South Africa’s Purple Group posts $18 million revenue in H1 2026

Purple Group Limited, the parent company of South Africa’s fast-growing EasyEquities platform founded by Mark Barnes, posted $18 million in revenue for the six months ending Feb. 28, 2026, underscoring accelerating momentum in its retail investing ecosystem.

Purple Group profit jumps 33% as operating leverage kicks in
Revenue increased 8.8% to R258.5 million ($17.48 million), while operating expenses rose just 0.5% to R161.1 million ($9.86 million), highlighting efficient cost management and widening margins. Profit attributable to shareholders rose 21.2% to R40.6 million ($2.49 million), and earnings per share improved to R0.029.

The Group reported a 33% surge in profit before tax to R78.7 million ($4.82 million) for the half-year ended Feb. 28, 2026, up from R59 million ($3.61 million) a year earlier.

EasyEquities platform drives record growth
The EasyEquities platform, led by founder Mark Barnes, fueled Purple Group’s performance. Active clients grew 21.9% to 1.24 million, while assets under management jumped 41.2% to R94.9 billion ($5.81 billion). 

Retail inflows climbed 51% to R8.02 billion ($490.94 million). Revenue for Easy Group rose 18.5% to R256.5 million ($15.7 million), and profit before tax surged 66.3% to R90.5 million ($5.54 million), driven by strong client adoption.

Diversifying revenue strengthens resilience
Recurring non-activity-based revenue, tied to platform fees and assets under management, rose 14.4% to R135 million ($8.26 million), now over half of Easy Group revenue. This diversification reduces reliance on market cycles, ensuring more stable long-term earnings.

Platform expansion offsets EasyTrader loss
Despite a R21.3 million ($1.1 million) hedging loss in EasyTrader, underlying metrics remained strong, with funded clients up 270%, trades up 84%, and trading revenue climbing 74.4% to R20 million ($1.22 million).

Purple Group’s market capitalization stands at R2.72 million ($166.7 million), with founder Mark Barnes holding 5.43% of issued share capital. The group remains on track for strong full-year performance, benefiting from rising client participation, growing assets, and expanding product offerings, solidifying its position as one of Africa’s leading digital investment platforms.