unique promise of safe, simple, smart, and fun banking, Mox has found immense affinity among Hong Kong customers: Mox app is the top-rated Hong Kong digital banking app in Apple App Store in Hong Kong[3], scoring 4.8 out of 5. Mox’s influence extends beyond Hong Kong, as shown by the company’s technology and know-how being transferred to Trust Bank in Singapore. 

Join us in shaping the future of banking.

Follow Mox on mox.com, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn and YouTube for our latest updates.

[1] The “Wealth Behaviours: Insights into how individuals are saving and investing” study was conducted in collaboration with Ipsos and it surveyed 2,500 working adults with a monthly household income above HKD15,000 in Hong Kong between August 2025 and April 2026.

[2] According to TransUnion’s Market Insights and Intelligence Dashboard (MIID) for the period from January to December 2025.

[3] As of the period from 28 January 2025 to 5 May 2026.

 

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SOURCE Mox Bank Limited

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UK Students Recognised in National AI Investment Challenge

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University teams apply AI to real-world investment problems, with Lancaster University team taking the top prize.

LONDON, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, has announced the winner of its inaugural AI Investment Challenge, with the top prize awarded to a student team from Lancaster University.

Some 28 teams from 15 universities took part in the competition.

Delivered by CFA Institute and CFA Society UK, the competition brought together students from universities across the United Kingdom to tackle real investment challenges using artificial intelligence. The focus was on practical application, responsible use, and real-world relevance. 

Finalists came from Durham University, Heriot-Watt University, Lancaster University, University of Exeter, and University of Manchester. 

Teams presented AI-powered solutions to a range of industry challenges, from assessing how carbon pricing affects portfolio values to analysing large volumes of company disclosures and extracting insights from company earnings calls. The winning team from Lancaster University impressed judges with its design of a Disclosure Degradation Detection System – an early-alert tool for analysts that monitors upstream exposure to disclosure risk by analysing company and supplier filings for increasingly vague, complex, or weakening language.

Peter Watkins, Head of University Relations, CFA Institute, said:

“It’s encouraging to see how quickly students can apply technical skills to real investment problems. The strongest teams combined solid analysis with a clear understanding of how AI can be used responsibly in practice. This reflects where the investment industry is heading, with professionals expected to use new technologies effectively while continuing to apply sound human judgement.”

Nick Bartlett, CFA, ASIP, Chief Executive, CFA Society UK, adds:

“It’s been great to see students from across the UK take part. Opportunities like this help people build practical skills, make connections in the industry, and gain confidence in applying what they’ve learned. Bridging that gap between education and industry is increasingly important, as the skills needed for a career in the investment profession continue to evolve.” 

The winning team members from Lancaster University are Connor O’Keeffe, Ebro Dossajee, and Bradley McCann.  

Connor O’Keeffe, speaking on behalf of the winning team, said: 

“The CFA Institute AI Investment Challenge gave us the chance to work on a real investment problem and engage directly with industry professionals. Presenting our work and receiving feedback has been invaluable, and we’re proud to bring first place back to Lancaster. It’s been a great experience for the whole team.”

Steve Young, Professor of Accounting at Lancaster University Management School, commented:

“The AI Investment Challenge is a fabulous initiative from CFA Institute that helps students formulate and execute artificial intelligence solutions to assist investment analysis professionals, and we are thrilled that Brad, Connor, and Ebro have been able to make such a positive contribution to the competition. Congratulations to all teams involved and thank you to CFA Institute and CFA Society UK for organising such an inspiring event.” 

The competition was judged on practical relevance, quality of analysis, innovation in the use of AI, responsible use of technology, and clarity of presentation. The final was judged by a panel of six investment industry professionals based in the UK. 

University representatives and students can opt-in to be the first to hear about future AI Investment Challenge events via Information Waitlist.

Notes to Editors

The AI Investment Challenge was held on Thursday 30 April 2026 in London.

First, second, and third-place teams received prizes of £2,000, £1,200, and £800, respectively. In addition, all finalist team members received a CFA Program Access Scholarship and the opportunity to showcase their work on CFA Institute platforms. 

More information about the AI Investment Challenge is available here: CFA Institute AI Investment Challenge

About CFA Institute
As the global association of investment professionals, CFA Institute sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. We champion ethical behavior in investment markets and serve as the leading source of learning and research for the investment industry. We believe in fostering an environment where investors’ interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. With more than 200,000 charterholders worldwide across 160 markets, CFA Institute has 8 offices and 157 local societies. Find us at www.cfainstitute.org or follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe on YouTube.

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