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Cohen & Co Inc (COHN) Q3 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Turnaround with Increased ...

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Release Date: November 04, 2024

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • Cohen & Co Inc (COHN) reported a significant improvement in net income, achieving $2.2 million for the quarter compared to a net loss in the previous quarter.

  • The company's adjusted pretax income showed a positive turnaround, reaching $7.7 million compared to losses in both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year.

  • Cohen & Co Inc (COHN) experienced a substantial increase in new issue and advisory revenue, which rose by $16 million from the second quarter.

  • The company's capital markets division, CCCM, generated $21.4 million in advisory revenue and acted as lead bookrunner on a SPAC IPO, indicating strong performance.

  • Cohen & Co Inc (COHN) declared a quarterly dividend of 25 per share, demonstrating a commitment to returning value to shareholders.

Negative Points

  • The company faced ongoing unfavorable mark-to-market adjustments in its principal investing portfolio, impacting overall earnings.

  • Revenue from new issue and advisory services is volatile, with fluctuations due to the limited number of engagements and timing of transaction closings.

  • Principal transactions and other revenue were negative, primarily due to declining equity values in post-business combination SPACs.

  • Compensation and benefits expenses increased, driven by fluctuations in revenue and variable incentive compensation.

  • The company's net interest expense was $1.3 million for the quarter, reflecting costs associated with its debt instruments.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you provide an overview of Cohen & Company Inc's financial performance for the third quarter of 2024? A: Joseph W. Pooler, Chief Financial Officer, reported a net income attributable to Cohen & Company Inc of $2.2 million for the quarter, or $1.31 per fully diluted share. This is a significant improvement compared to a net loss of $2.3 million in the prior quarter. The adjusted pretax income was $7.7 million, showing a positive turnaround from the previous quarter's adjusted pretax loss of $8.6 million.

Q: How did the company's advisory revenue perform in the third quarter? A: Joseph W. Pooler noted that new issue and advisory revenue was $22.5 million, marking an increase of $16 million from the second quarter and $15.2 million from the same quarter last year. However, he cautioned that this revenue is volatile due to the limited number of engagements and the timing of transaction closings.