Shares in Computershare soared six per cent as the company flagged an earnings rise of up to 15 per cent.
The forecast came as the shareholder services revealed its annual net profit had fallen 41 per cent because of weak corporate activity.
The company on Wednesday said it did not expect a material improvement in its performance in the 2012/13 financial year, as business activity remained subdued.
Computershare’s net profit for the year to June 30 was $156.5 million, down 40.7 per cent from $264 million in the previous corresponding period.
Transactional activity, particularly in Computershare’s corporate action and stakeholder relationship businesses, was subdued in 2011/12, and corporate activity revenues had fallen to levels not seen since 2004, the company said.
“The group remains well-placed to benefit from any improvement in corporate activity and interest rates in our major markets, however we are not banking on this occurring in any significant way in FY13,” Computershare chief executive Stuart Crosby said in a statement.
But, Mr Crosby said, Computershare’s 2012/13 adjusted earnings per share, which take out one-off financial items, were expected to rise by between 10 and 15 per cent on 2011/12.
Adjusted earnings per share were 49.09 cents in 2011/12, down 12 per cent from the previous year.
Computershare closed 46 cents higher at $8.00.