Nearly two years into our five-year reset strategy we delivered a solid financial performance in the 2015 financial year, achieving a profit of $143 million, 34% ($36 million) higher than the last financial year.
Kiwibank performed well and contributed the vast majority of profits. Kiwi Group Holdings Limited, which includes Kiwibank Limited and associated companies involved in Wealth Management, Insurance and New Zealand Home Loans, achieved an after tax profit of $132 million for the year. The result was largely driven by a focus on more profitable and diversified revenue growth, provided by solid performance in mortgage lending and customer deposits combined with a strong improvement in credit performance.
The sale of Australian-based courier company Couriers Please for AUD$95 million during the year was also a major contributor and delivered an excellent return on the Group’s investment, reporting a gain on sale of $46 million. International parcel volume grew strongly in FY 2015, while domestic parcel volume also increased but not as much as we would have liked.
While this result was pleasing given prevailing market conditions, the Group continues to operate in a very challenging and competitive environment and in markets that are rapidly changing. Sound progress has been made in executing against our strategy but there is still more work to do, we remain in a period of substantial and ongoing change.