FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Online broker Flatexdegiro is raising the bar for the current year as business continues to boom. The company expects revenue to grow by at least a tenth in 2025, with net profit projected to rise by more than a third. The news was well received on the stock market: shortly after trading opened on Thursday, Flatexdegiro shares surged by around seven percent at times, reaching an all-time high of EUR33.28.

Most recently, the stock was up 5.2 percent, making it the second-strongest performer in the MDax, the index of mid-cap stocks. "The online broker's new targets are set higher than the market had hoped," said one stock trader. Following this year's rally, Flatexdegiro is now valued at around EUR3.6 billion on the stock exchange.

Flatexdegiro CEO Oliver Behrens, citing continued strong business growth, now expects 2025 revenue to come in between EUR530 million and EUR550 million, according to a surprise announcement from the company on Wednesday evening. Previously, guidance had been for EUR499 million to EUR518 million. The new forecast represents an increase of 10 to 15 percent compared to the previous year.

Group net profit is now expected to reach EUR150 million to EUR160 million, after Behrens had previously set a target of EUR128 million to EUR139 million. The new range marks a year-on-year increase of 34 to 43 percent.

In the third quarter, preliminary figures show the company's revenue grew by 18 percent year-on-year to EUR132 million. Net profit soared by more than half to EUR39 million. Flatexdegiro plans to publish its full financial results as scheduled on October 21.

After years of crisis, Behrens now sees the online broker firmly back on track. The executive took over leadership of the company about a year ago, after Flatexdegiro, under long-time CEO Frank Niehage, was subjected to a special audit by financial regulator Bafin. Major shareholder Bernd Fortsch had sharply criticized the former management in an interview with "Wirtschaftswoche," prompting Niehage's departure.

The Bafin audit at Flatexdegiro has now been completed. "The special commissioner has left. We are back to business," Behrens said in early September at the International Club of Frankfurt Business Journalists. Going forward, the CEO aims to score points with offerings such as cryptocurrency trading and securities lending - as well as by integrating the systems of Flatex and Degiro, which together cover 16 European countries./stw/tav/stk