Bulgarian Stock Exchange more than trebles Q1 non-cons net profit

The BSE's overall revenue grew to 2.66 million levs in January-March from 1.48 million levs in the comparable period of 2023, the company said in an interim financial statement.

The group doubled its income from transaction commissions and booked a 14% climb in revenue from company registration fees, with total revenue from services increasing to 835,000 levs from 690,000 levs in the prior-year period. At the same time, revenue from dividend payouts went up to 1.7 million levs from 710,000 levs.

The company's operating expenses widened to some 1.15 million levs in the review period from 1.06 million levs in the first three months of 2023, chiefly due to higher costs for hired services, such as subscription, licence and consulting fees, and remuneration expenses.

In the first quarter of 2024, turnover on the market segments managed by the BSE surged by 114% on the year, reaching nearly 193.4 million levs. The increase was driven by a 310% leap in deals on the BSE's alternative segment and a 170% rise in transactions on the main market segment.

The number of listed financial instruments rose to 783 at end-March from 775 a year earlier, mostly as a result of the admission to trading of more companies on the bonds segment of the bourse.

Shares in the Bulgarian Stock Exchange last traded on Monday when they closed at 15.20 levs on the Sofia bourse.

(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)