Edinburgh-based investment giant Aberdeen Group plc said its assets under management and administration (AUMA) rose 9% to £556 billion year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025.

However, Aberdeen gave no word on a new chair to succeed Douglas Flint, who is joining Hong Kong-based Prudential plc as chair designate in March. Aberdeen’s AGM will be held on April 29.

“Strong performance in interactive investor, with total customers up 14% year-on-year to 500k, higher daily trading volumes in Q4 of 29.2k (Q4 2024: 20.8k), and Q4 net flows of £1.4bn,” said Aberdeen in a fourth quarter AUMA and flows trading update.

“Adviser net outflows in Q4 of £(0.8)bn impacted by higher redemptions ahead of the UK Budget, with improved full year outflows of £(2.2)bn reflecting focus on service and repricing.

“Investments AUM of £390.4bn up 6% year-on-year, driven by positive markets. Q4 net outflows of £(3.0)bn include the previously announced £4.5bn low margin quants withdrawal, partly offset by the inflow from the Stagecoach Group Pension Scheme and continued momentum in commodities and fixed income.

“FY 2025 Group adjusted operating profit expected to be in line with current market expectations.”

Aberdeen’s share price has risen almost 50% in the past year to around £2.18, giving it a stock market value of almost £4 biliion and making it a possible contender to re-enter the FTSE 100 index soon.

In its outlook, Aberdeen said: “FY2025 Group adjusted operating profit expected to be in line with current market expectations.

“We are confident in the outlook for the business, as reflected in the FY 2026 Group targets of adjusted operating profit at least £300m, and net capital generation of c.£300m.

“With effect from year end 2025 our capital requirement will be based on the Group’s internal capital assessment, which will be lower. We will provide an update with our full year results.”

Aberdeen CEO Jason Windsor said: “As today’s update underlines, Aberdeen is in much better shape than it was a year ago with each of our three businesses making progress as we deliver on our strategy to become the UK’s leading Wealth & Investments group.

“interactive investor performed very strongly in 2025, growing 14% to half a million customers. This growth, along with further enhancements to our customer proposition, mean that the business is well set up to sustain its impressive performance.

“Adviser saw flows improve by more than 40% over the 12 months. Service levels have got better, and in December we launched our Aberdeen SIPP, as we seek to return to growth in 2026. However, as previously flagged, flows in Q4 were impacted by the uncertainty leading up to the UK Budget – which led to an increase in customer withdrawals.

“In Investments, AUM continued to benefit from positive markets, and aside from the previously disclosed single large redemption, the Institutional & Retail Wealth segment improved its flows performance year-on-year. We ended 2025 with the US Closed End Fund and innovative Stagecoach transactions adding to our growth prospects.

“I am optimistic about the outlook for 2026 and we start the year with positive momentum.”