Interactive Brokers Reports Y/Y Increase in December Client DARTs

Core Insights - Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (IBKR) reported strong performance metrics for its Electronic Brokerage segment in December 2024, highlighting a significant increase in client Daily Average Revenue Trades (DARTs) compared to the previous year [1] Performance Metrics - Total client DARTs in December reached 3,267,000, marking a 66% increase from December 2023 but a 1% decline from November 2024 [2] - Cleared average DARTs per customer account were 219 for December 2024, reflecting a 27% year-over-year increase but a 4% decrease from November 2024 [2] Customer Accounts and Trading Activity - Total customer accounts rose to 3.34 million, a 30% increase year over year and a 3% increase from the previous month [3] - Net new accounts surged to 88,100, representing a 119% year-over-year increase and a 21% sequential rise [3] - Total options contracts traded were 116.9 million in December, up 31% year over year and stable sequentially [3] - Futures contracts increased by 5% year over year to 16.4 million, although this was a 4% decline from November 2024 [3] Client Equity and Balances - Client equity at the end of December was $568.2 billion, a 33% increase year over year but a 1% decrease sequentially [4] - Client credit balances stood at $119.7 billion, up 15% from December 2023 and 1% from November 2024 [4] - Customer margin loan balance increased to $64.2 billion, a 45% rise from the previous year and a 7% increase from the last month [4] Stock Performance - In 2024, IBKR shares increased by 113.1%, significantly outperforming the industry growth of 17.2% [5] Zacks Rank - IBKR currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), while competitors Charles Schwab (SCHW) and LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (LPLA) have a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [7]