Aberdeen Asset Management reported a year-on-year climb of £53.2 million in underlying pre-tax profit in its results statement.

London-listed Aberdeen Asset Management boosted its underlying pre-tax profit to £270.2 million ($408.7 million) over the six months to 31 March 2015, up 25 per cent from £217 million in the same period a year ago.

As gross new business grew 64 per cent year-on-year to £23.4 billion, outflows of £34.7 billion resulted in a net outflow of £11.3 billion for the six month period, according to the company's interim results statement. 

Global emerging markets suffered net outflows of £1.7 billion in the face of “a further bout of weak investor sentiment” while global equities saw net outflows of £2 billion.

“Gross new business inflows have continued to grow. However, they have been offset by outflows, which reflect changes in asset allocation driven by macroeconomic factors and some structural outflows from certain clients,” said the chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, Martin Gilbert. 

“Despite these headwinds we are well positioned for the long term: financially strong, with a global distribution platform and a diversified range of capabilities and solutions for the evolving investment environment.”

Aberdeen said its capital position of £541 million at the end of March represents headroom of £221 million above regulatory capital requirements. To return surplus capital to shareholders, it said it will launch a share buyback programme of up to £100 million to be carried out over the course of the year. 

“Our operating margin and profits for the first half of the year are significantly higher than the equivalent period last year and earnings per share improved by 13 per cent over the same period,” said the chairman at Aberdeen Asset Management, Roger Cornick.

“As a result, we strengthened our balance sheet, whilst headroom above the regulatory capital requirement increased by £100 million.”

Revenue grew by a fifth over the half-year to £605.2 million and the operating margin crept up from 43 per cent at the end of March last year to 44.7 per cent.

The company boosted its assets under management to £324.5 billion at the end of March 2015, a 2 per cent increase from the end of September last year. This was attributed in part to the integration of Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, of which the company completed its acquisition for £550 million a year ago.