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Global Blood Therapeutics

gbt · ASX Healthcare
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FY2014 Annual Report · Global Blood Therapeutics
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Annual Report

2014

GBST is one of Australia’s leading technology services 
companies. We specialise in providing securities 
transaction and wealth administration software for the 
financial services industry.

Our software platforms connect capital markets in 
Australasia, Asia, Europe and the United States; and 
support more than 7,000 investment options on a 
single wealth administration platform.

Our three areas of focus:

Through the Syn~ platform, GBST 
Capital Markets provides new-
generation technology to process 
equities, derivatives, fixed income 
and managed funds transactions to 
global capital market participants. 
GBST also offers the GBST shares 
and DCA (derivatives) platforms.

Through the Composer platform, 
GBST Wealth Management provides 
fund administration and registry 
software to the wealth management 
industry in Australia and the UK.

GBST Financial Services is 
a wholesale provider of access to 
financial products and related data 
information transactions for financial 
advisors and institutions. 

 $98.5m

$20.5m

21.5 cents

8.5 cents

83.0

77.0

16.4

16.5

16.5

6.5

67.6

67.5

14.2

13.7

15.2

13.8

11.6

5.0

4.0

2.0

The Year in 
Review

Strong international sales drive 
record revenue of $98.5 million

Net profit increased by 66%  
to $10 million

GBST Composer UK sales 
continue to grow

GBST Syn~ now ‘live’ in Asia, 
Australia, Europe and the US

Technology development 
centre in Ho Chi Minh City 
increases GBST’s product 
development capacity

Dividends rose to 8.5 cents for 
the year, and a final fully franked 
dividend of 4.5 cents will be paid 
on 15 October 2014

FY10  FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14

FY10  FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14

FY10  FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14

FY10  FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14

Group Total 
Revenue

EBITDA

Cash EPS

Dividends

Table of Contents

1   The Year in Review
3  

 Chairman’s and  
Managing Director’s Report

14   Directors’ Report
32  

 Auditor’s Independence 
Declaration

7   GBST Product Suite
8  GBST Executive Team
9   GBST Board of Directors
10  

 Corporate Governance 
Statement

33   Financial Statements
84   Directors’ Declaration
85   Independent Auditor’s Report
87   Additional Information
89   Corporate Directory

Notice of Meeting

GBST Holdings Limited 
(GBST) will hold its Annual 
General Meeting at 
3.30pm (Brisbane Time) on 
Thursday 16 October 2014 at  
McCullough Robertson, Level 
11 Central Plaza Two, 66 Eagle 
Street, Brisbane.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

1

                 
GBST Snapshot

Established 

1983

ASX listed 

2005

Record revenue of  

$98.5m

Specialist 

in capital markets and wealth management solutions

Continuous 

R&D investment 

drives future growth

More than 60  

clients and expanding

Celebrated 30 

years in 2014 

More than 

470 

employees

International sales now

48% of revenue

2

 
Chairman’s and Managing Director’s Report

F

 FY2014 was GBST’s 30th anniversary and 
a rewarding year in which our global platform 
strengthened. We specialise in providing securities 
processing and wealth administration software for the 

financial services industry, and our clients include more 
than 60 of the world’s leading banks, stockbrokers and fund 
managers. Our products and infrastructure support their 
core business services, facilitating trading and administration 
activities which in many ways are the bedrock of the global 
financial system. 

We have a record of innovation and of developing 
extremely robust, scalable software. With strong demand 
for our services, we embarked on international expansion. 
While growth has been driven primarily by new client 
wins, we have also acquired technologies and integrated 
them successfully into our business. Our leading wealth 
administration software platform, GBST Composer, and 
the powerful international capital markets and post-trade 
processing platform, GBST Syn~, are new-world products, 
capable of delivering long-term returns for clients with the 
flexibility to change. Our business model, therefore, is to 
focus on building and developing recurring software-based 
annuity income streams.  

The success of this strategy is becoming clear with our 
international revenue almost trebling in three years. Our 
progress, however, has not always been straightforward. 
We were not immune to the repercussions of the global 
financial crisis which impacted our clients, and the economic 
environment, while improving, remains uncertain and our 
markets are still recovering. 

Financial results and dividends
Against this backdrop, GBST achieved a strong result in 
FY2014. The group’s EBITDA increased 24% to $20.5 million. 
Adjusted cash net profit after tax was $14.3 million 
compared with $11.0 million in FY2013. Reported after-tax 
profit was $10.0 million, 66% above FY2013. 

This growth reflects our evolution as an internationally-
recognised leader in software for the financial services 
industry. Revenue was up 19% to a record $98.5 million, 
with the increase due almost entirely to higher international 
revenue which grew to 48% of the total, from nearly 40% 
in FY2013. Australian revenue remained steady in a difficult 
trading environment. Approximately two thirds of total 
revenue is high quality recurring, annuity income based on 
long-term client contracts.

Strong cash generation, with 102% conversion of EBITDA 
to cash flow, enabled us to continue to pay down debt, 
and we closed the year with net debt of $3.6 million, 
$8.7 million lower than at the end of FY2013. This has 
enabled us to continue to invest in GBST’s geographic 
expansion, our products and infrastructure, and in building 
sales development and support teams to sustain growth. 
More than 10% of revenue was invested in research and 
development expenditure.

John Puttick  
Chairman

Stephen Lake  
Managing Director and  
Chief Executive Officer

FY2014 was the fourth consecutive year of dividend growth. 
The final dividend declared for FY2014 of 4.5 cents per 
share brings the total for the year to 8.5 cents per share, an 
increase of 29%.

Asian sales of GBST Syn~ boost revenue
GBST Capital Markets revenue was $41.2 million, 
$5.0 million or 16% above FY2013. This reflected growing 
international sales, particularly in Asia, and an extremely 
good performance by our Australian operations in light of the 
difficult market conditions.

FY2014 Asian revenue nearly doubled from the previous 
year. Significant progress included completing a middle 
office solution for one of the world’s largest banks using 
the GBST Syn~3.0 platform. This includes substantial 
efficiency improvements and services for the custody 
market. To support our clients in Asia we have progressively 
built our support presence in Singapore, Hong Kong and 
Ho Chi Minh.

Asian markets represent a strong growth opportunity as 
rising wealth and prosperity is driving demand for capital 
markets platforms such as GBST Syn~ which can trade 
an extensive range of financial instruments and complete 
cross-border transactions on securities exchanges across 
the region. Technology spending for the Asia-Pacific 
banking market is expected to expand at an annual rate of 
about 6.8% over the next five years, as the market changes 
and restructures. 

The successful deployment of GBST Syn~ for our first 
direct US client was a watershed event. This platform 
enables the post-trade processing of equities and other 
financial instruments to global capital markets. We 
helped a major broker-dealer to increase its back- and 
middle-office automation and efficiency by greatly improving 
straight-through processing from 25% to 95%. We are 
well positioned to capitalise on this positive endorsement 
and to broaden our relationships with regional capital 
markets participants and large investment banks.  

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

3

Growing regulatory charges and the expected move from 
the existing three-day settlement policy, or T+3, to T+2 
settlement is a catalyst for change in the US markets.

While European economic conditions remained difficult and 
financial markets’ discretionary spending was constrained by 
ongoing compliance changes, our new European financial 
transaction tax (FTT) module for GBST Syn~ opened 
opportunities with institutional clients and was named best 
compliance solution at the Systems in the City Awards. 
International sales of GBST Syn~ increased by 75% in 
FY2014. We continue to invest to drive growth and, as our 
operations mature the transition from services revenue to 
recurring annual licence fee income, and higher margins, is 
expected to increase.

First client transition from GBST Shares to  
GBST Syn~ begins
While Australian sales were impacted by subdued retail 
trading volumes, we increased market share and revenue 
rose 3% to $29.5 million. In this market where GBST’s 
products are well established, about 90% of revenue comes 
from annuity licence fees.

We continue to deliver on the transformation of the GBST 
Syn~ platform for the Australian market. This platform offers 
significant opportunities to expand our services in Australia 
and also provide regional solutions across Asia. 

The Australian market is our foundation stone, which we 
support through the extensive domain knowledge of our staff 
and a consistent flow of new and enhanced products. These 
include the Order Management System (OMS) platform 
for derivatives, the risk management solution MarginSuite, 
and GBST business intelligence reporting (GBST BIR) to 
consolidate information from GBST products and databases. 

Sales of GBST Composer continue to grow
The GBST Composer platform offers an integrated system 
for the administration of wrap platforms, master trusts, 
superannuation, pensions, risk and debt. Sales increased 
24% to $53.8 million in FY2014; Sales in the UK have 

Cost base before  
GBST Composer

Cost base  
after deploying  
GBST Composer
more than  
25% savings  
in costs

QUICK FACTS

Reducing costs 
for clients
Rolling out GBST 
Composer for one UK 
client has enabled 
workplace savings, 
at retirement and 
non-advised solutions 
to be consolidated 
on a single platform, 
contributing to more 
than 25% cost savings 
over four years

4

risen almost six-fold over five years, and were up 41% 
to $35.6 million, compared with $25.2 million in FY2013. 
The market is still in its early stages and licence revenues 
comprise approximately 40% of sales.

The UK life, pensions and investments market has changed 
significantly with the recent introduction of the Retail 
Distribution Review legislation to protect consumers. The 
market now distinguishes between organisations which 
facilitate online, low cost delivery models, and enhance 
customer experience through providing much more detailed 
information. Digital platforms such as GBST Composer, 
which supports more than 7,000 investment options, enable 
firms to improve their service proposition with an extremely 
low cost structure and dynamic pricing abilities, allowing 
direct-to-consumer business models to design and adapt 
customer offerings efficiently.

As an early entrant to the UK wraps and platforms 
market GBST Composer now supports three of the top 
six UK retirement saving platforms, and added a leading 
UK-based investment and savings platform and a Self 
Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP) client during the 
year. GBST Composer and GBST’s clients also received 
industry awards, including the 2013 Aberdeen Asset 
Management Platform Awards for best use of platform 
technology, best new platform and best platform-enabled 
retirement proposition.

The UK market is evolving with the formation of three key 
platform markets – adviser-focused, direct-to-consumer and 
employer focused ‘Workplace’ platforms. GBST Composer 
has proven its ability to perform in each market, and we have 
diversified to strengthen our offering for SIPPs and life and 
pensions. GBST Composer now has approximately 10% of 
the UK SIPP market. New Budget measures that take effect 
in April 2015 have impacted the sale of annuities, creating 
new opportunities for GBST as financial services firms 
refocus on SIPP and drawdown products.

The life and pensions market represents a significant 
opportunity as organisations consider the advantages from 
migrating old world systems onto a single modern platform 
such as GBST Composer. 

In Australia, where GBST Composer is well established 
revenue was stable at $18.2 million in FY2014, with licence 
fees comprising approximately 75% of income.

We also helped superannuation funds prepare for incoming 
government legislation by automating transactions between 
them and the Australian Taxation Office, using the new GBST 
Composer SuperStream Gateway suite for superannuation 
rollover and contribution transactions. 

Extending software development capacity
During FY2014 we invested in the establishment of a 
technology development centre in Ho Chi Minh City which 
now employs more than 70 skilled staff. The centre will make 
a valuable contribution to our ongoing product development 
and client support.

COMMUNITY

Proudly supporting 
Room to Read
In 2014 we sponsored  
Room to Read, which 
collaborates with 
communities and local 
governments in Asia and 
Africa to assist literacy and 
gender equality in education. 

Emu Design

Emu Design, which provides user Interface and web design 
services for GBST and other organisations, had a difficult 
year. The business expanded in the UK but contracts which 
were expected to begin in the second half were delayed and 
business development costs contributed to a divisional loss 
for the year.

In the UK we launched a new calculator console which 
enables clients to self-manage deployment of GBST’s 
financial calculators. This technology will be launched in 
Australia in the coming year. 

The online development skills of Emu Design continue to 
contribute to the user-friendliness of GBST’s software and 
user interfaces for our clients. Through EMU we provide 
an extensive range of financial calculators for the financial 
services industry.

People and community

We are committed to helping the communities in which we 
operate and match employee donations to charities. We also 
support our staff’s voluntary charitable work with financial 
contributions. In FY2014 the total amount paid to charities 
GBST supports was $146 thousand. We also partnered 
with Room to Read, a global organisation which promotes 
literacy and gender equality in education, establishing school 

libraries, building schools and training teachers in literary 
education. Its programs have benefited 8.8 million people so 
far in Asia and Africa.

We thank our employees who develop our technologies and 
help our customers every day with outstanding work and 
dedication. We now employ more than 470 staff in Australia, 
Asia, Europe and North America. They have driven GBST’s 
momentum, and we look forward to building on this in the 
year to come.

Forward outlook

While market conditions continue to improve, there remains 
considerable uncertainty in financial services sectors 
around the world. We have a consistent and successful 
strategy in place, product diversity and an increasingly broad 
geographic spread of operations.

Over the medium term, we believe that GBST is well placed 
as its global presence and product strength continue to 
grow. Our significant investment in technology ensures 
that our products are competitive, flexible and scalable to 
support ever-increasing demands for new capabilities. 

In Asia, we have a strong pipeline, and we have invested in 
growth in the North American market. In Australia, we expect 
capital markets and economic conditions remain subdued. 

While the environment remains very competitive changing 
regulation continues to provide opportunity for GBST in the 
UK, where the wrap and platforms market is expected to 
continue grow. 

With our leading products, strong opportunities and great 
people, we remain cautiously optimistic that GBST’s positive 
momentum will continue. 

QUICK FACTS

GBST Syn~ delivers 95% automation
GBST Syn~ helped a major North American broker-
dealer firm to automate about 95% of its back- and 
middle-office processes, up from 25% before.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

5

 
Our growing capability

North America

•    First direct US client  

‘live’ using GBST Syn~

•   GBST Syn~’s straight 
through processing 
significantly increases 
automation

•    Sales and marketing 
support strengthened

Hong Kong

•    GBST Syn~ middle-

office clearing solution 
implemented for global 
bank transaction

•    Increasing client wins

•    Close working 

relationships with clients

United Kingdom

•   Growth market for  
GBST Composer

•   GBST Composer sales  
up almost sixfold over  
five years

•    GBST Syn~ Financial 

Transaction Tax ‘live’ at 
global investment bank

N E W   Y O R K

L O N D O N

Singapore

•    GBST Syn~ gaining  
sales momentum

•    Increased sales and 

support team

•   Expanding market 

connectivity

H O N G   K O N G

S I N G A P O R E

Vietnam

•    Technology development 

centre established

•    Proven capacity to 
contribute to major 
projects

•    Employs more than  

70 staff

H O   C H I   M I N H   C I T Y

6

Australia

•    New products enhance 

GBST Shares 

•    First GBST Shares to 
GBST Syn~ transition 
underway

•    GBST SuperStream 

Gateway suite launched

B R I S B A N E

S Y D N E Y
W O L L O N G O N G

M E L B O U R N E

The GBST product suite

T

 Through its flagship products GBST provides 
industry-leading securities transaction and fund 
administration software for the financial services sector. 

The GBST Shares platform is the most scalable and 
widely used middle- and back-office equities system in 
Australia. It helps stockbrokers and third-party clearers to 
manage and execute transactions with the Australian 
Securities Exchange’s market operations and clearing 
systems. It facilitates transactions in virtually every type of 
financial instrument including derivatives, margin lending, 
foreign equities, term deposits, bonds, bank bills and other 
cash products.

GBST’s/Derivatives and Client Accounting system (DCA) a fully 
integrated client accounting system for derivatives trading. It is 
directly connected to the ASX’s derivatives clearing system 
and processes most Australian derivatives transactions.

GBST Front Office is used in the stockbroker’s front office to 
provide client advisers with client management software 
including their portfolio, risk profile and investment 
preferences. GBST’s Business Intelligence reporting (BIR) 
provides pre-built reports and dashboards for advisers, 
which can be scheduled, emailed and exported.

GBST Syn~ is a new-generation technology platform that 
enables capital market participants to manage post-trade 

processing requirements across multiple asset classes, 
entities, markets and operational centres. It offers a regional 
middle- and back-office solution in Australia, Asia, Europe 
and the United States.

GBST Composer is the leading administration and registry 
platform for the wealth management industry, with the 
unique capability to support more than 7,000 investment 
options. In Australia, Composer supports wraps, corporate 
and personal superannuation, pensions, retail and 
wholesale unit trusts, life, risk, loans and cash 
management. In the United Kingdom, it offers a 
comprehensive solution for the management and 
administration of tax wrappers for self-invested personal 
pensions, income drawdown, individual savings accounts, 
bonds and wraps across multiple investments including 
retail and wholesale unit trusts and open ended 
investment companies.

It is supplemented by GBST ComposerWeb, which enables 
advisers and clients to administer portfolios from the presale 
planning stage through to maintaining their portfolios. GBST 
SuperStream Gateway provides funds with flexibility and 
control while connecting them with the Australian Taxation 
Office. GBST Quant provides data analytics and quantitative 
services for measuring portfolio performance and after-tax 
tools and services.

Product

Capability

Market

•    Leading Australian client accounting and securities 

transaction platform

•    Services for capital markets’ institutional and retail 

brokers

•    Solutions include cash equities, derivatives and risk, 
margin lending, cash management and front office

•   Connects an extensive network of financial 

institutions

•   Global post-trade processing platform

•    Regional solutions for Asia, Australia, Europe and 

North America

•    Manages trades across multiple asset classes, 

entities, markets and exchanges

•   Consolidated business intelligence reporting

•    Wealth administration and registry software for the 

Australian funds management industry

•    Comprehensive platform for UK wraps, SIPPs, ISAs, 
bonds, retail and wholesale unit trusts and OIECs

•    Administers more than $400 billion funds under 

management

•   Supports more than 7,000 investment options

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GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

7

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GBST Executive Team

Stephen Lake Managing Director and  
Chief Executive Officer

Robert De Dominicis Chief Executive,  
GBST Wealth Management

Mr Stephen Lake joined GBST in 
September 2001 after an extensive 
career in the capital markets industry in 
Australia, the United Kingdom and Asia. 
Stephen became a shareholder of 
GBST and was appointed Chief 
Executive Officer in 2001. Prior to joining 

GBST, he was Chief General Manager of Financial Markets 
at Adelaide Bank Limited. Stephen was Managing Director 
of BZW’s Capital Market’s Division Australia and also 
Managing Director of the Fixed Interest Division at BZW 
(Asia) Ltd. Stephen is a Member of the Nominations and 
Remuneration Committee.

Patrick Salis Chief Operating Officer 

Patrick was appointed Group Chief 
Operating Officer in August 2012 
following previous roles with GBST as 
Chief Executive, Global Broker Services 
from March 2010 to August 2012 and 
Chief Financial Officer from October 
2007 to March 2010. Before joining the 

company Patrick held senior financial roles in the financial 
services industry, most recently as Chief Financial Officer of 
Virgin Money Australia Limited. He has extensive experience 
working in wealth management, equities and derivatives 
broking, superannuation, mortgages and unsecured lending. 
Patrick holds a Bachelor of Accounting and is a member of 
the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.

Andrew Ritter Chief Financial Officer and 
Company Secretary

Andrew commenced with GBST in 
November 2011 as Chief Financial 
Officer, having spent over 14 years in 
public practice and the commercial 
sector in both Australia and the United 
Kingdom. Most recently, he was Chief 
Financial Officer and Company 

Secretary of IntraPower Limited. Andrew is a Chartered 
Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and 
a Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance.

Isabel Sanchez Chief Technology Officer

Isabel was appointed as Chief 
Technology Officer in March 2008. 
Isabel has over 19 years experience in 
software development and has been 
a member of GBST’s Wealth 
Management Division (formerly 
InfoComp) for 16 years, where she acted 

in a similar capacity since 2000. Isabel holds a Bachelor of 
Computing Science from the University of Wollongong.

8

Robert is a founding partner of 
InfoComp, now GBST’s Wealth 
Management Division, with over 25 
years experience in the development of 
software applications. Robert holds 
a Bachelor of Mathematics. Robert has 
a business and technical software 

background having been part of the Wealth Management 
Division’s development and professional services teams. 

Denis Orrock Chief Executive, GBST Capital Markets

Denis joined GBST in May 2008 and 
was appointed Chief Executive Officer, 
Capital Markets in August 2012. 
Previously, he managed the company’s 
Australian Broker Services and Financial 
Services divisions. Prior to joining GBST, 
Denis was General Manager of 

Infochoice. Denis has worked within the Australian financial 
services industry for over 15 years. 

Ray Tubman Chief Executive, Wealth Administration 

Ray is a founding partner of Infocomp, 
now GBST’s Wealth Management 
division, and is focused on packaging 
and implementing GBST’s Wealth 
Management solutions for new markets. 
He holds a Bachelor of Mathematics.

Scott Hutchinson Chief Executive, Emu Design 

Scott founded Emu Design in 1998 and 
continued to manage the business after 
its acquisition by GBST in 2008. He 
holds four degrees across creative and 
technical disciplines. 

Liz Bevan CEO, North America 

With over fifteen years’ experience in 
financial services, Liz has driven 
strategic product development, product 
management and marketing 
programmes during her tenure at GBST. 
Liz has a track record of delivering on 
strategy development and execution, 

new product development, product management, strategies 
for pricing, marketing and promotion and risk management.

As the company’s first CEO for North America, she is 
charged with delivering overall business growth and 
targeted demand generation for the company’s North 
American operations.

 
GBST Board of Directors

John Puttick Non-Executive Chairman 

Joakim Sundell Non-Executive Director

Dr John Puttick is the founder and 
Chairman of GBST. He holds a Doctor of 
the University from Queensland 
University of Technology and chartered 
accounting qualifications from Auckland 
University of Technology. He has over 
forty years’ experience in building 

commercial systems with information technology, over thirty 
of which have been in developing financial services solutions 
at GBST. 

John is deputy chancellor of Queensland University of 
Technology and a Member of the Hall of Fame of the Pearcey 
Foundation. John is a Member of the Audit and Risk Committee 
and the Nominations and Remuneration Committee.

Stephen Lake Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

Mr Stephen Lake joined GBST in 
September 2001 after an extensive 
career in the capital markets industry in 
Australia, the United Kingdom and Asia. 
Stephen became a shareholder of GBST 
and was appointed Chief Executive 
Officer in 2001. Prior to joining GBST, he 
was Chief General Manager of Financial Markets at Adelaide 
Bank Limited. 

Stephen was Managing Director of BZW’s Capital Market’s 
Division Australia and also Managing Director of the Fixed 
Interest Division at BZW (Asia) Ltd. Stephen is a Member of the 
Nominations and Remuneration Committee.

Allan Brackin Independent Non-Executive Director

Mr Allan Brackin was appointed to the 
Board in April 2005. He has detailed 
knowledge of the IT sector having served 
as Director and Chief Executive Officer of 
Volante Group Limited, one of Australia’s 
largest IT services companies from 
November 2000 to October 2004. Prior to 

this, Allan co-founded a number of IT companies including 
Applied Micro Systems (Australia) Pty Ltd, Prion Pty Ltd and 
Netbridge Pty Ltd, all national organisations operating under the 
Group Company of AAG Technology Services Pty Ltd. Allan is 
Chairman of ASX listed mining technology company Runge 
Pincock Minarco Limited (since November 2011), currently 
serving as Chairman of IT software Company Emagine Pty Ltd 
and is a member of the advisory board for Madison 
Technologies Pty Ltd and Huon IT Pty Ltd. Allan is Chairman of 
GBST’s Audit and Risk Management Committee and is 
a member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee.

Mr Joakim Sundell was appointed 
to the Board in 2001. 

Joakim has an extensive career in private 
equity finance, merchant banking, 
and management both in Sydney and 
London. He is Managing Director of 
Crown Financial Pty Ltd, a private 

investment company. He was a Director of Infochoice Limited 
(from 13 December 2006 until 5 February 2008).

David Adams Independent Non-Executive Director

Mr David Adams was appointed to the 
Board on 1 April 2008. David has an 
extensive career in the funds 
management industry including the 
establishment of Australia’s first cash 
management trust at Hill Samuel 
Australia in 1980 and Group Head of the 

Funds Management Group for Macquarie Bank. He was 
a Director at Macquarie Bank from 1983 until 2001.

David was Chairman of the Investment and Financial Services 
Association in 2000 and 2001. He was a Visiting Fellow 
(Management of Financial Institutions) at Macquarie University 
and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sydney 
and a Masters in Business Administration from the University 
of New South Wales. David is a member of the Audit and Risk 
Management Committee and the Chair of the Nominations 
and Remuneration Committee.

Ian Thomas Independent Non-Executive Director

Dr Ian Thomas was appointed to the 
Board in December 2011. Ian currently 
serves as president of Boeing China, 
having previously served as president of 
Boeing Australia and South Pacific and, 
prior to that, president of Boeing India. 

Prior to joining Boeing in 2001, Ian served in a variety of staff 
and policy roles in the U.S. Department of Defense and is an 
authority on U.S. and global security issues. He is co-chair 
of the US-China Aviation Cooperation Program. During his 
time in Australia, he served as President of the American 
Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Prime 
Minister’s Manufacturing Leaders Group. In 2013 he received 
the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Sir Charles Kingsford Smith 
Medal for outstanding contributions to aviation. 

Ian holds an MPhil in international relations and a PhD 
in history from the University of Cambridge, a graduate 
degree in social sciences from the University of Stockholm, 
and a Bachelor’s degree (cum laude) in history from 
Amherst College.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

9

Corporate Governance  for the year ended 30 June 2014

Introduction

The ASX document, ‘Principles of Good Corporate 
Governance and Best Practice Recommendations with 
2010 Amendments’ 2nd Edition (‘Guidelines’) applying to 
listed entities was released in August 2007 by the ASX 
Corporate Governance Council with the aim of enhancing 
the credibility and transparency of Australia’s capital 
markets. The Board has made an assessment of the 
Company against the Guidelines. The Board has made 
decisions in relation to its operations and the operations 
of the Company that mean that it does not completely 
comply with all of the Guidelines but these are in place 
to guide better performance, and the Board outlines its 
assessment against the Guidelines below. This statement 
on corporate governance reflects the Company’s charter, 
policies and procedures on 29 August 2014. The Board 
also recognises the third edition of the ASX Corporate 
Governance Council’s ‘Corporate Governance Principles 
and Recommendations’, and will update its Corporate 
Governance Statement and practices in due course in 
response to the new recommendations.

(iii)  appointment and removal of the Chief Executive 

Officer and the Company Secretary;

(iv)  reviewing and overseeing systems of risk 

management and internal compliance and control, 
codes of ethics and conduct, and legal and 
statutory compliance;

(v)  monitoring senior management’s performance and 

implementation of strategy; and

(vi)  approving and monitoring financial and other 
reporting and the operation of committees.

d)   Senior management roles are given authorities and 
responsibilities pursuant to both corporate policies 
and through directions issued from time to time. The 
CEO’s performance is reviewed by the Chairman 
in consultation with the Board and the CEO takes 
responsibility for the review of other executives’ 
performance. Formal reviews are conducted at least 
annually. The Board uses a variety of means of review 
including an internally developed survey of board 
members on performance.

Scope of Responsibility of Board

Composition of Board

a)   Responsibility for the Company’s proper corporate 
governance rests with the Board. The Board’s 
guiding principle in meeting this responsibility is to act 
honestly, conscientiously and fairly, in accordance with 
the law, in the interests of GBST’s shareholders with 
a view to building sustainable value for them and the 
interests of employees and other stakeholders.

b)   The Board’s broad function is to:

The Board performs its roles and function, consistent with 
the above statement of its overall corporate governance 
responsibility, in accordance with the following principles:

a)   the Board should comprise at least five Directors;

b)   the Board shall be constituted by members having an 

appropriate range of skills and expertise; and

c)   at least two Directors will be non-executive Directors 

(i)   chart strategy and set financial targets for 

independent from management.

the Company;

(ii)   monitor the implementation and execution of strategy 

and performance against financial targets; and 

(iii)  oversee the performance of executive 

management and generally to take and fulfil an 
effective leadership role in relation to the Company.

c)   Power and authority in certain areas is specifically 

reserved to the Board – consistent with its function as 
outlined above. These areas include:

(i)   composition of the Board itself including the 

appointment and removal of Directors and the making 
of recommendations to shareholders concerning the 
appointment and removal of Directors;

(ii)   oversight of the Company including its control and 

accountability system;

Board Charter and Policy

a)   The Board has adopted a charter (which is kept under 
review and amended from time to time as the Board 
considers appropriate) to give formal recognition to the 
matters outlined above. This charter sets out various 
other matters that are important for effective corporate 
governance including the following:

(i)   a detailed definition of ‘independence’;

(ii)   a framework for the identification of candidates for 
appointment to the Board and their selection;

(iii)  a framework for individual performance review 

and evaluation;

(iv)  proper training to be made available to Directors 
both at the time of their appointment and on an 
on-going basis;

10

(v)  basic procedures for meetings of the Board and 

(viii) review of the external audit function to ensure 

its committees – frequency, agenda, minutes and 
private discussion of management issues among 
non-executive Directors;

prompt remedial action by management, where 
appropriate, in relation to any deficiency in or 
breakdown of controls;

(vi)  ethical standards and values – formalised in a 

(ix)  assessing the adequacy of external reporting for 

detailed code of ethics and values;

the needs of shareholders; and

(vii)  dealings in securities – formalised in a detailed 

(x)  monitoring compliance with the Company’s code 

code for securities transactions designed to ensure 
fair and transparent trading by Directors and senior 
management and their associates; and

(viii) communications with shareholders and the market.

b)   These initiatives, together with the other matters provided 
for in the Board’s charter, are designed to ‘institutionalise’ 
good corporate governance and to build a culture of 
best practice in GBST’s own internal practices and in 
its dealings with others. The Board’s charter is included 
within the Company’s corporate governance charter, 
which is available from the Company’s web site.

of ethics.

c)   Meetings are held at least four times each year. A broad 
agenda is laid down for each regular meeting according 
to an annual cycle. The committee invites the external 
auditors to attend each of its meetings. The committee 
has decided to add to its meeting schedule a further 
committee meeting to provide further time for review 
of accounting matters connected with the Company’s 
financial statements to the Board’s annual program.

Nominations and Remuneration 
Committee

Audit and Risk Management Committee

a)   The purpose of this committee with regard 

a)   The purpose of this committee is to advise on the 
establishment and maintenance of a framework of 
internal control and appropriate ethical standards for 
the management of the Group. Its members are:

(i)   Mr Allan Brackin, Chairman;

(ii)   Mr John Puttick; and

(iii)  Mr David Adams

b)   The committee performs a variety of functions 
relevant to risk management and internal and 
external reporting and reports to the Board following 
each meeting. Among other matters for which the 
committee is responsible are the following:

(i)   Board and committee structure to facilitate a 

proper review function by the Board;

(ii)   internal control framework including management 

information systems;

(iii)  corporate risk assessment and compliance with 

internal controls;

(iv)  internal audit function and management processes 

supporting external reporting;

to remuneration is to review and approve the 
remuneration of senior executives, the remuneration 
policies for the Group and the structure of equity 
based remuneration programmes. 

b)   The purpose of this committee with regard to 

nominations is to consider the structure and membership 
of the Board, to review the performance of the Board, to 
set desirable criteria for future Board members and to 
assess candidates against those criteria.

c)   Due to the importance of people to the business of 
the Group, the committee comprises 4 directors. 
Committee meetings are held from time to time as 
required by the Board.  Meetings are held at least 
twice each year. David Adams, a non-executive and 
independent Director is the chair of the committee. 
Relevant discussions on nominations and remuneration 
have been considered by the Board at various Board 
meetings as specific items of business and in general 
business. The Board periodically conducts a review 
of its own performance with the board surveyed on 
a variety of matters related to their own and their 
collective performance. The results of any survey are 
then tabled with the board and used to assist decision 
making on changes to board processes.

(v)  review of financial statements and other financial 

information distributed externally;

Diversity

(vi)  review of the effectiveness of the audit function;

(vii)  review of the performance and independence of 

the external auditors;

The Board has adopted a diversity policy that documents 
the Company’s commitment to diversity to further embed 
within the Company’s culture the importance of a diverse 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

11

Corporate Governance  for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

work force and an environment that embraces the benefits of 
diversity. The Company takes a broad view on diversity and 
its policy encourages diversity in the workplace in relation to 
gender, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnic origin, religious 
beliefs, impairment and nationality. The diversity policy also 
recognises a commitment to merit based appointments. 

As at 30 June 2014, the proportion of female employees 
in the whole organisation, in senior positions and on the 
Board was:

Proportion of Women at GBST

Proportion of Women in senior roles at GBST

Proportion of Women on the Board

35%

37%

0%

The Nomination and Remuneration Committee within 
its charter is given a specific role to implement and 
monitor the Company’s diversity policy. The Nomination 
and Remuneration Committee set and met measurable 
objectives for the 2014 year including:

1.  The development of female leaders within an executive 
development program that will be continued in 2014; 

2.  Continue the practice of requiring the Company to 

report twice annually on the statistical performance of 
the Company on diversity within GBST; and

3.  The formal adoption of a ‘keeping in touch’ program 
with employees on parental leave to make sure those 
employees are kept up to date on new systems and 
corporate developments and aid a smooth transition 
on the employee’s return to work.

Several other initiatives have been implemented to 
encourage diversity, and the Company’s adoption of a 
diversity policy represents a formalisation of the Company’s 
values. Such initiatives include developing GBST’s own 
paid maternity leave program, offering flexible working 
arrangements for staff returning from parental leave, 
continued support of female entry into IT roles through 
the GBST graduate program and conducting pay equity 
audits annually. The Company is proud to have been a 
past recipient of the Employer of Choice award conducted 
by Women in Technology (WIT), and GBST continues to 
support industry initiatives by promoting female participation 
in the ICT industry including the support of WIT, Group X 
and International Women’s Day. In 2011 GBST signed up to 
participate in the Australian Employment Covenant, which 
aims to secure sustainable jobs for Indigenous Australians. 

Each year the Company is also required to complete a 
report with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, which 
details the Company’s compliance with the Workplace 
Gender Equality Act 2012.

12

In the 2015 year the Company’s measureable objectives 
are to:

1.  Ensure diversity principles are embedded in the 

Company’s corporate culture, by developing a 
learning framework on anti-discrimination, harassment 
and bullying;

2.  Help employees to maintain work/life balance and 
responsibilities while developing and maintaining a 
career, including the ‘keep-in-touch’ program, the 
continual development of female leadership capability 
through the GBST Leadership Development Program 
and flexible working arrangements; and

3.  Recognise and support the needs of an inter-generational 
workforce, by promoting an organisation-wide culture that 
supports the abilities of all employees, regardless of age.

Best Practice Commitment

The Company is committed to achieving and maintaining the 
highest standards of conduct and has undertaken various 
initiatives, as outlined in this section, which are designed to 
achieve this objective. GBST’s corporate governance charter 
is intended to ‘institutionalise’ good corporate governance 
and, to build a culture of best practice both in the Company’s 
own internal practices and in its dealings with others. 

The following are a tangible demonstration of the 
Company’s corporate governance commitment.

a)   Independent professional advice 

With the prior approval of the Chairman, each Director 
has the right to seek independent legal and other 
professional advice concerning any aspect of the 
Company’s operations or undertakings in order to fulfil 
their duties and responsibilities as Directors. Any costs 
incurred are borne by the Company.

b)   Code of ethics and values 

The Company has developed and adopted a detailed 
code of ethics and values to guide Directors in the 
performance of their duties.

c)   Code of conduct for transactions in securities 

The Company has developed and adopted a formal 
code to regulate dealings in securities by Directors 
and senior management and their associates. This 
is designed to ensure fair and transparent trading in 
accordance with both the law and best practice.

d)   Charter 

The code of ethics and values and the code of 
conduct for transactions in securities (referred to 
above) both form part of the Company’s corporate 

governance charter which has been formally adopted 
and is available for review on the Company’s web site.

GBST’s Assessment against the Guidelines

Principle 1 – Lay solid foundations for management 
and oversight

The role of the Board and delegation to management 
have been formalised as described above in this section 
and will continue to be refined, in accordance with the 
Guidelines, in the light of practical experience. GBST 
complies with the Guidelines in this area.

Principle 2 – Structure the Board to add value

Together the Directors have a broad range of experience, 
skills, qualifications and contacts relevant to the business 
of the Company. The majority of the current Board 
is not independent. In particular, the Chairman is not 
independent in terms of the Guidelines. There are three 
independent Directors, namely Mr Allan Brackin, Mr 
David Adams and Dr Ian Thomas. GBST believes that the 
current Board of Directors is appropriate for a Company 
of GBST’s size and the current Directors have been the 
best people to act in the interests of stakeholders and 
for this reason does not presently fully comply with the 
recommendations. The Board will consider increasing 
its size should suitable candidates be identified. The 
number of independent Directors may be increased as 
a result of the additional appointments. The Board calls 
specific meetings of the Board as a Nominations and 
Remuneration Committee.

Principle 3 – Promote ethical and responsible 
decision making

The Board has adopted a detailed code of ethics and 
values and a detailed code of conduct for transactions 
in securities as referred to above. The purpose of these 
codes is to guide Directors in the performance of their 
duties and to define the circumstances in which both they 
and management, and their respective associates, are 
permitted to deal in securities. The Board will ensure that 
restrictions on dealings in securities are strictly enforced. 
Both codes have been designed with a view to ensuring 
the highest ethical and professional standards, as well 
as compliance with legal obligations, and therefore 
compliance with the Guidelines.

Principle 4 – Safeguard integrity in financial reporting

The Audit and Risk Committee has its own Charter. The 
Committee comprises three Directors, the majority of 
which are independent. All the members of the Audit 
Committee are financially literate.

Principle 5 – Make timely and balanced disclosure

Policies and procedures for compliance with ASX 
Listing Rule disclosure requirements are included in the 
Company’s corporate governance charter.

Principle 6 – Respect the rights of shareholders

The Board recognises the importance of this principle and 
strives to communicate with shareholders both regularly 
and clearly – both by electronic means and using more 
traditional communication methods. Shareholders are 
encouraged to attend and participate at general meetings. 
It is intended that the Company’s auditors will always attend 
the annual general meeting and be available to answer 
shareholders’ questions. The Company’s policies comply 
with the Guidelines in relation to the rights of shareholders.

Principle 7 – Recognise and manage risks

The Board, together with management, has constantly 
sought to identify, monitor and mitigate risk. Internal controls 
are monitored on a continuous basis and, wherever possible 
improved. The Company uses its quality management 
system and project management methodologies to identify, 
assess and manage risk. With the acquisition of new 
subsidiaries the Company initiated a program of integration 
which involved an assessment of the adequacies of risk 
management in the subsidiaries to ensure they were of a 
sufficient standard in light of the Board’s requirements in this 
area. The whole issue of risk management is formalised in the 
Company’s corporate governance charter (which complies 
with the Guidelines in relation to risk management) and 
will continue to be kept under regular review. Review takes 
place at both committee level (Audit and Risk Management 
Committee), with meetings at least four times each year, and 
at Board level. The Board requires the CEO and CFO to sign 
all statements required to be provided under the Guidelines 
and Corporations Act in relation to the Company’s financial 
statements and risk management generally.

Principle 8 – Remunerate fairly and responsibly

Remuneration of Directors and executives will be fully 
disclosed in the annual report and any changes with respect 
to key executives announced in accordance with continuous 
disclosure principles. The Board from time to time calls 
a specific meeting of the Board as a Nominations and 
Remuneration Committee. Due to the importance of human 
capital within GBST’s business the committee’s composition 
and the contribution that each member can make has been 
considered appropriate and as a result the committee is not 
independent. The Board has structured the committee to 
have an independent Director as Chairman. The Chairman 
will lead a review of the Directors and the independent 
Directors will lead a review of the Chairman. No individual 
will be directly involved in deciding his or her remuneration.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

13

Directors’ Report  for the year ended 30 June 2014

The Directors of GBST Holdings Limited (‘GBST’ or 
the ‘Company’) submit their report together with the 
consolidated financial report of the Group, comprising the 
Company and its controlled entities for the year ended 
30 June 2014 and the audit report thereon. 

Directors

The names of the Directors of the Company in office during 
the year and to the date of this report are: 

Name

Non-executive

Period of 
Directorship

Dr John F Puttick (Chairperson)

January 1984

April 2008

•   Operating EBITDA increased by 16% to $20.2 million 

(2013: $17.5 million).

•   EBITDA increased by 24% to $20.5 million 

(2013: $16.5 million).

•   Profit before income tax increased by 53% to 

$12.0 million (2013: $7.8 million).

•   Net profit after income tax (NPAT) increased by 66% to 

$10.0 million (2013: $6.0 million).

•   Adjusted cash net profit after income tax (Cash NPAT) 
increased by 30% to $14.3 million (2013: $11.0 million)

•   Senior debt decreased by $9.0 million to $5.0 million 
at 30 June 2014 from $14.0 million at 30 June 2013. 
Net Debt (total borrowings less cash) has reduced from 
$12.4 million at 30 June 2013 to $3.6 million.

•   Dividend payout ratio of 40% on adjusted Cash NPAT 

April 2005

(56% on NPAT) increased (2013: 39%). 

July 2001

December 2011

GBST comprised three divisions during 
the year:

Mr David C Adams

Mr Allan J Brackin

Mr Joakim J Sundell 

Dr Ian Thomas

Executive

Mr Stephen M L Lake (Managing 
Director and Chief Executive Officer)

September 2001

Principal activities

The principal activities of GBST during the year ended 
30 June 2014 were:

•   client accounting and securities transaction technology 
solutions for the finance, banking and capital markets 
industry globally;

•   funds administration and registry software for the 
wealth management industry in Australia and the 
United Kingdom; 

•   gateway technology provider to the superannuation 
industry; provider of data and quantitative services 
offering after tax measurement of portfolio performance 
in Australia; and 

•   website and mobile platform design and digital agency 
services focused on e-commerce and the financial 
services industry in Australia and Europe.

No significant changes in the nature of these activities 
occurred during the year. 

Key Financial Results

•   Total revenue increased by 19% to $98.5 million 

(2013: $83.0 million).

14

•   GBST Capital Markets, through the GBST Syn~ 
platform, provides new-generation technology to 
process equities, derivatives, fixed income and 
managed funds transactions for global capital markets. 
In Australia, GBST also offers the GBST Shares and 
DCA (derivatives) platforms which are the country’s 
most widely used middle-office and back-office 
equities and derivatives systems. Other GBST 
products provide fully integrated solutions for trading, 
clearing and settlement of multi-instruments, currencies 
and markets.

•   GBST Wealth Management, through the GBST 
Composer platform provides end to end funds 
administration and management software to the 
wealth management industry, both in Australia and the 
United Kingdom. It offers an integrated system for the 
administration of wrap platforms, including individual 
savings accounts (ISA’s), pensions, self-invested 
personal pension (SIPP) and superannuation; as 
well as master trusts, unit trusts, risk and debt; and 
other investment assets. Other GBST products 
provide technology hub solutions, and data analytics 
and quantitative services for the measurement of 
portfolio performance.

•   GBST Financial Services, incorporating Emu Design, 
provides independent financial data and digital agency 
services for interactive website design, development, 
hosting, e-commerce platforms, and mobile and social 
networking solutions.

DIVIDENDS
Dividends paid during the year were:

•   Final fully franked ordinary dividend of 3.5 cents 
per share for the 2013 financial year paid on 
23 October 2013, as recommended in the financial 
report for the year ended 30 June 2013.

•   Interim fully franked ordinary dividend of 4.0 cents per 

share paid on 24 April 2014.

Dividends declared after the end of the year:

The Directors recommend a final dividend of 4.5 cents 
per share to be paid to the holders of fully paid ordinary 
shares. The dividend will be 100% franked and will be paid 
on 15 October 2014.

Group results

FULL YEAR TO 30 JUNE 

2014  
$‘000

2013  
$‘000

%  
Change

Total revenue and 
other income

98,491

83,011

Operating EBITDA

20,210

17,497

Unallocated revenue/
(expenses)

264

(971)

EBITDA

20,474

16,526

Net finance costs

(1,115)

(1,495)

19

16

24

25

Depreciation 
& Operating 
Amortisation

Investment 
Amortisation 

Profit before 
income tax 

(3,100)

(2,262)

(37)

(4,250)

(4,944)

12,009

7,825

Income tax expense

(1,978)

(1,794)

Profit after 
income tax

Adjusted Cash 
NPAT

Basic EPS (cents) 

Cash EPS (cents)

10,031

6,031

14,281

10,975

15.07

21.46

9.06

16.49

14

53

66

30

66

30

The table includes IFRS and non-IFRS financial information. Non-IFRS financial 
information is Operating EBITDA, Operating & Investment Amortisation, 
Adjusted Cash NPAT and Cash EPS which has not been audited or reviewed by 
our auditor, KPMG.

Measures of profitability and basis 
of preparation

GBST defines Operating EBITDA as profit before net 
finance costs, tax, depreciation, amortisation, and other 
unallocated expenses. Operating Amortisation is defined 
as amortisation relating to tangible and intangible assets 
used as part of on-going operating activities; Investment 
Amortisation relates to intangible assets acquired through 
acquisition. GBST defines Adjusted Cash NPAT as profit 
after income tax plus Investment Amortisation. GBST uses 
Operating EBITDA, Adjusted Cash NPAT and Cash EPS 
as internal performance indicators for the management 
of its operational business segments, and overall Group 
performance to allow for better evaluation of business 
segment activities and comparison over reporting periods.

Unallocated revenue/(expenses) are legal expenses 
associated with non-operating Group matters which are 
not associated with any business segment and therefore 
are not allocated to a segment. This treatment is in 
accordance with Management’s internal measurement 
of segment performance and the segment disclosures 
in Note 25 to the financial report. Unallocated revenue/
(expenses) are reported to allow for reconciliation between 
the Group and segment reports.

Group performance
RECORD SALES AND PROFITABILITY

GBST, which provides software services for securities 
processing and wealth administration to the financial 
services sector, reported record sales and profitability 
in the 2014 financial year. Total revenue including 
other income was $98.5 million, up 19% compared to 
$83.0 million in the prior year, continuing the strong growth 
of the past four years and demonstrating the success of 
GBST’s strategy of geographic expansion.

The Group reported increased revenue in its markets 
of Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. Both 
GBST Capital Markets and GBST Wealth Management, 
the Group’s main operating divisions, achieved record 
sales supported by new client wins and strong cash 
flow generation. This was attributable primarily to the 
robustness and high quality of its flagship software 
products, GBST Syn~ and GBST Shares for capital 
markets and GBST Composer for wealth administration. 
This industry leadership is sustained by the Group’s 
continued investment in its technology, industry expertise, 
domain knowledge and most important of all, people. 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

15

Directors’ Report  for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

EBITDA was $20.5 million, up 24% compared to 
$16.5 million in the prior year, reflecting the improvement 
of GBST Capital Markets’ international operations and 
growth in sales of GBST Composer in the United Kingdom. 
The increasing international operations means a greater 
exposure to foreign exchange movements, resulting in a 
net gain for FY2014 from a weaker Australian dollar relative 
to FY2013. The Australian business remains very strong, 
generating good revenue and high operating margins, and 
is the bedrock of the company. GBST Financial Services 
reported a loss for the year of $1.1 million, due to increased 
business development costs from expansion into the 
United Kingdom.

The legal matters associated with non-operating Group 
matters, previously recognised as unallocated expenses in 
the financial statements, were satisfactorily resolved in the 
first half of this financial year.

Finance costs were lower, as gross senior debt reduced 
to $5.0 million at 30 June 2014 from $14.0 million at 
30 June 2013. Net debt (total borrowings less cash) 
reduced to $3.6 million at 30 June 2014 from $12.4 million 
at 30 June 2013.

Depreciation and amortisation costs increased, through 
office fit out costs for new premises in Brisbane, 
Sydney, London and New York; and capital expenditure 
to support growth. Staff numbers increased from 
approximately 380 at June 2013 to more than 470 
today; including staff contracted through our offshore 
development centre partner.

GBST’s FY2014 tax rate reduced to 16% due to Australian 
and UK tax concessions related to research and 
development expenditure.

Net profit for FY2014 was $10.0 million, up 66% compared 
to $6.0 million in the prior year. The Directors are pleased 
to recommend a final dividend of 4.5 cents per share, 
fully franked, up from 3.5 cents per share in the previous 
corresponding period. This follows the interim dividend of 
4.0 cents per share, fully franked, paid on 24 April 2014, 
and maintains GBST’s current dividend payout ratio of 
40% of adjusted cash NPAT.

SIGNIFICANT TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT 
DRIVING GROWTH

The benefits of continued investment in GBST’s market 
leading products are confirmed by their accelerating 
use every year, with a number of clear examples being 
demonstrated in the current period. In particular, a key 
client’s successful deployment of GBST Syn~ in North 
America, replacing less efficient legacy systems, enabled 

16

a major broker-dealer firm to automate about 95% of its 
back- and middle-office processes, up from approximately 
25% before. This delivered significant operational 
efficiencies, allowing them to redeploy staff, as well as 
improved visibility into their business performance. 

Another example is a large United Kingdom based client, 
which had a vision for a single back office platform from 
which they could build channel-specific offerings and 
easily integrate future products. This vision was the 
basis for GBST Composer’s initial selection. However, 
significant challenges needed to be overcome. These 
included managing the speed of taking the new platform 
to market with effective risk management and cost control, 
and satisfying the distinct needs of three distribution 
channels on a single platform. The new system would 
need to integrate with complex legacy systems, enabling 
the efficient migration of existing clients and products. 
It was also important that the new system provide an 
infrastructure which was able to flex and grow in line with 
the client’s evolution.

A highly effective partnership between the client and GBST 
resulted in the on-time, on-budget delivery of a market 
leading wrap platform. The platform provided:

•   comprehensive range of tax wrappers, enabling 

broader consumer choice;

•   market-leading decumulation options, which is to assist 
the conversion of pension assets into pension income;

•   open architecture investment choice, 

allowing distribution of multiple investment choices 
for consumers;

•   white-labelling capability;

•   flexible cash management and disbursements; and

•   comprehensive and flexible reporting. 

Just over a year after its initial launch, sales of the firm’s 
platform-based products have already exceeded its 
traditional product sales. The platform now administers 
more than 40,000 client accounts.

The robustness of this software provides an excellent 
return on investment for clients, which helps build a 
positive reputation for GBST.

During the year GBST Syn~ 3.0 was launched, a 
new-generation technology platform for capital markets 
post-trade processing, which now includes improved 
relational database support for Oracle and support for 
Microsoft SQL Server. Performance has improved, and 

less storage is needed. New services for custodians 
include safekeeping settlement systems for cash, stock 
and daily interest processing.

Improved consistency across products was achieved 
through standardising tools. Business intelligence reporting 
(GBST BIR) provides information to advisers from GBST 
Shares, to the derivatives trading system GBST DCA, and 
GBST Composer, enabling these products to share a 
common front office and mobility architecture.

GBST Composer is now able to provide dual support 
for both the Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase ASE 
relational databases, through the development of a new 
platform layer which has recently been rolled out in the 
United Kingdom. 

Two years ago, exploration began into the use of offshore 
resources to manage demand for new software and 
services. Initial success led us to establish a technology 
development centre in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This has 
proved its ability to support large-scale projects and now 
employs more than 70 skilled staff. 

Another area of significant investment was in business 
development, sales and marketing, and we have hired 
staff in Hong Kong, Singapore and New York to drive 
penetration into those markets. 

GBST also improved and extended its internal 
management information systems through implementing 
a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. 
This system links project and development activity to 
accounting and finance systems, providing greater visibility 
into the business and helping to drive margin improvement. 

GBST’s Human Resources capability has also been 
strengthened to place greater emphasis on talent 
management, and a project has begun to implement 
a new electronic learning system to improve overall 
knowledge management across the group. The Company 
has also upgraded core network infrastructure, improving 
systems security features and migrating internal systems 
into the Cloud.

This sustained investment is important to support the 
growth of GBST’s business.

GBST Capital Markets

FY2014 
$000’s

FY2013 
$000’s

%  
Change

Revenue – Australia

29,510

28,757

Revenue – 
International

11,722

6,709

Revenue – Total

41,232

35,466

Operating EBITDA – 
Australia

Operating EBITDA – 
International

Operating EBITDA – 
Total

10,329

10,273

(2,498)

(4,569)

7,831

5,704

3

75

16

1

45

37

Strong growth in sales of GBST Syn~ bolstered revenue, 
which increased to $41.2 million in FY2014, up 16% on the 
prior year. International revenue was $11.7 million, up 75%, 
reflecting growth in Asia and North America. Australian 
revenue was $29.5 million, up 3% and a good outcome in 
a difficult year. Operating EBITDA was $7.8 million, up 37% 
compared to the prior year.

Strengthening position and opportunities in 
international markets

GBST achieved an important milestone with its first direct 
client in the United States going live using GBST Syn~. 
This successful deployment at a very well-regarded 
super regional broker-dealer means GBST now has a 
cornerstone US client. It confirms GBST Syn~’s ability 
to significantly improve client business performance by 
increasing automation and improving efficiency in the 
back-and middle-office. This capability has now been 
proven in several different markets in multiple countries, 
and in organisations of substantial scale and business 
complexity, demonstrating that GBST Syn~ is a truly 
global solution. 

In Asia, one of the world’s largest banking and financial 
services organisations completed its initial deployment of 
GBST Syn~ during the year and began providing third-
party clearing services to the broker-dealer community. 
This has proven to be highly successful, and the firm is 
preparing to roll out GBST Syn~ further. 

Through the strengthened business development 
teams and offices in Hong Kong and Singapore, 
Asia’s most technologically developed markets, GBST 
is well-positioned to provide third-party clearing 
services to investment banks and retail stockbrokers in 
Asian countries.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

17

Directors’ Report  for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

European conditions remained difficult. Discretionary 
spending on technology was constrained as the industry 
focused on meeting regulatory needs. After identifying as 
an opportunity the commitment of 11 European countries 
to introduce a financial transaction tax (FTT) by January 
1 2016, GBST launched the first post-trade processing 
product to assist capital markets participants to manage 
their obligations. Following its first sale to a leading 
US global investment bank, GBST’s Syn~FTT solution 
now manages the bank’s FTT processing including 
validation, tax calculation and exemptions and reporting 
requirements. The FTT has already been implemented by 
two European countries, France and Italy. This product 
is well regarded within the industry and won the ‘Best 
Compliance Solutions’ award at the UK Systems in the 
City awards in 2014.

GBST has continued to invest in building its global 
business development team, including sales and 
marketing support for global financial services 
organisations, large regional broker-dealers, local 
investment banks and retail brokers. 

Legislative change is a constant driver of growth in the 
technology industry. A current example is the potential 
introduction of a shortened equities settlement cycle. 
The straight-through processing capabilities of GBST 
Syn~ is just one factor that will increase the attractiveness 
of GBST’s new generation software platform were this 
to occur. In the majority of markets globally equities 
settlement traditionally completes in three days, or T+3. 
A two-day settlement policy, or T+2, is already in place in 
some European markets and legislation to introduce T+2 in 
North America is being considered.

Initial sales and implementation costs impacted 
profitability, and international operations reported 
a reduced loss of $2.5 million, down from a loss of 
$4.6 million in the prior year.

Solid Australian performance

Australian sales grew to $29.5 million, up 3% on the prior 
year. Retail trading continues to trail 2008 activity levels 
and market conditions remain volatile. Operating EBITDA 
was flat at $10.3 million, representing a good outcome in a 
difficult market.

GBST won new clients through its leading back- and 
middle-office software platform in Australia, GBST Shares. 
Product investment continues, and the long term plan 
to replace GBST Shares with GBST Syn~ is progressing 

to plan. A project for the first client transition from GBST 
Shares to GBST Syn~ has commenced and is scheduled 
to go live in 2015. 

During the year, GBST Shares and GBST Front Office, 
which is used by financial advisers, were enhanced to 
support the Australian Securities Exchange’s ASX mFunds 
settlement service which provides straight-through 
processing of managed funds. GBST Front Office’s 
market share maintained growth. Its recent integration 
with Microsoft Outlook has helped familiarise advisers with 
GBST’s systems.

A new risk management product, MarginSuite was 
introduced, which is a pioneering system to enable brokers 
to estimate and manage ASX SPAN margins on exchange-
traded derivative products throughout the day.

GBST Wealth Management

FY2014 
$000’s

FY2013  
$000’s

%  
Change

Revenue – Australia

18,150

18,225

Revenue – 
International

35,607

25,174

Revenue – Total

53,757

43,399

–

41

24

Operating EBITDA – 
Australia

Operating EBITDA – 
International

Operating EBITDA – 
Total

6,956

6,564

13,520

11,624

16

*   No comparative available for FY2013 Operating EBITDA – international. 

Revenue from new sales, licensing and support of GBST 
Composer was $53.8 million in FY2014, up 24% compared 
to the prior year. This maintained the positive momentum of 
GBST Composer’s sales which have more than doubled in 
four years. Operating EBITDA was $13.5 million, up 16%.

International sales growth continues

In the United Kingdom, GBST secured new contracts and 
revenue grew to $35.6 million, up 41%, as the transition 
of financial services firms from old world paper-based 
systems to new world digital platforms continued. The life, 
pensions and investment markets in the United Kingdom 
are experiencing the impact of retail market reform, and 
the wrap and platform market is expected to quadruple 
by 2020. GBST Composer today supports three of the 

18

 
top six UK platforms, and is the top direct-to-consumer 
software product for the distribution of tax-incentivised 
financial products.

While the wrap and platform market has become more 
competitive, new contracts were signed with platform 
providers, which will use GBST Composer to launch 
direct-to-consumer and adviser-based Self Invested 
Personal Pensions (SIPP) products. One of GBST 
Composer’s competitive advantages is its ability to support 
multiple channels from a single platform. This allows 
separate systems for advisers, corporate and direct-
to-consumer services to be consolidated onto GBST 
Composer’s new world digital platform.

The budget in the United Kingdom announced in 
March 2014 has provided new opportunities. The 
retirement industry is expected to be impacted by 
declining annuity sales, and will need to refocus. As GBST 
Composer offers a contemporary platform for large-scale 
account migration negotiations are occurring with several 
life and pensions organisations, many of which have aging 
technology systems. The significant increase in individual 
savings account, or ISA, allowances and the focus on 
retirement income are expected to benefit established 
platform providers, including GBST clients. GBST has 
secured another new client in the (SIPP) segment, and now 
holds an approximate 10% market share.

The business in the United Kingdom is still in its early 
stages of heavy growth, requiring significant investment in 
technology and product development. Operating margins 
are steadily improving as the business increases in scale 
and annuity license revenue grows.

Steady performance in Australia

Sales in Australia, where GBST Composer has 15 years’ 
superannuation industry experience and a well-established 
client base, were in line with FY13 at $18.2 million. Activity 
was driven by work for existing clients, indicating improving 
confidence in the funds management sector.

Key projects included completing the migration of 
accounts for a global fund manager, and the migration 
of more than 100,000 accounts from legacy systems to 
GBST Composer for a leading life insurance firm. The 
implementation of GBST Composer for a leading bank 
in New Zealand commenced, which will result in the 
consolidation of customer accounts from three separate 
business units onto one platform, delivering significant 
operating efficiency, cost reduction and an enhanced 
customer offering.

During the year GBST launched its SuperStream Gateway 
suite for superannuation rollover and contribution 
transactions. This was the first such service to ‘go live’. The 
gateway automates transactions across GBST’s network 
between superannuation funds, SMSFs and the Australian 
Taxation Office, enabling clients to receive SuperStream 
standard employer superannuation contributions 
electronically. In future, the gateway is expected to become 
the infrastructure conduit for other organisations to 
communicate digitally with the ATO.

Additional to software development being undertaken in 
Vietnam, enhancements planned for GBST Composer 
include a web service for private banking, which will offer a 
new digital experience for high net worth and sophisticated 
investors, and intermediary advisers. GBST Quant entered 
into a strategic alliance with a major Australian bank for the 
GBST TaxAnalyser product.

GBST Financial Services

FY2014 
$000’s

FY2013 
$000’s

%  
Change

Revenue

Operating EBITDA

3,108

(1,141)

3,542

169

(12)

(775)

GBST’s web design expertise through Emu Design 
provides strong support for the Group’s operations in 
Australia and the United Kingdom. Revenue declined 
compared to the prior year as International contracts 
expected to begin in the second half were delayed. The 
softer trading environment and business development 
costs associated with International expansion impacted 
earnings, and the division reported an Operating EBITDA 
loss for the year of $1.1 million.

Emu Design acquired new financial services sector 
clients in the United Kingdom, helping them to meet 
new mortgage market review regulation, and providing 
inheritance tax and venture capital trust investment tools 
for direct-to-consumer and adviser businesses. 

A highlight was the launch of a new GBST 
CalculatorConsole in both the United Kingdom and 
Australia. This product’s rapid development framework 
allows clients to self-manage the deployment of GBST 
financial calculators on their websites.

Emu Design continued to develop and license its 
e-commerce capabilities, adding new clients on long-term 
contracts to its platform in Australia, where it services 
some of the country’s largest retailers.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

19

Directors’ Report  for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Financial position 

Environmental issues

The senior debt facility matures on 27 December 2015. 
Senior debt as at 30 June 2014 was $5.0 million, 
compared to $14.0 million at 30 June 2013. GBST’s net 
debt reduced from $12.4 million to $3.6 million over the 
same period. At reporting date, all banking covenants have 
been met. Based on the Group’s current forecast and 
business plan, the Group anticipates that it will continue to 
meet its covenants. 

Significant changes in state of affairs

As at the reporting date, GBST has on issue 66,561,725 
ordinary shares. During the period 528,302 (2013: 
1,314,636) performance rights were issued to selected 
employees under the GBST Performance Rights and 
Option Plan which are subject to performance criteria. 

No other significant changes in the state of affairs of the 
Group occurred during the financial year, other than those 
disclosed in this report.

Subsequent events

No matters or circumstances have arisen since the end 
of the financial year which significantly affected or may 
significantly affect operations of GBST, the results of 
those operations, or the state of affairs of GBST in future 
financial years. 

As announced to the ASX on 5 August 2014, the Group 
issued 345,005 performance rights to selected employees. 
The rights were issued under the GBST Performance 
Rights and Option Plan approved by GBST shareholders 
at the 2012 AGM. Following this grant the total number of 
share performance rights issued will be 2,177,388. 

The Board of GBST also intends to issue 100,486 
performance rights to Mr Stephen Lake, Managing 
Director, on the same terms as the issue of these 
performance rights. The issue to Mr Lake will be subject to 
shareholder approval at the upcoming AGM later this year.

Future developments, prospects and 
business opportunities

Information regarding the Company’s future developments, 
prospects and business opportunities is included in the 
report above. Overall, GBST will continue to:

•   Enhance and develop its products and services;

•   Expand services to clients geographically; and

•   Focus on increasing revenue and market share in the 
markets in which it operates, and enter new markets.

20

There are no significant environmental regulations applying 
to the Group.

Information on Directors

John Puttick Non-Executive Chairman 
Dr John Puttick is the founder and Chairman of GBST. 
He holds a Doctor of the University from Queensland 
University of Technology and chartered accounting 
qualifications from Auckland University of Technology. He 
has over forty years’ experience in building commercial 
systems with information technology, over thirty of which 
have been in developing financial services solutions 
at GBST. John has provided the vision for GBST’s 
development over these years. 

Dr Puttick has numerous external appointments. John 
is Deputy Chancellor of the Queensland University of 
Technology, as well as adjunct Professor, School of 
Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at the 
University of Queensland. He has participated in various 
Ministerial appointments and overseas missions.

He has also had extensive involvement in the community 
as Past President of the Rotary Club of Brisbane; founding 
Chair of Vision Queensland; and founding member of 
Software Queensland. John’s contribution to the Australian 
technology industry has been acknowledged by his 
peers naming him as a Member of the Hall of Fame of 
the Pearcey Foundation and as a Fellow of the Australian 
Computer Society. John was inaugural Chair of Southbank 
Institute of Technology.

John is a member of GBST’s Audit and Risk 
Management Committee and Nominations and 
Remuneration Committee.

Interest in Shares and Options
5,278,356 Ordinary Shares of GBST Holdings Limited were 
held by Dr Puttick and associated entities at 30 June 2014.

Stephen Lake Managing Director and Chief 
Executive Officer
Mr Stephen Lake joined GBST in September 2001 after 
an extensive career in the capital markets industry in 
Australia, the United Kingdom and Asia. Stephen became 
a shareholder of GBST and was appointed Chief Executive 
Officer in 2001. Prior to joining GBST, he was Chief General 
Manager of Financial Markets at Adelaide Bank Limited. 
Stephen was Managing Director of BZW’s Capital Market’s 

Division Australia and also Managing Director of the Fixed 
Interest Division at BZW (Asia) Ltd. Stephen is a Member of 
the Nominations and Remuneration Committee.

Interest in Shares and Options
5,146,109 Ordinary Shares and 365,177 performance 
rights of GBST Holdings Limited were held by Mr Lake at 
30 June 2014.

Allan Brackin Independent Director
Mr Allan Brackin was appointed to the Board in April 2005. 
He has detailed knowledge of the IT sector having served 
as Director and Chief Executive Officer of Volante Group 
Limited, one of Australia’s largest IT services companies 
from November 2000 to October 2004. Prior to this, Allan 
co-founded a number of IT companies including Applied 
Micro Systems (Australia) Pty Ltd, Prion Pty Ltd and 
Netbridge Pty Ltd. Allan is Chairman of ASX listed mining 
technology company RungePincockMinarco Limited 
(since November 2011), Chairman of IT software company 
Emagine Pty Ltd and Chairman of telecommunications 
carrier Opticomm Pty Ltd. Allan is also a member of the 
advisory board for several IT companies. 

Allan holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from the 
Queensland University of Technology and has completed 
the OPM (Owner/President Management) program at 
Harvard Business School.

Allan is Chairman of GBST’s Audit and Risk Management 
Committee and is a member of the Nominations and 
Remuneration Committee.

Interest in Shares and Options
381,943 Ordinary Shares of GBST Holdings Limited were 
held by Mr Brackin’s associated entities at 30 June 2014.

Joakim Sundell Non-Executive Director
Mr Joakim Sundell was appointed to the Board in 2001. 
Joakim has had an extensive career in private equity 
finance, merchant banking, and management both in 
Sydney and London. He is Managing Director of Crown 
Financial Pty Ltd, a private investment company. He was 
a Director of Infochoice Limited from 13 December 2006 
until 5 February 2008. 

David Adams Independent Director
Mr David Adams was appointed to the Board in 
April 2008. David has had an extensive career in the 
funds management industry including the establishment 
of Australia’s first cash management trust at Hill Samuel 
Australia in 1980 and as Group Head of the Funds 
Management Group for Macquarie Bank. He was a 
Director at Macquarie Bank from 1983 until 2001. 

David was Chairman of the Investment and Financial 
Services Association in 2000 and 2001. He was a 
Visiting Fellow (Management of Financial Institutions) at 
Macquarie University and holds a Bachelor of Science 
from the University of Sydney and a Masters in Business 
Administration from the University of New South Wales. 
David is a member of the Audit and Risk Management 
Committee and the Chair of Nominations and 
Remuneration Committee.

Interests in Shares and Options
Nil

Ian Thomas Independent Director
Dr Ian Thomas was appointed to the Board in 
December 2011. Ian currently serves as president of 
Boeing China, having previously served as president 
of Boeing Australia and South Pacific and, prior to that, 
president of Boeing India. 

Prior to joining Boeing in 2001, Ian served in a variety of 
staff and policy roles in the U.S. Department of Defense 
and is an authority on U.S. and global security issues. 
He is co-chair of the US-China Aviation Cooperation 
Program. During his time in Australia, he served as 
President of the American Chamber of Commerce and 
Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Manufacturing Leaders 
Group. In 2013 he received the Royal Aeronautical 
Society’s Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Medal for 
outstanding contributions to aviation. 

Ian holds an MPhil in international relations and a PhD 
in history from the University of Cambridge, a graduate 
degree in social sciences from the University of Stockholm, 
and a Bachelor’s degree (cum laude) in history from 
Amherst College.

Interest in Shares and Options
5,781,610 Ordinary Shares of GBST Holdings Limited were 
held by Mr Sundell’s associated entities at 30 June 2014. 

Interests in Shares and Options
Nil

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

21

Directors’ Report  for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Company Secretary

Mr David M Doyle joined GBST in 1997 as an in house legal advisor and was appointed to the position of Company 
Secretary on 18 April 2005. Mr Doyle holds Bachelor degrees in Law and Business (Computing) from Queensland 
University of Technology. Mr Doyle resigned on the 14th February 2014.

Mr Sean Norman was appointed to the position of Company Secretary on 14th February 2014. Mr Norman holds 
Bachelor degrees in Law and Arts from University of Adelaide and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from University of 
South Australia.

Directors’ meetings

The number of Directors’ meetings (including meetings of committees of Directors) and number of meetings attended by 
each of the Directors of the Company during the financial year are:

Directors

J Puttick

D Adams

A Brackin

S Lake

J Sundell

I Thomas

DIRECTORS’ MEETINGS

AUDIT AND RISK  
COMMITTEE

NOMINATION AND 
REMUNERATION COMMITTEE

Eligible to 
Attend

Attended

Eligible to 
Attend

Attended

Eligible to 
Attend

Attended

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

7

8

9

7

9

5

5

5

–

–

–

5

5

5

5*

–

–

3

3

3

3

–

–

3

3

2

3

–

–

*   At the request of the Audit and Risk Committee Mr S Lake (CEO) attends the Audit and Risk Committee meetings even though he is not a member of 

the committee.

Remuneration report – audited

The information provided in the remuneration report relates to the Group for the year ended 30 June 2014 and has been 
audited as required by section 308(3C) of the Corporations Act (2001).

The remuneration report is set out under the following main headings:

a.  Remuneration Policies and Practices

b.  Group Performance and Remuneration

c.  Service Agreements

d.  Details of Remuneration

(a)  Remuneration Policies and Practices 
Remuneration Principles

Key Management Personnel comprise the Directors and Senior Executives who have authority and responsibility for 
planning, directing and controlling the activities of the Group. 

The principles for determining the nature and amount of remuneration of Key Management Personnel are as follows:

•   The Group will use competitive remuneration packages to attract, motivate and retain talented Executives as 

determined by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee.

•   The employees will be rewarded for sustained and sustainable improvement in the performance of the Group.

22

•   Key Management Personnel are encouraged to make 
investments in the Group in accordance with the 
Group’s share trading guidelines.

•   Bonus payments based upon Group performance 

and the meeting of corporate objectives – Short Term 
Incentive (STI).

•   Senior Executive agreements will not allow for 

•   Equity based remuneration – Long Term Incentive (LTI).

significant termination payments if an employment 
agreement has to be terminated for cause. 

•   The Group will make full disclosure of Director and 

Executive remuneration.

•   The Group’s practices will be legal, ethical and 

consistent with being a good corporate citizen. It will 
comply with remuneration disclosures required by law 
and will seek to maintain the highest standards of clarity 
and transparency in communications with shareholders.

The Board recognises the significant role played by 
remuneration in attracting and retaining staff with the 
aim to benchmark against other similar roles situated in 
other similar companies listed on the Australian Securities 
exchange within similar industry sectors.

Remuneration paid to Directors and Executives is valued 
at the cost to the Group, except for share based payments 
which are valued at fair value. 

Remuneration Structure – Non-Executive Directors

Remuneration of non-executive Directors is determined by 
the Board with reference to market rates for comparable 
companies and reflective of the responsibilities and 
commitment required of the Director. The remuneration of 
Directors is voted on annually as part of the acceptance 
of the Remuneration Report at the Company’s Annual 
General Meeting. The current shareholder approved limit is 
$750 thousand. 

Non-executive Directors are paid fixed annual 
remuneration as set out in letters of appointment. Reviews 
of each individual Director and Directors as a whole occur 
annually. The annual fees paid in 2014 are $135,000 for 
the Chairman, $90,000 for Chairmen of Committees of 
the Board and $80,000 for Non-Executive Directors. 
Non-executive Directors may make investments in the 
Company in accordance with the Company’s share trading 
guidelines but they do not participate in the existing GBST 
Performance Rights and Option Plan. GBST does not 
operate a scheme for retirement benefits to Directors. 

Remuneration Structure – Senior Executives

The Group’s remuneration structure for Senior Executives 
has three components.

•   Fixed remuneration of salary and superannuation.

A combination of these comprises the 
Executive’s remuneration.

Executive remuneration packages are aligned with 
the market and properly reflect the person’s duties, 
responsibilities and performance. Executive remuneration 
packages are reviewed annually by reference to the 
Group’s economic performance, Executive performance 
and comparative information from industry sectors. The 
performance of Executives is considered annually against 
agreed performance objectives relating to both individual 
performance goals and contribution to the achievement of 
broader Group objectives. 

Fixed Annual Remuneration

The fixed remuneration consists of cash salary (base) and 
superannuation contributions. The fixed remuneration 
is reviewed annually based on individual performance, 
salary survey data and comparisons with data from 
companies operating in a similar industry. The Executives 
responsibilities, changes in responsibility, experience and 
the geographic location for the performance of the work 
are taken into account during the review process. 

Short Term Incentive Remuneration (STI)

The Group operates a short term bonus scheme to provide 
competitive performance based remuneration incentives to 
both Executives and staff. Its objectives are to:

•   Promote continuous improvement in annual 

performance outcomes;

•   Align the interests of the Executives and staff with those 

of shareholders;

•   Provide participants with the opportunity to be 

rewarded with at risk remuneration where superior 
performance outcomes are achieved over the 
measurement period; 

•   Reflect a strong commitment towards attracting and 

retaining high performing Executives and staff who are 
committed to the ongoing success of the Group; and

•   Develop a culture where achievement of financial 
objectives is seen as a key measure of success.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) for Executives were 
agreed with each Executive at the beginning of the 2014 
financial year. Each Executive had specific agreed goals 
for determination of Short Term Performance Incentives. 
The KPI’s include measures of Group performance and 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

23

Directors’ Report  for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

The Company uses Shareholder Return as a performance 
hurdle for the LTI plan, measured by growth in earnings 
per share. 

On 8 November 2012, 1,314,636 performance rights 
were issued to select Executive employees. There is a 
nil exercise price and the share performance rights vest 
in thirty-six months after the date of grant or the date of 
release of GBST’s financial results for the 2015 financial 
year. The share performance rights expire thirty days after 
the vesting date.

The performance criteria associated with the grant of 
share performance rights to Key Management Personnel 
outstanding under the GBST Performance Rights and 
Option Plan is as follows:

1. Cumulative Earnings Per Share (EPS) Target
Vesting of the performance rights granted will be subject 
to GBST achieving three year (2013 – 2015 financial 
years) cumulative EPS targets of 26 cents, 28 cents, and 
32 cents for 25%, 50% and 100% vesting respectively. 
There is also a vesting requirement that a minimum EPS of 
5 cents is achieved in each year; and, 

2. Service Condition
Continuous employment with GBST Holdings Limited from 
grant date to vesting date.

For issue to non-Key Management Personnel refer to 
Note 29.

individual performance against financial, non-financial and 
strategic goals. Achievement of performance objectives 
may entitle an Executive to a cash bonus. The Board, 
through its Nomination and Remuneration Committee, 
supervises all calculations of performance against the 
KPI’s to ensure fairness for the Executives and the Group. 

The arrangements align the KPI’s for Executives with the 
Group’s strategic plan. The Board, where appropriate, 
also exercised its discretion to award an additional 
bonus in recognition of exceptional contribution to the 
Group’s strategy.

Generally, bonus arrangements are capped at a maximum 
of 50% of base remuneration, however when exceptional 
outcomes are delivered, or where warranted by special 
circumstances, a bonus may exceed this amount. 
The payment of a performance bonus is subject to a 
consideration of whether or not the overall performance of 
the Group warrants the payment of a bonus. 

The Board assessed the performance hurdles on a 
subjective and substantive basis – based on the criteria 
determined at the commencement of the financial year. 
The STI cash bonuses were determined after that review. 

Long Term Incentive Remuneration (LTI)

Performance rights are issued under the GBST 
Performance Rights and Options Plan approved at the 
Company’s 2012 Annual General Meeting. Under this 
scheme selected staff are made individual offers of specific 
numbers of share performance rights at the discretion of 
the Board. The Board may determine the number of share 
performance rights, vesting conditions, vesting period, 
exercise price and expiry date. Share performance rights 
may be granted at any time, subject to the Corporations 
Act and ASX Listing Rules.

The scheme involves the use of performance rights to 
acquire shares. The plan is designed to reward Executives 
in a manner which aligns this element of remuneration 
with the financial performance of the Company and the 
interests of shareholders. As such, LTI grants are only 
made to Executives and selected employees who are able 
to influence the generation of shareholder wealth and thus 
have an impact on the Group’s performance against the 
relevant long term performance hurdle. Executives are also 
required to meet continued service conditions in order to 
exercise the performance rights. 

24

(b)  Group Performance and Remuneration
The table below shows the financial performance of the Group over the last five years. GBST’s remuneration practices 
seek to align Executive remuneration with growth in profitability and shareholder value, amongst other things.

EBITDA

Year on Year Growth

Net profit/(loss) before tax

Year on Year Growth

Net profit/(loss) after tax

Year on Year Growth

EPS (cents)

Year on Year Growth

Closing share price

Dividends paid (cents per share)

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

$16.4m

$13.7m

$14.2m

$16.5m

29%

$(.6)m

(130%)

$(2.4)m

(214%)

(3.68)

(194%)

$0.98

–

(16)%

$3.3m

666%

$1.4m

158%

2.08

157%

$0.80

4

4%

$4.5m

37%

$3.3m

135%

4.87

134%

$0.81

4.5

16%

$7.8m

76%

$6.0m

86%

9.06

86%

$1.70

5.5

$20.5m

24%

$12.0m

53%

$10.0m

66%

15.07

66%

$3.15

7.5

(c)  Service Agreements
Remuneration and other terms of employment for Executive Directors and Executives are formalised in service 
contracts. All agreements with Executives are subject to an annual review. Each of the agreements provide for base pay, 
leave entitlements, superannuation, performance-related bonus and any other benefits. The Group is an international 
organisation and when Executives are seconded to other countries their packages are reviewed in line with normal 
employment expectations for those countries. This may involve adjustments for cost of living and the provision of benefits 
customary in the country of employment. The amounts of the benefits are set out in the table in section (e) below as 
Short-Term Benefits Other. The agreements also contain normal provisions relating to the protection of confidential 
information and intellectual property rights as well as post-employment restraints. 

Service agreements with Executives are currently open ended. Mr Lake’s service agreement has a minimum term of three 
years ending in February 2015 and is able to be terminated by either party giving not less than six months’ notice. Other 
Executive’s agreements require up to six months’ notice. No other termination payments are applicable.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

25

Directors’ Report  for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

(d)  Services from Remuneration Consultants
No remuneration consultants services for Key Management Personnel were obtained in this financial year. 

(e)  Details of Remuneration 
The remuneration for each Director and Executive Officer (Key Management Personnel) of the Group accrued for the 
financial year was as follows: 

SHORT–TERM BENEFITS

POST–
EMPLOY-
MENT 
BENEFITS

OTHER 
LONG–
TERM 
BENEFITS

SHARE–
BASED 
PAYMENT

Base 
Salary 
and Fees 
$

135,000

82,380

90,000

Bonus 
$1

Other 
$2

Super–
annuation 
$

Leave 
Entitlement 
$

Equity 
Options 
$

Total 
Remu-
neration 
$

Equity 
Based 
% 

Perfor-
mance 
Related 
%

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

7,620

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

135,000

90,000

90,000

–

–

–

–

–

–

641,275

120,000

292,087

1,825

14,750

99,219

1,169,156

8.5

18.8

80,000

80,000

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

80,000

80,000

–

–

–

–

1,108,655

120,000

292,087

9,445

14,750

99,219 1,644,156

2014 
Directors

J Puttick

D Adams 

A Brackin

S Lake

J Sundell

I Thomas 

TOTAL 
DIRECTORS

Executives

R De Dominicis

438,795

70,000 

121,205 

D Orrock 

349,604

70,000

236,575

–

–

7,373

49,609

686,982

5,385

49,609

711,173

A Ritter 

P Salis 

240,000

–

320,000

54,795

I Sanchez 

300,000

63,927

–

–

–

22,200

4,615

31,750

298,565

34,805

6,154

39,687

455,441

33,823

5,769

39,687

443,206

7.2

7.0

10.6

8.7

9.0

17.4

16.8

10.6

20.7

24.7

TOTAL 
EXECUTIVES

GROUP 
TOTAL

1,648,399

258,722

357,780

90,828

29,296

210,342 2,595,367

2,757,054

378,722

649,867

100,273

44,046

309,561 4,239,523

1.   Bonus amounts for the financial year represent the amount that vested in the financial year against specific performance criteria. No amounts vest in future 

financial years in respect of bonus schemes for the current financial year.

2.   Other amounts are short-term benefits that do not constitute base salary, fees and bonus and include cost of living adjustments for Executives on secondment 

and fringe benefits tax.

3.   The cost of performance rights is reported in accordance with accounting standard AASB 2 Share-based Payments, which has the effect of reporting the cost of 

the performance rights over the period between the grant date and vesting date. 

26

The remuneration for each Director and Executive Officer (Key Management Personnel) of the Group accrued for the 
financial year was as follows:

SHORT-TERM BENEFITS

POST-
EMPLOY-
MENT 
BENEFITS

OTHER 
LONG-
TERM 
BENEFITS

SHARE-
BASED 
PAYMENT

Base Salary 
and Fees 
$

Bonus 
$1

Other 
$2

Super-
annuation 
$

Leave 
Entitlement 
$

Equity 
Options 
$

Total 
Remunera-
tion $

Equity 
Based 
% 

Perfor-
mance 
Related 
%

2013 
Directors

J Puttick

D Adams 

A Brackin

S Lake

J Sundell

I Thomas

TOTAL 
DIRECTORS

Executives

–

–

4.4

5.8

6.5

4.9

5.7

–

–

21.7

19.3

15.1

13.8

24.1

95,000

55,046

60,000

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

4,954

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

95,000

60,000

60,000

–

–

–

–

–

–

641,305

135,000

294,142

1,795

14,750

63,880

1,150,872

5.6

17.3

60,000

60,000

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

60,000

60,000

971,351

135,000

294,142

6,749

14,750

63,880 1,485,872

R De Dominicis

438,795

125,000

121,205

–

7,373

31,940

724,313

D Orrock 

310,235

75,000

118,717

13,207

5,385

31,940

554,484

A Ritter

P Salis 

240,000

27,460

–

24,140

4,615

20,442

316,657

291,197

45,767

77,707

74,360

2,844

25,552

517,427

I Sanchez 

300,000

82,380

–

34,620

5,769

25,552

448,321

TOTAL 
EXECUTIVES

GROUP 
TOTAL

1,580,227

355,607

317,629

146,327

25,986

135,426 2,561,202

2,551,578

490,607

611,771

153,076

40,736

199,306 4,047,074

1.   Bonus amounts for the financial year represent the amount that vested in the financial year against specific performance criteria. No amounts vest in future 

financial years in respect of bonus schemes for the current financial year.

2.   Other amounts are short-term benefits that do not constitute base salary, fees and bonus and include cost of living adjustments for Executives on secondment 

and fringe benefits tax.

3.   The cost of performance rights is reported in accordance with accounting standard AASB 2 Share-based Payments, which has the effect of reporting the cost of 

the performance rights over the period between the grant date and vesting date. 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

27

Directors’ Report  for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Group and Company Key 
Management Personnel
Names and positions held of Group and Company Key 
Management Personnel in office at any time during the 
financial year were:

Key Management 
Personnel

Position

J Puttick

D Adams

A Brackin

S Lake

J Sundell

I Thomas

Director (Non-executive Chairman)

Director (Independent)

Director (Independent)

Director (Managing Director and Chief 
Executive Officer)

Director (Non-executive)

Director (Independent) 

R De Dominicis

Chief Executive Wealth Management

D Orrock

Chief Executive Capital Markets

A Ritter

P Salis

Chief Financial Officer 

Chief Operating Officer

I Sanchez

Chief Technology Officer

Performance Right Holdings for Key 
Management Personnel
Performance rights issued as part of Remuneration for 
the Year Ended 30 June 2014

There were no performance rights issued as 
remuneration to key management personnel in the 
30 June 2014 financial year.

Performance rights granted as remuneration to 
Key Management Personnel in the Year Ended 
30 June 2014

There were no performance rights granted as 
remuneration to key management personnel in the 
30 June 2014 financial year.

Shares issued on exercise of compensation options

There were no performance rights exercised during 
the 30 June 2014 financial year that were granted as 
compensation in previous financial years as remuneration 
to key management personnel. 

28

Performance Right Holdings for Key Management Personnel (continued)
The numbers of performance rights in the Company held (directly, indirectly or beneficially) during the financial year by Key 
Management Personnel, including their related parties, are set out below.

2014

Directors

S Lake

Balance 
01/07/13

365,177

TOTAL DIRECTORS

365,177

Executives

R De Dominicis

D Orrock 

A Ritter

P Salis 

I Sanchez 

182,588

182,588

116,857

146,071

146,071

TOTAL EXECUTIVES

774,175

GROUP TOTAL

1,139,352

Granted as 
Compen-
sation
$

Performance 
rights 
Exercised or 
Sold 
$

Performance 
rights  
Cancelled/
Forfeited 
$

Total 
Vested and 
Excercis-
able at 
30/06/14
$

Total 
Vested and 
Unexercis-
able at 
30/06/14 
$

Balance  
30/06/14
$

Total Vested 
at 30/06/14
$

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

365,177

365,177

182,588

182,588

116,857

146,071

146,071

774,175

1,139,352

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

365,177

365,177

182,588

182,588

116,857

146,071

146,071

774,175

1,139,352

Details of Performance rights held by Key Management Personnel affecting current and future remuneration

Vested 
Number 
#

Granted 
Number 
#

Grant Date

Average 
Value per 
Performance 
right at Grant 
Date 
$

Exercise Price 
$

First Exercise 
Date

Last 
Exercise Date

Directors

S Lake

TOTAL DIRECTORS

Executives

R De Dominicis

D Orrock 

A Ritter 

P Salis

I Sanchez 

TOTAL EXECUTIVES

GROUP TOTAL

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

365,177

08.11.12

0.8151

365,177

182,588

08.11.12

182,588

08.11.12

116,857

08.11.12

146,071

08.11.12

146,071

08.11.12

0.8151

0.8151

0.8151

0.8151

0.8151

774,175

1,139,352

Details of these performance rights are set out in Note 29 in the financial statements.

–

–

–

–

–

–

08.11.15

08.12.15

08.11.15

08.12.15

08.11.15

08.12.15

08.11.15

08.12.15

08.11.15

08.12.15

08.11.15

08.12.15

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

29

Directors’ Report  for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Related Parties 

Transactions between related parties are on normal commercial terms and conditions no more favourable than those 
available to other parties unless otherwise stated.

Transactions with Directors and Key Management Personnel
Compensation and equity interests are set out in the Remuneration Report.

Consultancy fees paid to Mr J Puttick.

Shareholdings

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

–

4,000

The numbers of shares in the Company held (directly, indirectly or beneficially) during the financial year by Key 
Management Personnel, including their related parties, are set out below. 

2014

Directors

J Puttick 

A Brackin 

S Lake 

J Sundell 

TOTAL DIRECTORS

Executives

R De Dominicis

P Salis 

TOTAL EXECUTIVES

GROUP TOTAL

Balance at 
01/07/13

Received as 
Compensation

Performance 
Rights & 
Options 
Exercised

Net Change 
Other(i)

Balance at 
30/06/14

5,697,461

381,943

5,146,109

9,631,610

20,857,123

2,724,659

16,135

2,740,794

23,597,917

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

(419,105)

5,278,356

–

–

381,943

5,146,109

(3,850,000)

5,781,610

(4,269,105)

16,588,018

–

–

–

2,724,659

16,135

2,740,794

(4,269,105)

19,328,812

1.   Shares purchased or sold, consideration for shareholdings purchased by Group, or excluded from disclosure due to resignation.

Indemnifying Directors and Officers

During the financial year, the Group paid a premium to insure the Directors and Officers of the Group. The terms of the 
insurance contract prevent additional disclosure. 

In addition, the Company has entered into Deeds of Indemnity which ensure the Directors and Officers of the Group 
will incur, to the extent permitted by law, no monetary loss as a result of defending the actions taken against them as 
Directors and Officers. 

Certain legal expenses have been paid on behalf of a Director under the deed of indemnity with that Director. The Group 
is not aware of any other liability that has arisen under these indemnities at the date of the report.

30

Performance rights

Rounding 

To assist in the attraction, retention and motivation of 
employees, the Company operates a GBST Performance 
Rights and Option Plan.

The number of performance rights over ordinary shares 
outstanding at 30 June 2014 are as follows:

Grant Date

Exercise Date Exercise Price

Number

08.11.12

16.09.13

11.02.14

08.11.15

16.09.16

11.02.16

$0.00

1,314,636

$0.00

$0.00

514,536

13,766

The Company is of a kind referred to in ASIC Class Order 
98/100 dated 10 July 1998 and in accordance with that 
Class Order, amounts in the financial report and Directors’ 
report have been rounded off to the nearest thousand 
dollars, unless otherwise stated.

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors

No further employee performance rights have been issued 
up to the date of this report. 

Dr J F Puttick 
Chairman

Mr S M L Lake 
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

Dated at Brisbane this 18th day of August 2014

Proceedings on behalf of Company

No person has applied for leave of Court to bring 
proceedings on behalf of the Company or intervene in 
any proceedings to which the Company is a party for the 
purpose of taking responsibility on behalf of the Company 
for all or any part of those proceedings. The Company was 
not a party to any such proceedings during the year. 

Non-audit services

The Board of Directors, in accordance with advice from the 
Audit and Risk Committee, is satisfied that the provision of 
non-audit services during the year is compatible with the 
general standard of independence for Auditors imposed by 
the Corporations Act (2001). 

Refer to Note 21 in the financial report for details of 
non-audit service fees.

Lead Auditor’s Independence Declaration

The lead Auditor’s independence declaration can be found 
on the page following this Directors’ report and forms part 
of the Directors’ report for the year ended 30 June 2014.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

31

ABCD

Lead Auditor’s Independence Declaration under Section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001   

Auditor’s Independence Declaration   

To: the directors of GBST Holdings Limited

for the year ended 30 June 2014

I declare that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, in relation to the audit for the financial 
year ended 30 June 2014 there have been:

•

•

no contraventions of the auditor independence requirements as set out in the Corporations 
Act 2001 in relation to the audit; and

ABCD

no contraventions of any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit. 

Lead Auditor’s Independence Declaration under Section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001   
KPMG
To: the directors of GBST Holdings Limited

I declare that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, in relation to the audit for the financial 
year ended 30 June 2014 there have been:

no contraventions of the auditor independence requirements as set out in the Corporations 
Act 2001 in relation to the audit; and

no contraventions of any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit. 

•
Stephen Board
Partner
•
Brisbane
18 August 2014 

KPMG

Stephen Board
Partner

Brisbane
18 August 2014 

31

32

31

KPMG, an Australian partnership and a member firm of the KPMG 
network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG 
International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity.  

Liability limited by a scheme approved under 
Professional Standards Legislation. 

KPMG, an Australian partnership and a member firm of the KPMG 

network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under 

International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity.  

Professional Standards Legislation. 

 
 
Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss 
and Other Comprehensive Income   

for the year ended 30 June 2014

Revenue from license and support sales

Revenue from sponsored work

Revenue from sale of third party product

Total revenue

Other income

Total revenue and other income

Product delivery and support expenses

Property and equipment expenses

Corporate and administrative expenses

RESULTS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Finance costs 

Finance income 

Net finance costs

PROFIT BEFORE INCOME TAX

Income tax expense

PROFIT ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE PARENT ENTITY

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss

Exchange differences arising on translation of foreign operations

Total items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss

Other comprehensive (loss)/income for the year, net of income tax

TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ATTRIBUTABLE TO 
MEMBERS OF THE PARENT ENTITY

Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share (cents)

Diluted earnings per share (cents)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

30 Jun 2014 
$’000

30 Jun 2013 
$’000

Note

58,559

37,646

1,892

98,097

394

98,491

(69,207)

(10,792)

(5,368)

13,124

(1,134)

19

(1,115)

12,009

4 (d)

4 (e)

5

(1,978)

10,031

1,945

1,945

1,945

52,200

28,345

1,862

82,407

604

83,011

(59,423)

(9,154)

(5,113)

9,320

(1,529)

34

(1,495)

7,825

(1,794)

6,031

1,594

1,594

1,594

11,976

7,625

30

30

15.07

15.07

 9.06 

 9.06 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

33

Consolidated Statement of  
Financial Position  as at 30 June 2014

CURRENT ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Inventories and work in progress

Current tax receivable

Other assets

Total Current Assets

NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Plant and equipment

Intangible assets 

Deferred tax assets

Other assets

Total Non-Current Assets

TOTAL ASSETS

CURRENT LIABILITIES

Trade and other payables

Loans and borrowings

Current tax liabilities

Provisions

Unearned income

Total Current Liabilities

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES

Trade and other payables

Loans and borrowings

Deferred tax liabilities

Provisions

Total Non-Current Liabilities

TOTAL LIABILITIES

NET ASSETS

EQUITY

Issued capital

Reserves

Retained earnings

TOTAL EQUITY

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

34

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

Note 

7

8

9

15

12

10

11

15

12

13

14

15

16

17

13

14

15

16

18

19

2,339

16,558

650

11

1,582

21,140

7,091

56,548

6,669

68

70,376

91,516

7,413

657

1,231

5,000

11,115

25,416

2,878

5,251

2,519

2,171

12,819

38,235

53,281

3,505

14,651

1,107

4

1,278

20,545

5,223

59,788

5,166

15

70,192

90,737

7,170

4,473

1,526

4,673

10,182

28,024

1,361

11,299

2,851

1,603

17,114

45,138

45,599

37,664

(2,356)

17,973

53,281

37,664

(4,999)

12,934

45,599

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Statement of Changes  
in Equity  for the year ended 30 June 2014

Issued 
 Capital 
$’000

Retained 
Earnings
$’000

Foreign 
Currency 
Translation 
Reserve(a)
$’000

Equity 
Remuneration 
Reserve(b)
$’000

Balance at 1 July 2012

37,664

10,564

(6,823)

Total comprehensive income for the year

Profit for the year

Other comprehensive income

Exchange differences arising on translation of 
foreign operations

Total other comprehensive loss

TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR 
THE YEAR

Transactions with owners, recorded directly 
in equity

Contributions by and distributions 
to owners

Dividends paid (Note 6)

Share based payments – options

Total contributions by owners

Total transactions with owners

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

–

–

6,031

– 

– 

– 

1,594

1,594

6,031

1,594

(3,661)

– 

(3,661)

(3,661)

– 

– 

– 

– 

BALANCE AT 30 JUNE 2013

37,664

12,934

(5,229)

Total
$’000

41,405

6,031

1,594

1,594

7,625

–

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

(3,661)

230

230

230

230

230

(3,431)

(3,431)

45,599

(a)  The foreign currency translation reserve comprises all foreign currency differences arising from the translation of the financial statements of foreign operations as 

well as from the translation of liabilities that hedge the Company’s net investment in a foreign subsidiary. 

(b)  The equity remuneration reserve is used to record items recognised as expenses on valuation of employee share/options/performance rights granted. When 

options/performance rights are exercised, cancelled or forfeited the amount in the reserve relating to those options/performance rights is transferred to 
issued capital. 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

35

Consolidated Statement of Changes  
in Equity (continued)  for the year ended 30 June 2014

Issued 
 Capital 
$’000

Retained 
Earnings
$’000

Foreign 
Currency 
Translation 
Reserve(a)
$’000

Equity 
Remuneration 
Reserve(b)
$’000

Total
$’000

Balance at 1 July 2013

37,664

12,934

(5,229)

230

45,599

Total comprehensive income for the year

Profit for the year

Other comprehensive income

Exchange differences arising on translation of 
foreign operations

Total other comprehensive income

TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR 
THE YEAR

Transactions with owners, recorded directly 
in equity

Contributions by and distributions 
to owners

Dividends paid (Note 6)

Share based payments – performance rights

Total contributions by and distributions 
to owners

Total transactions with owners

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

BALANCE AT 30 JUNE 2014

37,664

10,031

– 

– 

– 

1,945

1,945

10,031

1,945

(4,992)

– 

(4,992)

(4,992)

17,973

– 

– 

– 

– 

(3,284)

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

698

698

698

928

10,031

1,945

1,945

11,976

(4,992)

698

(4,294)

(4,294)

53,281

(a)  The foreign currency translation reserve comprises all foreign currency differences arising from the translation of the financial statements of foreign operations as 

well as from the translation of liabilities that hedge the Company’s net investment in a foreign subsidiary. 

(b)  The equity remuneration reserve is used to record items recognised as expenses on valuation of employee share/options/performance rights granted. When 

options/performance rights are exercised, cancelled or forfeited the amount in the reserve relating to those options/performance rights is transferred to 
issued capital. 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

36

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows   

for the year ended 30 June 2014

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

Receipts from customers

Payments to suppliers and employees

Interest income

Sundry income

Finance costs paid

Income tax paid

 Note 

30-Jun-14
 $’000 

30-Jun-13
 $’000 

105,939

92,547

(85,492)

(74,755)

19

394

(875)

(4,364)

34

604

(1,336)

(1,857)

Net cash provided by operating activities

24 (a)

15,621

15,237

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

Proceeds from sale of plant and equipment

Purchase of plant and equipment

Purchase of software intangibles

Deferred consideration received

Net cash used in investing activities

Cash Flows from Financing Activities

Repayment of finance leases

Proceeds from borrowings

Repayment of borrowings

Payment of transaction costs related to loans and borrowings

Dividends paid

Net cash used in financing activities

Net (decrease)/increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents

Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash held

Cash and cash equivalents at 1 July

24 (c)

2

(1,890)

(1,535)

1,512

(1,911)

4

(1,633)

(276)

437

(1,468)

(1,010)

(873)

–

16,530

(9,004)

(20,605)

–

6

(4,992)

(15,006)

(1,296)

130

3,505

2,339

(118)

(3,661)

(8,727)

5,042

(206)

(1,331)

3,505

Cash and cash equivalents at end of financial year

24 (b)

The accompanying notes are all an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

37

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014

Note 1: Reporting Entity

GBST Holdings Limited (“GBST” or the “Company”) is 
the Group’s parent Company. The Company is a public 
for profit Company limited by shares, incorporated and 
domiciled in Australia. The consolidated financial report of 
the Company as at and for the year ended 30 June 2014 
comprises the Company and its controlled entities 
(together referred to as the “Group” and individually as the 
“Group entities”). 

Note 2: Basis of Preparation

Statement of compliance
The consolidated financial statements are general 
purpose financial statements which have been prepared in 
accordance with Australian Accounting Standards (AASBs) 
adopted by the Australian Accounting Standards Board 
(AASB) and the Corporations Act (2001). The consolidated 
financial statements comply with International Financial 
Reporting Standards (IFRSs) adopted by the International 
Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

This consolidated financial report was authorised for 
issue in accordance with a resolution of Directors on 
18 August 2014.

Basis of measurement
The consolidated financial report has been prepared 
on an accruals basis and is based on historical costs, 
modified, where applicable, by the measurement at fair 
value of selected non-current assets, financial assets and 
financial liabilities.

Functional and presentation currency
The functional currency of each of the Group’s 
entities is measured using the currency of the primary 
economic environment in which that entity operates. 
The consolidated financial statements are presented in 
Australian dollars which is the parent entity’s functional and 
presentation currency.

The Company is of a kind referred to in ASIC Class Order 
98/100 dated 10 July 1998 and in accordance with that 
Class Order, amounts in the financial report and Directors’ 
report have been rounded off to the nearest thousand 
dollars, unless otherwise stated.

Comparative figures
Where required by Accounting Standards comparative 
figures have been adjusted to conform to changes in 
presentation for the current financial period. Details of any 
such changes are included in the financial report.

Use of estimates and judgments
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements 
in conformity with IFRSs requires Management to make 
judgments, estimates and assumptions that effect the 
application of accounting policies and the reported 
amounts of assets, liabilities, income and expenses. Actual 
results may differ from these estimates. Estimates and 
underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. 
Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the 
period in which the estimates are revised and in any future 
periods affected.

Information about critical judgments in applying accounting 
policies that have the most significant effect on the 
amounts recognised in the financial statements is included 
in Note 3:

•   recognition of revenue;

•   treatment of software development costs and whether 

these are to be capitalised.

Information about assumptions and estimation 
uncertainties that have a significant risk of resulting in 
a material adjustment within the next financial year are 
included in the following notes:

•   recognition of revenue (Note 3);

•   impairment testing of the consolidated entity’s 

cash-generating units containing goodwill (Note 11); 

•   utilisation of tax losses (Note 15).

Changes in accounting policies
The Group has adopted the following new standards and 
amendments to standards, including any consequential 
amendments to other standards, with a date of initial 
application of 1 July 2013.

AASB 10 Consolidated Financial Statements (2011) (see (a))

AASB 13 Fair Value Measurement [Recoverable Amount 
Disclosures for Non-financial Assets (Amendments to 
AASB136) (2013)] (see (b))

The nature and the effect of the changes are further 
explained below:

38

(a) Subsidiaries

AASB 10 (2011) introduces a new control model that is 
applicable to all investees, by focusing on whether the 
Group has power over an investee, exposure or rights to 
variable returns from its involvement with the investee and 
ability to use its power to affect those returns. 

The adoption of AASB 10 has not impacted the Group’s 
financial statements as all subsidiaries of GBST are 
100% owned.

(b) Fair value measurement

AASB 13 establishes a single framework for measuring 
fair value and making disclosures about fair value 
measurements, when such measurements are required 
or permitted by other AASBs. It unifies the definition of 
fair value as the price that would be received to sell an 
asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction 
between market participants at the measurement date. 
It replaces and expands the disclosure requirements 
about fair value measurements in other AASBs, including 
AASB 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures. These changes 
have no significant impact on the Group’s disclosures 
as the carrying amount of the assets and liabilities are a 
reasonable approximation of their fair value.

In accordance with the transitional provisions of 
AASB13 the Group has applied the new fair value 
measurement guidance prospectively and has not 
provided any comparative information for new disclosures. 
Notwithstanding the above, the change had no significant 
impact on the Group’s assets and liabilities.

(c)  Disclosures of recoverable amount for  

non-financial assets

The Group has early adopted the amendments to 
AASB 136 (2013) which removes extra disclosure 
requirements with regard to the measurement of the 
recoverable amount of impaired assets introduced with the 
adoption of AASB13.  

Note 3: Significant Accounting Policies 

The accounting policies set out in Note 3 below have 
been applied consistently to all periods presented in these 
consolidated financial statements and have been applied 
consistently by the Group entities, except for the changes 
in accounting policies explained in Note 2.

Basis of Consolidation
A controlled entity is any entity where the Group is 
exposed to, or has rights to, variable returns from its 
involvement with the entity and has the ability to affect 
those returns through its power over the entity.

A list of controlled entities is contained in Note 22 of the 
financial statements. All controlled entities have a 30 June 
financial year end.

As at reporting date, the assets and liabilities of all 
controlled entities have been incorporated into the 
consolidated financial statements as well as their results for 
the year ended on that date. Where controlled entities have 
entered/(left) the consolidated Group during the year, their 
operating results have been included/(excluded) from the 
date control was obtained/(ceased).

All inter-company balances and transactions between 
entities in the Group, including any unrealised profits or 
losses, have been eliminated on consolidation. Accounting 
policies of subsidiaries are consistent with those adopted 
by the parent entity.

Business Combinations
Business combinations are accounted for using the 
acquisition method as at the acquisition date, which is the 
date on which control is transferred to the Group. 

The consideration transferred in a business combination 
is measured at fair value, as are the identifiable net assets 
acquired. Any goodwill that arises is tested annually for 
impairment. Any gain on a bargain purchase is recognised 
in profit or loss immediately.

Acquisition-related costs are expensed as incurred unless 
associated with issue of debt or equity securities incurred 
in connection with a business combination.

Any contingent consideration payable is measured at 
fair value at the acquisition date. Subsequent changes 
to the fair value of the contingent consideration will be 
recognised in profit or loss unless it is classified as equity. 
If the contingent consideration is classified as equity, it 
shall not be remeasured and settlement is accounted for 
within equity.

When the excess is negative, a bargain purchase gain is 
recognised immediately in profit or loss.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

39

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 3: Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Acquisitions before 1 July 2009

Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of the 
acquisition over the Group’s interest in the recognised 
amount (generally fair value) of the identifiable assets, 
liabilities and contingent liabilities of the acquiree. 
Subsequent changes to the fair value of contingent 
consideration will be recognised as a charge to the cost of 
the acquisition. 

Transaction costs, other than those associated with the 
issue of debt or equity securities, that the Group incurred 
in connection with business combinations were capitalised 
as part of the cost of the acquisition.

Income Tax

The income tax expense/(benefit) for the year comprises 
current income tax expense/(benefit) and deferred tax 
expense/(benefit).

Current income tax expense charged to the profit or loss 
is the tax payable on taxable income calculated using 
applicable income tax rates enacted, or substantially 
enacted, as at reporting date. Current tax liabilities/(assets) 
are therefore measured at the amounts expected to be 
paid to/ (recovered from) the relevant taxation authority.

Deferred income tax expense reflects movements in 
deferred tax asset and deferred tax liability balances during 
the year as well as unused tax losses.

Current and deferred income tax expense/(benefit) is 
charged or credited directly to equity instead of the profit 
or loss when the tax relates to items that are credited or 
charged directly to equity.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are ascertained based 
on temporary differences arising between the tax bases 
of assets and liabilities and their carrying amounts in 
the financial statements. Deferred tax assets also arise 
from unused tax losses. No deferred income tax will 
be recognised from the initial recognition of an asset or 
liability, excluding a business combination, where there is 
no effect on accounting or taxable profit or loss.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are calculated at the 
tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when 
the asset is realised or the liability is settled, based on tax 
rates enacted or substantively enacted as at reporting 
date. Their measurement also reflects the manner in which 
Management expects to recover or settle the carrying 
amount of the related asset or liability.

40

Deferred tax assets relating to temporary differences and 
unused tax losses are recognised only to the extent that 
it is probable that future taxable profit will be available 
against which the benefits of the deferred tax asset can 
be utilised.

Where temporary differences exist in relation to 
investments in subsidiaries, deferred tax assets and 
liabilities are not recognised where the timing of the 
reversal of the temporary difference can be controlled 
and it is not probable that the reversal will occur in the 
foreseeable future.

Current tax assets and liabilities are offset where a legally 
enforceable right of set-off exists and it is intended that 
net settlement or simultaneous realisation and settlement 
of the respective asset and liability will occur. Deferred 
tax assets and liabilities are offset if there is a legally 
enforceable right to offset current tax liabilities and assets, 
and they relate to income taxes levied by the same tax 
authority on the same taxable entity, or on different tax 
entities, but they intend to settle current tax liabilities and 
assets on a net basis or their tax assets and liabilities will 
be realised simultaneously.

Tax consolidation 

The Company and its wholly-owned Australian resident 
entities are part of a tax-consolidated Group. As a 
consequence, all members of the tax-consolidated Group 
are taxed as a single entity. The head entity within the 
tax-consolidated Group is GBST Holdings Limited. The 
implementation date of the tax-consolidation Group was 
1 July 2003.

Inventories
Inventories are measured at the lower of cost and net 
realisable value. The cost of inventories is based on first-
in first-out principle and includes expenditure incurred 
in acquiring the inventories and other costs incurred in 
bringing them to their existing location and condition. 

Work in progress is stated at the aggregate of project 
development contract costs incurred to date plus 
recognised profits less any recognised losses and 
progress billings.

Contract costs include all costs directly related to specific 
contracts, costs that are specifically chargeable to the 
customer under the terms of the contract and an allocation 
of overhead expenses incurred in connection with the 
Group’s activities in general.

Plant and Equipment
Plant and equipment are carried at cost, less any 
accumulated depreciation and where applicable, 
impairment losses. 

Cost includes expenditure that is directly attributable to the 
acquisition of the asset.

Subsequent costs are included in the asset’s carrying 
amount or recognised as a separate asset, as appropriate, 
only when it is probable that future economic benefits 
associated with the item will flow to the Group and the cost 
of the item can be measured reliably. All other repairs and 
maintenance are charged to the income statement during 
the financial period in which they are incurred.

The depreciable amounts of all fixed assets including 
capitalised lease assets, are depreciated over their useful 
lives to the entity commencing from the time the asset 
is held ready for use. Leasehold improvements are 
depreciated over the shorter of either the unexpired 
period of the lease or the estimated useful lives of the 
improvements.

The depreciation rates used for each class of assets are:

Class of  
Fixed Asset

Depreciation  
Rate

Basis

Owned plant, equipment

5-40%

Straight-Line

Owned plant, equipment

13.3-67% Diminishing Value

Leased plant, equipment

25%-33%

Straight-Line

Gains and losses on disposals are determined by 
comparing proceeds with the carrying amount. These 
gains and losses are included in profit or loss. 

Asset Retirement Obligations
The cost of plant and equipment includes an initial 
estimate of the cost of make good allowances, and a 
corresponding provision for these future costs is raised. 
The Group has a number of lease agreements over office 
premises which include an obligation to make good the 
premises at the conclusion of the lease term. The Group 
recognises a liability and an asset for the estimated cost 
of making good at the time of entering a lease agreement. 
The resulting asset is amortised over the term of the lease.

Leases
Leases where the Group assumes substantially all 
the risks and rewards incidental of the ownership are 
classified as finance leases. All other leases are operating 
leases and are not recognised on the Group’s statement of 
financial position.

Finance leases are capitalised by recording an asset and 
a liability at the lower of the amounts equal to the fair value 
of the leased property or the present value of the minimum 
lease payments, including any guaranteed residual values. 
Lease payments are allocated between the reduction of 
the lease liability and the lease interest expense for the 
period. Leased assets are depreciated on a straight-line 
basis over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the 
lease term. 

Lease payments for operating leases are charged as 
expenses in the periods in which they are incurred.

Lease incentives under operating leases are recognised as 
a liability and amortised on a straight-line basis over the life 
of the lease term.

Intangible Assets
The Group’s major intangible assets are software systems, 
customer contracts and goodwill. 

The amortisation rates used for each class of assets 
acquired outside a business combination are:

Class of Fixed Asset

Owned software

Leased software

Amortisation 
Rate

Basis

25%

25%

Straight-Line

Straight-Line

Acquired in a business combination and or separately

Software systems and customer contracts acquired 
outside a business combination are recognised at cost. 
Intangible assets acquired in a business combination 
are recognised separately from goodwill and capitalised 
at fair value as at the date of acquisition. Following initial 
recognition, the cost model is applied to the class of 
intangible assets.

The useful lives of these intangible assets are assessed 
and the asset is amortised over its useful life on a 
straight-line basis, ranging from one to ten years.

Intangible assets are tested for impairment where an 
indicator of impairment exists. Useful lives are also 
examined on an annual basis and adjustments, where 
applicable, are made on a prospective basis. 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

41

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 3: Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Internally developed (research and development)

Development costs are capitalised only if development 
costs can be measured reliably, the product or process 
is technically and commercially feasible, future economic 
benefits are probable and the Group intends to and has 
sufficient resources to complete development and to 
use or sell the asset. The cost capitalised includes the 
cost of materials, direct labour and overhead costs that 
are directly attributable to preparing the asset for its 
intended use. Once development is completed, capitalised 
development costs are amortised over their useful life 
as determined by Management on a straight-line basis. 
Capitalised development expenditure is measured at 
cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated 
impairment losses. 

Expenditure during the research phase of a project is 
recognised as an expense when incurred. Development 
costs are expensed in the year in which they are incurred 
when future economic benefits are uncertain or the future 
economic benefits cannot be measured reliably. 

Subsequent expenditure

Subsequent expenditure is capitalised only when it 
increases the future economic benefits embodied in the 
specific asset to which it relates. All other expenditure, 
including expenditure on internally generated goodwill and 
brands, is recognised in profit or loss as incurred.

Goodwill
Goodwill is initially recorded at the amount by which 
the purchase consideration for a business combination 
exceeds the fair value attributed to its net assets at date 
of acquisition. Following initial recognition, goodwill is 
measured at cost less any accumulated impairment 
losses. Goodwill is not amortised.

Goodwill is tested annually for impairment, or more 
frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate 
that the carrying value may be impaired. 

Borrowing Costs
Borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition 
or production of a qualifying asset (i.e. an asset that 
necessarily takes a substantial period of time to get ready 
for its intended use or sale) are capitalised as part of the 
cost of the asset. All other borrowing costs are expensed 
in the period they occur. Borrowing costs consist of 
interest and other costs that the entity incurs in connection 
with the borrowing of funds. 

42

Financial Instruments
(i) Non-derivative financial liabilities 

Financial liabilities are recognised initially on the trade date 
at which the Group becomes a party to the contractual 
provisions of the instrument. The Group derecognises 
a financial liability when its contractual obligations are 
discharged or cancelled or expire. Financial liabilities and 
assets are offset and the net amount presented in the 
statement of financial position when, and only when, the 
Group has a legal right to offset the amounts and intends 
either to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and 
settle the liability simultaneously.

The Group classified non-derivative financial liabilities 
into the other financial liabilities category. Such financial 
liabilities are recognised initially at fair value plus any 
directly attributable transaction costs. 

Subsequent to initial recognition, these financial liabilities 
are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest 
rate method.

Other financial liabilities comprise loans and borrowings, 
bank overdrafts and trade and other payables.

The early adoption of AASB 9 (2009) did not impact the 
Group’s accounting policy for financial liabilities. 

(ii) Non-derivative financial assets 

AASB 9 requires that an entity classifies its financial assets 
as subsequently measured at either amortised cost or 
fair value depending on the entity’s business model for 
managing the financial assets and the contractual cash 
flow characteristics of the financial assets. In addition, for 
certain investments in equity instruments, an entity may 
irrevocably elect to recognise all changes in fair value 
directly through other comprehensive income; dividend 
income on such equity investments is recognised in profit 
or loss.

Accounting policy 

The Group initially recognises financial assets on the 
trade date at which the Group becomes a party to the 
contractual provisions of the instrument. 

Financial assets are initially measured at fair value. If 
the financial asset is not subsequently measured at 
fair value through profit or loss, the initial measurement 
includes transaction costs that are directly attributable 
to the asset’s acquisition or origination. The Group 
subsequently measures financial assets at either fair value 
or amortised cost.

Financial assets measured at amortised cost
A financial asset is subsequently measured at amortised 
cost using the effective interest method and net of any 
impairment loss, if: the asset is held within a business 
model with an objective to hold assets in order to collect 
contractual cash flows; and the contractual terms of the 
financial asset give rise, on specified dates, to cash flows 
that are solely payments of principal and interest. 

Financial assets measured at fair value
Financial assets other than those subsequently measured 
at amortised cost are subsequently measured at fair value 
with all changes in fair value recognised in profit or loss. 

However, for investments in equity instruments not held 
for trading, the Group may elect at initial recognition 
to recognise gains and losses in other comprehensive 
income. For instruments measured at fair value through 
other comprehensive income, gains and losses are never 
reclassified to profit or loss and no impairments are 
recognised in profit or loss. Dividends earned from such 
investments are recognised in profit or loss unless the 
dividends clearly represent a recovery of part of the cost 
of investment. 

Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash balances and 
call deposits with original maturities of three months or 
less. Bank overdrafts that are repayable on demand and 
form an integral part of the Group’s cash management are 
included as a component of cash and cash equivalent for 
the purposes of statement of cash flows. 

Impairment of Assets
Financial assets

Financial assets at amortised cost 
A financial asset at amortised cost is assessed at each 
reporting date to determine whether there is objective 
evidence that it is impaired. A financial asset at amortised 
cost is impaired if objective evidence indicates that a 
loss event has occurred after the initial recognition of the 
asset and that the loss event had a negative effect on 
the estimated future cash flows of that asset that can be 
estimated reliably. Objective evidence that these financial 
assets are impaired can include default or delinquency 
by a debtor, restructuring of an amount due to the Group 
on terms that the Group would not consider otherwise or 
indications that a debtor or issuer will enter bankruptcy. 

The Group considers evidence of impairment for 
receivables at both a specific asset and collective level. All 
individually significant receivables are assessed for specific 
impairment. All individually significant receivables found not 
to be specifically impaired are then collectively assessed 
for any impairment that has been incurred but not yet 
identified. Receivables that are not individually significant 
are collectively assessed for impairment by grouping 
together receivables with similar risk characteristics. In 
assessing collective impairment the Group uses historical 
trends of the probability of default, timing of recoveries and 
the amount of loss incurred, adjusted for management’s 
judgment as to whether current economic and credit 
conditions are such that the actual losses are likely to be 
greater or less than suggested by historical trends. 

An impairment loss in respect of a financial asset 
measured at amortised cost is calculated as the difference 
between its carrying amount and the present value of 
the estimated future cash flows discounted at the asset’s 
original effective interest rate. Losses are recognised in 
profit or loss and reflected in an allowance account against 
receivables. Interest on the impaired asset continues to be 
recognised through the unwinding of the discount. When 
a subsequent event causes the amount of impairment loss 
to decrease, the decrease in impairment loss is reversed 
through profit or loss.

The early adoption of AASB 9 did not impact the Group’s 
accounting policy for impairment in relation to financial 
assets measured at amortised cost.

Accounting policy in respect of equity securities at 
fair value

Impairment assessment is not required to be carried out 
for equity securities at fair value when the requirements 
of AASB 9 are applied as all changes in fair value are 
recognised in other comprehensive income. 

Non-financial assets 

The carrying amounts of the Group’s non-financial assets, 
other than deferred tax assets, are reviewed at each 
reporting date to determine whether there is any indication 
of impairment. If any such indication exists then the 
asset’s recoverable amount is estimated. For goodwill and 
intangible assets that have indefinite lives or that are not yet 
available for use, the recoverable amount is estimated each 
year at the same time.

The recoverable amount of an asset is the greater of its 
value in use and its fair value less costs of disposal. In 
assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

43

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 3: Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Impairment of Assets – Non-financial assets (continued)

are discounted to their present value using a post-tax 
discount rate that reflects current market assessments 
of the time value of money and the risks specific to the 
asset. For the purpose of impairment testing, assets 
are grouped together into the smallest group of assets 
that generate cash inflows from continuing use that are 
largely independent of the cash inflows of other assets 
or groups of assets (the “cash-generating unit”). The 
goodwill acquired in a business combination, for the 
purpose of impairment testing, is allocated to cash-
generating units that are expected to benefit from the 
synergies of the combination.

An impairment loss is recognised if the carrying amount 
of an asset exceeds its recoverable amount. Impairment 
losses are recognised in profit or loss. 

An impairment loss in respect of goodwill is not reversed. 

In respect of other assets, impairment losses recognised 
in prior periods are assessed at each reporting date for 
any indications that the loss has decreased or no longer 
exists. An impairment loss is reversed if there has been a 
change in the estimates used to determine the recoverable 
amount. An impairment loss is reversed only to the extent 
that the asset’s carrying amount does not exceed the 
carrying amount that would have been determined, net 
of depreciation or amortisation, if no impairment loss had 
been recognised.

Provisions
Provisions are recognised when the Group has a legal 
or constructive obligation, as a result of past events, for 
which it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits 
will result and that outflow can be reliably measured. 
Provisions are determined by discounting the expected 
future cash flows at a pre-tax rate that reflects current 
market assessments of the time value of money and the 
risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount 
is recognised as a finance cost.

Employee Benefits
Provision is made for the Group’s liability for employee 
benefits arising from services rendered by employees 
to reporting period end. Employee benefits expected to 
be settled within one year have been measured at the 
amounts expected to be paid when the liability is settled, 
plus related oncosts. Other employee benefits payable 
later than one year have been measured at the present 
value of the estimated future cash outflows to be made 

44

for those entitlements. Those cash flows are discounted 
using market yields on national government bonds with 
terms to maturity that match the expected timing of cash 
flows. Contributions are made by the Group to defined 
contribution superannuation funds and are charged as 
expenses when incurred.

Equity-settled Compensation
The Group operates equity-settled employee Performance 
Rights and Option Plan. The fair value of the equity 
to which employees become entitled is measured at 
grant date and recognised as an expense over the 
vesting period, with a corresponding increase to an 
equity account. The fair value of the share performance 
rights is determined using the Binomial Approximation 
Option Valuation Model. The number of performance 
rights expected to vest is reviewed and adjusted at 
each reporting date such that the amount recognised 
for services received as consideration for the equity 
instruments granted shall be based on the number of 
equity instruments that eventually vest.

Revenue and Other Income
Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration 
received or receivable after taking into account any trade 
discounts and volume rebates allowed. Any consideration 
deferred is treated as the provision of finance and is 
discounted at a rate of interest that is generally accepted 
in the market for similar arrangements. The difference 
between the amount initially recognised and the amount 
ultimately received is interest revenue. The major business 
activities recognised revenue as follows:

Software license fee revenue

A software licensing arrangement is considered to be a 
sale if the following conditions are satisfied:

•   The rights to the software license are assigned to 

the licensee in return for a fixed fee or a  
non-refundable guarantee;

•   The contract is non-cancellable; 

•   The licensee is able to exploit its rights to the license 

freely; and

•   The consolidated entity has no remaining obligations 

to perform. 

For such arrangements, software license fee revenue is 
recognised on the transfer of the rights to the licensee. In 
other arrangements, revenue is recognised over the license 
term on a straight line basis.

Maintenance/support service revenue for 
licensed software

All revenue is stated net of the amount of goods and 
services tax (GST).

Unearned income is recognised upon receipt of payment 
for maintenance/support contracts. Revenue is brought to 
account over time as it is earned.

However, to the extent that GBST has fulfilled all its 
obligations under the contract, the income is recognised 
as being earned at the time when all GBST’s obligations 
under the contract have been fulfilled.

Sponsored implementation and consulting revenue

Revenue from a contract to provide implementation and 
consulting services is recognised by reference to the 
percentage of completion of the contract. The percentage 
of completion of the contract is determined by reference to 
the proportion of work performed (costs incurred to date) 
to estimated total work performed (total contract costs). 
When the percentage of completion cannot be estimated 
reliably, contract revenue is recognised only to the 
extent of the contract costs incurred that are likely to be 
recovered. An expected loss on a contract is recognised 
immediately in the Statement of Profit or Loss and Other 
Comprehensive Income at inception.

Sponsored project revenue 

Revenue received in advance for long-term project 
development contracts is deferred. This revenue is 
recognised over the period in which expenditure is incurred 
in relation to the development of the project. When the 
outcome of a long-term service contract can be estimated 
reliably, contract revenue and expenses are recognised 
in the profit and loss account by reference to the stage of 
completion of the contract activity at the reporting date. 
The stage of completion is assessed by reference to the 
completion of a physical proportion of the contract work to 
date for each contract. When the outcome of a long-term 
service contract cannot be estimated reliably, revenue is 
recognised only to the extent of contract costs incurred 
that are probable to be recoverable and contract costs are 
recognised as an expense in the period in which they are 
incurred. An expected loss on a contract is recognised 
immediately in the Statement of Profit or Loss and Other 
Comprehensive Income at inception.

Sale of third party product

Revenue from the sale of goods is recognised at the point 
of delivery as this corresponds to the transfer of significant 
risks and rewards of ownership of the goods and the 
cessation of all involvement in those goods.

Interest revenue

Interest revenue is recognised using the effective interest 
rate method, which, for floating rate financial assets, is the 
rate inherent in the instrument. 

Grants
Government grants are recognised initially as deferred 
income at fair value when there is reasonable assurance 
that they will be received and that the Group will comply 
with the conditions associated with the grant. Grants 
that compensate the Group for expenses incurred 
are recognised in profit or loss as other income on 
a systematic basis in the same periods in which the 
expenses are recognised. Grants that compensate the 
Group for the cost of an asset are recognised in profit or 
loss on a systematic basis over the useful life of the asset.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the 
amount of GST, except where the amount of GST incurred 
is not recoverable from the Australian Tax Office. In these 
circumstances the GST is recognised as part of the cost 
of acquisition of the asset or as part of an item of the 
expense. Receivables and payables in the Statement of 
Financial Position are shown inclusive of GST.

Cash flows are presented in the Statement of Cash flows 
on a gross basis, except for the GST component of 
investing and financing activities, which are disclosed as 
operating cash flows.

Earnings Per Share
The Group presents basic and diluted earnings per share 
(EPS) data for its ordinary shares. Basic EPS is calculated 
by dividing the profit or loss attributable to ordinary 
shareholders of the Group by the weighted average 
number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. 
Diluted EPS is determined by adjusting the profit or loss 
attributable to ordinary shareholders and the weighted 
average number of ordinary shares outstanding for the 
effects of all dilutive potential ordinary shares, which 
comprise share options granted to employees, Directors 
and related parties (refer to Note 29).

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

45

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

c.  Retained earnings are translated at the exchange rates 

prevailing at the date of the transaction.

Exchange differences arising on translation of foreign 
operations are recognised in other comprehensive income 
and presented in the Group’s foreign currency translation 
reserve in equity. These differences are recognised in profit 
or loss in the period in which the operation is disposed.

When the settlement of a monetary item receivable from 
or payable to a foreign operation is neither planned nor 
likely in the foreseeable future, foreign exchange gains and 
losses arising from such a monetary item are considered 
to form part of a net investment in a foreign operation and 
are recognised in other comprehensive income, and are 
presented in the translation reserve in equity.

Share capital
Ordinary shares

Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Incremental costs 
directly attributable to the issue of ordinary shares and 
share options are recognised as a deduction from equity, 
net of any tax effects. 

New Standards and Interpretations not 
yet adopted
A number of new standards, amendments to standards 
and interpretations are effective for annual periods 
beginning after 1 July 2014, and have not been applied 
in preparing these consolidated financial statements. The 
effect of these on the consolidated financial statements of 
the Group is still to be assessed. 

Note 3: Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Segment Reporting
An operating segment is a component of the Group 
that engages in business activities from which it may 
earn revenues and incur expenses, including revenues 
and expenses that relate to transactions with any of the 
Group’s other components. All operating segments’ 
operating results are regularly reviewed by the Group’s 
CEO to make decisions about resources to be allocated 
to the segment and assess its performance, and for which 
discrete financial information is available.

Inter-segment pricing is determined on an arm’s 
length basis.

Segment results, assets and liabilities that are reported to 
the CEO include items directly attributable to a segment as 
well as those that can be allocated on a reasonable basis. 

Foreign Currency Transactions and Balances
Transactions and balances

Foreign currency transactions are translated into a Group 
entities’ functional currency using the exchange rates 
prevailing at the date of the transaction. Foreign currency 
monetary items are translated at the year-end exchange 
rate. Non-monetary items measured at historical cost 
continue to be carried at the exchange rate at the date 
of the transaction. Non-monetary items measured at fair 
value are reported at the exchange rate at the date when 
fair values were determined.

Exchange differences arising on the translation of 
monetary items are recognised in profit or loss, except 
where deferred in equity as a qualifying cash flow or net 
investment hedge.

Exchange differences arising on the translation of non-
monetary items are recognised directly in equity to the 
extent that the gain or loss is directly recognised in equity, 
otherwise the exchange difference is recognised in profit 
or loss.

Group companies

The financial results and position of foreign operations 
whose functional currency is different from the Group’s 
presentation currency are translated as follows:

a.  Assets and liabilities are translated at year-end 
exchange rates prevailing at that reporting date;

b.  Income and expenses are translated at average 

exchange rates for the period; and

46

Note 4: Profit for the Year

Profit before income tax expense includes the following items of revenue and expense:

(a)  Other expenses:

Cost of third party product and services sold

Operating lease rentals

Research & developments costs 

(b)  Depreciation & amortisation:

Depreciation of plant & equipment

Amortisation of tangible & intangible leased assets

Amortisation of acquired intangibles (excluding leased assets)

(c)  Employee benefits expense:

Monetary based expense (includes contributions to defined contribution plans $3.69 million 
(2013: $3.23 million))

Share based payments

(d)  Finance costs:

Foreign currency losses

Interest paid to external entities

Finance lease charges

Facility fees

(e)  Finance income:

Bank interest

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

3,824

3,130

10,790

1,734

926

4,690

7,350

3,367

2,767

9,396

1,258

856

5,092

7,206

50,579

43,792

698

230

51,277

44,022

219

351

74

490

173

740

70

546

1,134

1,529

19

19

34

34

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

47

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 5: Income Tax Expense

(a)  The components of tax expense comprise:

Current tax

Deferred tax (Note 15 (c) (i))

Recognition of previously unrecognised tax losses

(Over)/under provision in respect of prior years

(b)   The prima facie tax on profit from ordinary activities before income tax 

is reconciled to income tax as follows: 

Profit before tax

Prima facie tax payable/(receivable) at 30% 

Adjust for tax effect of:

Amortisation of customer contracts

Research & development expenditure claim 

Recoupment of temporary differences not previously taken up

Under/(Over) provision in respect of prior years

Recognition of previously unrecognised tax losses

Current year losses for which no deferred tax asset was recognised (i)

Other non-allowable items (net) 

Reduction in tax rate

Effect of different tax rates of subsidiaries operating in other jurisdictions

Income tax expense attributable to entity

Weighted average effective tax rates:

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

3,888

(2,020)

– 

110

1,978

3,782

(1,700)

(367)

79

1,794

12,009

3,603

7,825

2,348

– 

78

(3,628)

(1,917)

(91)

63

– 

1,565

377

138

(49)

1,978

16%

(68)

94

(367)

1,168

441

52

(36)

1,794

23%

The weighted average effective consolidated tax rate for the year ended 30 June 2014 is 16% (2013: 23%) primarily due to:

•   The benefit of Research and Development tax concession deductions and allowances; 

•   Reduction in United Kingdom (UK) tax rate to 21% from 1 April 2014 (2013: 23%)

There is no tax recognised in other comprehensive income within the current year or prior year.

(i)   For GBST Ltd (Coexis) deferred tax assets of $1.25 million have not been recognised in relation to operating losses 

for tax purposes, as it is not considered probable that they will be utilised within the foreseeable future given the level 
of research and development costs incurred by the Company for which the Company has allowable Research and 
Development tax concession deductions (rate: 225%).

48

Note 6: Dividends

Dividend paid in the period:

Interim fully franked (at 30%) dividend paid of 4.0 cents per share (2013: 3.0)

2013 final fully franked (at 30%) dividend paid of 3.5 cents per share (2012: 2.5) 

Net Dividend paid

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

2,662

2,330

4,992

1,997

1,664

3,661

After the reporting date the Directors recommended a final dividend of 4.5 cents per share to be paid to the holders of 
fully paid ordinary shares. The dividend will be 100% franked and will be paid on 15 October 2014. The dividend has not 
been provided and there are no income tax consequences. 

Dividend franking account:

Balance of franking account at year-end

30% franking credits available to shareholders of GBST Holdings Limited for subsequent 
financial years post final dividend payment.

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

14,835

13,184

14,779

13,713

The above available amounts are based on the balance of the dividend franking account at year-end adjusted for:

(a)  franking credits that will arise from the payment of the current tax liabilities;

(b)  franking debits that will arise from the payment of dividends recognised as a liability at the year-end;

(c)   franking credits that will arise from the receipt of dividends recognised as receivables by the tax consolidated Group at 

the year-end; and

(d)  franking credits that the entity may be prevented from distributing in subsequent years.

Note 7: Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash at bank and on hand

Cash and cash equivalents in the Statement of Cash flows

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

2,339

2,339

3,505

3,505

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

49

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 8: Trade and Other Receivables

Current

Trade receivables 

Accrued revenue

Other amounts receivable

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

15,840

12,804

144

574

344

1,503

16,558

14,651

(a)   An allowance for impairment is recognised when there is objective evidence that an individual trade or term receivable is impaired. The movement in allowance for 

impairment during the year was impairment loss recognised $96 thousand (2013: $215 thousand), amounts written off $535 thousand (2013: $2 thousand).

Note 9: Inventories and Work in Progress

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

650

650

1,107

1,107

Current – at cost

Work in progress

50

Note 10: Plant and Equipment

Owned plant and equipment at cost

Accumulated depreciation

Net carrying value

Leased plant and equipment at cost

Accumulated amortisation

Net carrying value

Total plant and equipment 

(a)  Movement in Plant and Equipment

GBST Group

Year ended 30 June 2013

Balance at 1 July 2012

Additions

Disposals

Depreciation expense

Effect of movements in exchange rates

Balance at 30 June 2013

Year ended 30 June 2014

Balance at 1 July 2013

Additions

Disposals

Depreciation expense

Reclassification to owned assets – cost

Effect of movements in exchange rates

Balance at 30 June 2014

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

16,750

(9,979)

6,771

1,229

(909)

320

7,091

14,284

(9,624)

4,660

1,151

(588)

563

5,223

Owned 
$’000

Leased 
$’000

Total
$’000

2,855

3,031

(88)

(1,258)

120

4,660

4,660

3,765

(36)

(1,734)

13

103

6,771

525

316

– 

(283)

5

563

563

81

– 

(315)

(13)

4

320

3,380

3,347

(88)

(1,541)

125

5,223

5,223

3,846

(36)

(2,049)

– 

107

7,091

Plant and equipment was impairment tested in conjunction with intangible assets, refer Note 11.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

51

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 11: Intangible Assets

At Cost

Software systems

Accumulated amortisation

Net carrying value

Customer contracts

Accumulated amortisation

Net carrying value

Goodwill

Accumulated impairment losses

Net carrying value

Leased software at cost

Accumulated amortisation

Net carrying value

Total intangibles

(a)  Movement in Intangibles

GBST Group

Year ended 30 June 2013

Balance at 1 July 2012

Additions

Additions through internal development

Adjustment through controlled entity 
acquistion consideration

Disposals

Amortisation charge

Effect of movements in exchange rates

Balance at 30 June 2013

52

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

42,234

39,308

(26,565)

(21,605)

15,669

17,703

12,820

12,423

(12,820)

(12,022)

– 

401

46,036

(5,657)

40,379

1,916

(1,416)

500

45,445

(4,872)

40,573

1,916

(805)

1,111

56,548

59,788

Software 
Systems 
$’000

Customer 
Contracts
$’000

Goodwill
$’000

Leased 
Software
$’000

20,728

1,473

40,845

Total
$’000

64,334

673

36

(973)

(1)

(5,665)

1,384

– 

– 

(973)

– 

– 

701

1,288

396

– 

– 

– 

(573)

– 

40,573

1,111

59,788

277

36

– 

(1)

– 

– 

– 

– 

(3,993)

(1,099)

656

17,703

27

401

GBST Group

Year ended 30 June 2014

Balance at 1 July 2013

Additions

Adjustment to controlled entity 
acquisition consideration

Disposals

Amortisation charge

Effect of movements in exchange rates

Balance at 30 June 2014

Software 
Systems 
$’000

Customer 
Contracts
$’000

Goodwill
$’000

Leased 
Software
$’000

17,703

1,535

– 

(6)

(4,276)

713

15,669

401

40,573

1,111

– 

– 

– 

(414)

13

– 

– 

(830)

– 

– 

636

40,379

– 

– 

– 

(611)

– 

500

Total
$’000

59,788

1,535

(830)

(6)

(5,301)

1,362

56,548

Intangible assets, other than goodwill, have finite useful lives. The current amortisation charges for intangible assets 
are included within the Product Delivery and Support expense line in the Statement of Profit or Loss and Other 
Comprehensive Income. Goodwill has an infinite life.

The effect of movements in exchange rates represent the period to period foreign currency translation of assets 
denominated in Great British Pounds.

Impairment Disclosures
Intangible assets are reviewed for impairment where there are indicators that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. 
Goodwill is allocated to each Cash Generating Unit CGU based on the Group’s reporting segments presented below: 

Capital Markets Australia segment (Palion)

Wealth Management segment (InfoComp)

Capital Markets International segment (Coexis)

Financial Services segment (Emu) 

Total Goodwill

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

3,350

28,238

7,905

886

3,350

28,238

8,099

886

40,379

40,573

The recoverable amount of goodwill for each CGU has been assessed using discounted cash flow projections over five 
years and a terminal value. The first year cash flow projections are based on 2015 Board approved budgets, while cash 
flows projections for years two to five are based on Management assumptions set out below. Terminal growth rates have 
been determined by Management based on their assessment of long term annual growth expected to be achieved in 
the countries in which each CGU operates. Discount rates are based on a weighted average cost of capital calculation 
for the relevant markets and in the same currency as the cash flows, and adjusted for a risk premium to reflect both the 
increase in risk of investing in equities and the risk specific to the CGU. Where fair value less cost to sell is used to assess 
recoverable amount, the discount rate is reviewed by Management to assess whether the risk reflects a market return.

For the InfoComp, Palion and Emu CGUs, the key assumptions used for value-in-use calculations consider growth 
and discount rates and are generally consistent with past performance or are based upon the Group’s view of future 
market activity. Growth rates used are determined by considering factors such as industry and sector expectations, 
the markets in which the CGU operates, the size of the business, and past performance. Based on sensitivity analysis, 
Management believe that any reasonable change in the respective key assumptions would not have a material impact on 
the recoverable amounts of the InfoComp, Palion and Emu CGUs.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

53

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 11: Intangible Assets (continued)

In relation to the Coexis CGU, the recoverable amount of goodwill has been assessed using a fair value less costs to sell 
calculation, which is based on the Board approved 2015 budget and uses growth rates in line with historical performance 
along with an assessment of costs if the CGU was operating on a stand-alone basis. The forecasts have been based on 
expectations as to existing contracts and new contracts to be entered into over the forecast period. In the event that these 
forecasts are not achieved the Coexis CGU may need to be impaired in future periods – refer below for sensitivity analysis.

A summary of key assumptions for Coexis and other CGU’s is presented below:

2014

Calculation Method

Revenue growth rates

Cost growth rates

Long term growth rates

Post-tax discount rate 

2013

Calculation Method

Revenue growth rates

Cost growth rates

Long term growth rates

Post-tax discount rate 

Coexis
Fair value less 
cost to sell

InfoComp
Value-in-use

Palion
Value-in-use

EMU
Value-in-use

3-6%

3-5%

3%

7.5%

4%

3%

-5%

3-5%

3%

7.5%

3-5%

3%

13.25% 9.64-13.25%

12.26%

12.26%

Coexis
Fair value less 
cost to sell

InfoComp
Value-in-use

Palion
Value-in-use

EMU
Value-in-use

3-6%

3-5%

3%

7.5%

3-5%

3%

-5%

3-5%

3%

7.5%

3-5%

3%

14.90% 10.85-14.90%

10.85%

10.85%

Future anticipated cash flows for all CGU’s indicate that the carrying value of the intangible assets were not required to be 
impaired in 2014. 

The sensitivity below shows the amount that these key assumptions are required to change individually, in order for the 
estimated recoverable amount to be equal to the carrying amount for the Coexis CGU:

Decrease of annual revDecrease of annual revenue against forecast by 

13.42% (June 2013: 9.6%)

Increase of annual costs above forecast by 

Increase of post-tax discount rate by 

18.67% (June 2013: 13.44%)

1,365 bps (June 2013: 781 bps)

54

Note 12: Other Assets

Current

Prepaid expenditure

Non-Current

Prepaid expenditure

Note 13: Trade and other Payables

Current (unsecured)

Trade payables & accruals 

Leasehold liability

Non-Current (unsecured)

Trade payables & accruals 

Leasehold liability

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

1,582

1,582

1,278

1,278

68

68

15

15

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

7,142

271

7,413

897

1,981

2,878

7,039

131

7,170

253

1,108

1,361

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

55

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 14: Loans and Borrowings

Current 

Senior bank facility (secured)(a)

Commercial loan facility (secured)

Finance lease liability (Note 20)

Non-Current

Senior bank facility (secured)(a)

Commercial loan facility (secured)

Finance lease liability (Note 20)

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

– 

7

650

657

3,461

– 

1,012

4,473

4,971

10,471

29

251

– 

828

5,251

11,299

The secured bank loans are secured over the Group’s assets of $91.48 million (2013: $90.74 million).

(a)  The senior bank facility is provided by the Commonwealth Bank. The facilities are secured by fixed and floating charges over the operating 
companies within the Group. The senior bank facility represents a $5.03 million loan at 30 June 2014 maturing on 27 December 2015. 
Offsetting this loan are capitalised establishment costs of $59 thousand. Additional payments may be made against facilities without 
incurring penalties. The Interest rate under the facility is variable and linked to BBSY. At 30 June 2014 the interest rate for the senior bank 
facility was 5.7% p.a.

  The equipment finance lease facility for assets already purchased have remained with the NAB until the repayments are completed.

 The covenants within the Commonwealth Bank of Australia borrowings require that at 30 June 2014 the debt to EBITDA ratio is below 
1.25 to 1, interest cover is above 4 to 1 and net worth ratio is above 45%. Based on the Group’s current forecast and business plan, the 
Group anticipates that it will continue to meet its covenants. In respect of the senior bank facility, totaling $5.03 million at 30 June 2014, the 
Group met all covenant requirements.

56

 
Note 15: Tax

(a)  Liabilities

Current 

Income tax 

Non-Current

Deferred tax liability comprises:

Tax allowances relating to plant and equipment 

Tax allowances relating to intangibles

(b)  Assets

Current 

Tax receivable

Non-Current

Deferred tax assets comprise:

Provisions

Other items

Transaction costs on equity issue

Unused tax losses

(c)  Reconciliations

(i)  Net Movement

The overall movement in the net deferred tax account is as follows:

Opening balance

Recoupment of temporary differences not previously taken up

Tax rate change

Charged to income statement

Foreign currency translation

Charge to equity

Closing balance

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

1,231

1,526

114

2,405

2,519

148

2,703

2,851

11

4

4,572

3,812

39

– 

2,058

6,669

2,315

90

(140)

2,020

(115)

(20)

4,150

45

20

1,289

5,166

580

270

(57)

1,700

(158)

(20)

2,315

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

57

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 15: Tax (continued)

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

(ii)  Deferred Tax Liability

(a)   The movement in deferred tax liability for each temporary difference during the year is as follows:

Tax allowances relating to plant and equipment and intangibles

Opening balance 

Recoupment of temporary differences not previously taken up

Charged to income statement

Foreign currency translation

Closing balance

(iii) Deferred Tax Assets

(a)  The movement in deferred tax asset for each temporary difference during the year is as follows:

Provisions

Opening balance 

Recoupment of temporary differences not previously taken up

Tax rate change

Charged to income statement

Foreign currency translation

Closing balance

Other Items

Opening balance 

Recoupment of temporary differences not previously taken up

Tax rate change

Charged to income statement

Foreign currency translation

Closing balance

Transaction costs on equity issue

Opening balance 

Charged directly to equity

Closing balance

58

2,851

3,584

– 

(575)

243

(32)

(946)

245

2,519

2,851

3,812

3,185

65

(14)

689

20

29

(5)

596

7

4,572

3,812

45

– 

(2)

(6)

2

39

20

(20)

– 

7

(10)

(1)

47

2

45

40

(20)

20

Unused tax losses

Opening balance 

Recoupment of temporary differences not previously taken up

Tax rate change

Charged to income statement

Foreign currency translation

Closing balance

(b)   Total deferred tax assets not brought to account as at reporting period end:

– tax losses: operating losses

– tax losses: capital losses

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

1,289

25

(124)

762

106

932

219

(51)

111

78

2,058

1,289

7,517

2,812

6,156

2,812

For deferred tax assets that have not been recognised in relation to operating losses, refer Note 5 (i).

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

59

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 16: Provisions

Current

Employee benefits 

Make Good(a)

Non-Current

Employee benefits 

Make Good(a)

GBST Group

Balance at the beginning of the year

Additional provisions

Amounts used

Unused amounts reversed

Balance at 30 June 2014

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

4,954

46

5,000

1,337

834

2,171

Employee 
benefits
$’000

Make Good
$’000

5,536

3,081

(2,217)

(109)

6,291

740

428

(288)

– 

880

4,443

230

4,673

1,093

510

1,603

Total
$’000

6,276

3,509

(2,505)

(109)

7,171

(a)   In accordance with rental premises lease agreements across the Group, GBST must restore the leased premises to its original condition at the 

end of the lease terms. Expiration dates range from 2015 to 2023.

Note 17: Unearned Income

Current

Revenue received in advance for software usage and support services

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

11,115

11,115

10,182

10,182

60

Note 18: Issued Capital

66,561,725 (2013: 66,561,725) fully paid ordinary shares 

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

37,664

37,664

37,664

37,664

Ordinary shares participate in dividends and the proceeds of winding up of the parent entity in proportion to the number 
of shares held. At shareholders’ meetings each ordinary share is entitled to one vote.

The Company does not have an amount of authorised capital or par value in respect of its issued shares.

Options and Performance Rights
For details on employee and placement options and performance rights over ordinary shares, see Note 29.

Note 19: Reserves

Equity remuneration reserve 

Foreign currency translation reserve 

Note 20: Capital, Leasing and Other Commitments

(a)  Finance Leasing Commitments

Payable on leases:

Not later than one year

Later than one year but not later than five years

Less future finance charges

Total liability

Lease liabilities are included in the Statement of Financial Position as:

Current (Note 14)

Non-current (Note 14)

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

928

(3,284)

(2,356)

230

(5,229)

(4,999)

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

689

263

952

(51)

901

650

251

901

1,084

866

1,950

(110)

1,840

1,012

828

1,840

Finance leases relate to items of plant and equipment and have options to acquire the items on termination.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

61

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 20: Capital, Leasing and Other Committments (continued)

(b)  Non-cancellable Operating Leases

Lease amounts are payable:

Not later than one year

Later than one year but not later than five years

Later than five years

3,312

9,975

8,983

22,270

3,209

9,404

10,663

23,276

Non-cancellable leases include rental premises with original lease terms up to ten years. The lease agreements require 
that the minimum lease payments shall be increased by incremental contingent rentals based on market or CPI.

Certain leases contain options to renew at the end of their term for a further five years.

(c)  Capital and Other Expenditure Commitments

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

136

198

334

334

334

298

263

561

561

561

Contracted for:

Capital purchases

Other operating purchases

Payable

Not later than one year

62

Note 21: Auditors’ Remuneration

Audit Services

KPMG Australia

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014

30 Jun 2013

Audit & review of financial reports

261,000

207,500

Overseas KPMG firms

Audit & review of financial reports

Other Services

KPMG Australia

Other services

Taxation services

Overseas KPMG firms

Taxation services

41,106

88,960

302,106

296,460

41,200

– 

– 

1,600

– 

105,058

41,200 

106,658

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

63

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 22: Other Group Entities

(a)  Controlled Entities Consolidated

Group Entity

GBST Pty Ltd*

Emu Design (Qld) Pty Ltd*

GBST ESOP Pty Ltd*

GBST Ltd

GBST (Australia) Pty Ltd*

Subsidiaries of GBST Ltd:

GBST Inc

Country of Incorporation

Percentage Owned

Australia

Australia

Australia

100% (June 2013: 100%)

100% (June 2013: 100%)

100% (June 2013: 100%)

United Kingdom

100% (June 2013: 100%)

Australia

100% (June 2013: 100%)

United States of America

100% (June 2013: 100%)

GBST Singapore Pte Limited

Singapore

100% (June 2013: 100%)

Subsidiaries of GBST Australia Pty Ltd:

GBST Hong Kong Limited

Hong Kong

100% (June 2013: 100%)

GBST Registry Solutions Pty Ltd*

GBST Wealth Management Pty Ltd*

Australia

Australia

100% (June 2013: 100%)

100% (June 2013: 100%)

Subsidiaries of GBST Wealth Management Pty Ltd:

GBST UK Holdings Limited

United Kingdom

100% (June 2013: 100%)

Subsidiaries of GBST UK Holdings Ltd:

GBST Hosting Limited

United Kingdom

100% (June 2013: 100%)

GBST Wealth Management Limited

United Kingdom

100% (June 2013: 100%)

(b)  Deed of Cross Guarantee 

*     Pursuant to ASIC Class Order 98/1418 these wholly-owned controlled entities are relieved from the Corporations Act (2001) requirements for preparation, audit and 

lodgement of financial reports and Directors’ Report.

It is a condition of the class order that the Company and each of the Australian controlled entities enter into a Deed of Cross Guarantee (“Deed”). The effect of the Deed 
is that the Company guarantees to each creditor payment in full of any debt in the event of winding up any of the controlled entities under certain provisions of the 
Corporations Act (2001). If a winding up occurs under other provisions of the Corporations Act (2001), the Company will only be liable in the event that after six months 
any creditor has not been paid in full. The controlled entities have also given similar guarantees in the event that the Company is wound up.

64

 
A consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income and consolidated statement of financial 
position, comprising the Company and controlled entities which are party to the Deed, after eliminating all transactions 
between parties to the Deed of Cross Guarantee at 30 June 2014 is set out as follows:

Financial information in relation to:

i.  Summarised Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income

Revenue from license and service sales

Revenue from sponsored work

Revenue from sale of third party product

Other income

Results from Operating Activities

Finance costs 

Finance income 

Net finance costs

Profit before income tax

Income tax expense

Profit after income tax

Profit Attributable to Members of the Parent Entity

Other Comprehensive Income

Total Comprehensive Income for the Year

ii.  Retained Earnings 

Retained profits at the beginning of the year

Transfer financial asset reserve to retained earnings

Profit after income tax

Dividends provided for or paid

Retained Earnings at End of the Year

CLOSED GROUP AND 
PARTIES TO DEED OF CROSS 
GUARANTEE

30 Jun 2014 
$’000

30 Jun 2013 
$’000

50,069

22,940

1,732

9

46,095

19,327

1,185

124

13,918

9,904

(937)

19

(918)

13,000

(2,306)

10,694

10,694

(1,505)

32

(1,473)

8,431

(1,929)

6,502

6,502

– 

– 

10,694

6,502

14,600

5,737

10,694

(4,992)

26,039

11,759

– 

6,502

(3,661)

14,600

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

65

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 22: Other Group Entities (continued)

(b)  Deed of Cross Guarantee (continued)

iii.  Statement of Financial Position

Current Assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Inventories

Tax Receivable

Other assets

Total Current Assets

Non-Current Assets

Trade and other receivables

Property, plant and equipment

Intangible assets

Investment

Deferred tax assets

Other assets

Total Non-Current Assets

TOTAL ASSETS

Current Liabilities

Trade and other payables

Financial liabilities

Current tax liabilities

Provisions

Unearned income

Total Current Liabilities

66

CLOSED GROUP AND 
PARTIES TO DEED OF CROSS 
GUARANTEE

30 Jun 2014 
$’000

30 Jun 2013 
$’000

927

11,791

606

– 

939

2,165

11,208

1,011

–

708

14,263

15,092

– 

5,367

40,431

32,838

4,372

68

83,076

97,339

4,856

646

1,228

4,955

9,288

10,449

3,632

42,634

17,108

3,688

15

77,525

92,618

3,991

4,447

1,526

4,640

8,631

20,973

23,235

Non-Current Liabilities

Trade and other payables

Financial liabilities

Deferred tax liabilities

Provisions

Total Non-Current Liabilities

TOTAL LIABILITIES

NET ASSETS

Equity

Issued capital

Reserves

Retained earnings

TOTAL EQUITY

Note 23: Financing Arrangements

Financing facilities(a)

Amount utilised

Unused credit facility

CLOSED GROUP AND 
PARTIES TO DEED OF CROSS 
GUARANTEE

30 Jun 2014 
$’000

30 Jun 2013 
$’000

2,878

5,247

2,404

1,944

12,473

33,446

63,892

1,361

11,281

2,850

1,399

16,891

40,126

52,492

37,664

37,664

189

26,039

63,892

228

14,600

52,492

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

20,943

28,060

(8,392)

(18,499)

12,551

9,561

(a)  This amount comprises a working facility, bank guarantees, finance lease facility and senior bill facility with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). The 

senior facility expires on 27 December 2015 and additional payments may be made against the facility without incurring penalties. The Interest rate under the 
facility is variable and linked to BBSY. At 30 June 2014 the interest rate for the senior bank facility was 5.7% p.a. The facilities are secured by fixed and floating 
charges over the operating companies within the Group. The equipment financing facility for assets already purchased will remain with the NAB until the 
repayments are completed. 

 A finance lease provided by Microsoft Financing is debt funding for the purchase of Microsoft licences which expire December 2014. Finance leases provided by 
BOQ is debt funding for the purchase of Dell hardware which expire November 2015. 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

67

 
Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 24: Cash Flow Information

(a)  Reconciliation of Net Cash provided by Operating Activities to Profit after Income Tax

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

Profit after income tax

Non-cash flows in operating profit:

Depreciation and amortisation

Deferred borrowing costs

Loss on sale of plant & equipment

Share based payments

Changes in assets and liabilities:

Change in receivables

Change in other assets

Change in intangibles (internal costs)

Change in unearned income

Change in inventories

Change in deferred tax balances

Change in tax provision

Change in trade and other payables

Change in provisions

Cash flow from operations

(b)  Reconciliation of Cash

Cash at the end of the financial year as shown in the Statement of Cash Flows is reconciled to 
items in the Statement of Financial Position as follows:

Cash at bank (Note 7)

10,031

6,031

7,350

7,206

39

29

698

(2,504)

(357)

– 

932

457

(1,835)

(302)

188

895

– 

60

230

835

(618)

(36)

1,068

(117)

(1,735)

1,656

(230)

887

15,621

15,237

2,339

2,339

3,505

3,505

(c)  Non-cash Financing Activities

During the 2014 financial year the Group acquired plant and equipment and software with an aggregate value of 
$81 thousand (2013: $954 thousand) by means of finance leases.

68

Note 25: Operating Segment

The Group has four reportable segments, as described below, which are the Group’s strategic business units. The 
strategic business units offer different products and services, and are managed separately because they require different 
technology and marketing strategies. For each of the strategic business units, the CEO reviews internal management 
reports on a monthly basis. The following summary describes the operations in each of the Group’s reportable segments:

Capital Markets Australia offers the GBST Shares and derivatives platform which is the country’s most widely used 
middle-office and back-office equities and derivatives system.

Capital Markets International through the GBST Syn~ platform, provides new-generation technology to process equities, 
derivatives, fixed income and managed funds transactions for global capital markets. 

Wealth Management through the GBST Composer platform, provides end to end funds administration and management 
software to the wealth management industry, both in Australia and the United Kingdom. It offers an integrated system 
for the administration of wrap platforms, including individual savings accounts (ISA’s), pensions, self-invested personal 
pension (SIPP) and superannuation; as well as master trusts, unit trusts, risk and debt; and other investment assets. Other 
GBST products provide technology hub solutions; and data analytics and quantitative services for the measurement of 
portfolio performance. 

Financial Services incorporating Emu Design, provides independent financial data and digital agency services for 
interactive website design, development, hosting, e-commerce platforms, and mobile and social networking solutions.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

69

Other income from 
external customers

Inter-segment 
revenues*

Total segment 
revenue

Operating 
EBITDA

Depreciation and 
amortisation of 
segment assets

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 25: Operating Segment (continued)

CAPITAL 
MARKETS 
 AUSTRALIA

CAPITAL 
MARKETS 
INTERNATIONAL

WEALTH 
MANAGEMENT

FINANCIAL 
SERVICES

ELIMINATIONS

GBST GROUP

30 Jun 
2014
$’000

30 Jun 
2013
$’000

30 Jun 
2014
$’000

30 Jun 
2013
$’000

30 Jun 
2014
$’000

30 Jun 
2013
$’000

30 Jun 
2014
$’000

30 Jun 
2013
$’000

30 Jun 
2014
$’000

30 Jun 
2013
$’000

30 Jun 
2014
$’000

30 Jun 
2013
$’000

Revenue

Revenue from 
external customers 29,510 28,757 11,722

6,709 53,757 43,399

3,108

3,542

– 

11

236

228

158

363

– 

2

– 

– 

–  98,097 82,407

– 

394

604

318

4

12

12

– 

– 

128

600

(458)

(616)

– 

– 

29,828 28,772 11,970

6,949 53,915 43,762

3,236

4,144

(458)

(616) 98,491 83,011

10,329 10,273 (2,498)

(4,569) 13,520 11,624

(1,141)

169

(2,080)

(1,779)

(2,486)

(2,700)

(2,642)

(2,595)

(142)

(132)

Segment result

8,249

8,494 (4,984)

(7,269) 10,878

9,029 (1,283)

37

Unallocated 
revenue/
(expenses)** 

Net finance costs

Profit before 
income tax

Income tax 
expense

Profit after 
income tax

Capital 
expenditure

Segment total 
assets

Segment total 
liabilities

2,612

2,669

180

264

2,106

974

72

67

31,860 20,945 20,555 21,281 39,517 48,041

(416)

470

13,230 14,044 10,560 19,987 14,168 10,412

277

695

–

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 20,210 17,497

– 

(7,350)

(7,206)

–  12,860 10,291

264

(971)

(1,115)

(1,495)

12,009

7,825

(1,978)

(1,794)

10,031

6,031

–  4,970

3,974

–  91,516 90,737

–  38,235 45,138

*   Inter-segment revenue received by Capital Markets International (CMI) from Capital Markets Australia (CMA) of $1.6 million (2013: $1.6 million) for use of intangible 
assets is not included to align with reporting to CEO. To align with reporting to the CEO – software development work charges are not included for work received 
by CMl from CMA of $454 thousand, by CMA for CMI of $612 thousand and by Wealth Management for Financial Services of $58 thousand. Inter-segment 
revenue with an associated direct external cost (typically direct labour costs) are included.

** 2014 amount is net of a recovery of legal expenses previously expensed.

70

Geographical Location:

Australia

Europe and Middle East

Asia

North America

SEGMENT REVENUES  
FROM EXTERNAL 
CUSTOMERS

CARRYING AMOUNT 
OF SEGMENT  
NON-CURRENT ASSETS

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

50,246

38,224

6,475

3,152

49,247

28,529

3,354

1,277

28,820

34,707

177

3

46,282

18,558

186

- 

98,097

82,407

63,707

65,026

Information about Geographical Areas
The consolidated Group’s operating segments are managed in Australia. Capital Markets Australia and Financial Services 
have operations and customers in Australia, Wealth Management has operations and customers in Australia and Europe, 
and Capital Markets International has operations and customers in Europe, North America, Middle East and Asia. Capital 
Markets Australia also has a customer in New Zealand and customers in Asia from sales to Australian entities.

Major Customer
Revenues from the top five customers of the Group represents $44.40 million (2013: $31.90 million) of the Group’s 
total revenues.

Reconciliation of Capital Expenditure
The $410 thousand (2013: $82 thousand) difference between the segment capital expenditure disclosure and the 
acquisitions recorded in plant and equipment (Note 10) and intangibles (Note 11) relates to the make good increase.

Accounting Policies
Segment revenues and expenses are those directly attributable to the segments and include any joint revenue and 
expenses where a reasonable basis of allocation exists. Segment assets include all assets used by a segment and 
consist principally of cash, receivables, inventories, intangibles and property, plant and equipment, net of allowances 
and accumulated depreciation and amortisation. While most such assets can be directly attributed to individual 
segments, the carrying amount of certain assets used jointly by two or more segments is allocated to the segments on a 
reasonable basis. Segment liabilities consist principally of payables, employee benefits, accrued expenses, provisions and 
borrowings. Segment assets and liabilities do include deferred income taxes.

Intersegment Transfers
Segment revenues, expenses and results include transfers between segments. The prices charged on intersegment 
transactions are the same as those charged for similar goods to parties outside of the Group at an arm’s length. These 
transfers are eliminated on consolidation.

There have been no changes to the basis of segmentation or the measurement basis for the segment profit or loss since 
the prior reporting period.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

71

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 26: Financial Risk Management

Interest Rate Risk

(a)   Financial Risk Management Policies
The Group’s principal financial instruments comprise of 
accounts receivable and payable, bank accounts, loans 
and overdrafts, investments and finance leases. 

The main purpose of these financial instruments is to 
provide operating finance to the Group. 

The exposure to market risk for the changes in interest 
rates relates primarily to borrowing obligations, 
underpinned by variable interest rates as agreed in the 
Restructure of Banking Facilities in December 2012. Falling 
interest rates over the past year have validated the current 
variable debt rate strategy employed by the Group. 

Australian variable interest rate risk

It is, and has been throughout the period under review, 
the Group’s policy that financial instruments held are not 
intended for trading purposes.

At reporting period, the Group had the following mix of 
financial assets and liabilities exposed to Australian variable 
interest rate risk.

The Group has exposure to the following risks from their 
use of financial instruments – credit risk, liquidity risk and 
market risk. This note presents information about the 
exposure to each of the above risks. Further quantitative 
disclosures are included throughout these consolidated 
financial statements.

The Board of Directors has overall responsibility for 
the establishment and oversight of the Group’s risk 
management framework. Management is responsible for 
developing and monitoring the risk management policies, 
and reports to the Board.

The risk management policies are established to identify 
and analyse the risks faced, to set appropriate risk limits 
and controls, and to monitor risks and adherence to limits.

The Board of Directors meet on a regular basis to 
analyse financial risk exposure and to evaluate treasury 
management strategies in the context of current economic 
conditions and forecasts.

The Executive Management Team’s overall risk 
management strategy seeks to assist the consolidated 
Group in meeting its financial targets, whilst minimising 
potential adverse effects on financial performance.

Risk management policies are approved and reviewed by 
the Board on a regular basis. 

(b)  Market Risk
Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices, such 
as foreign exchange rates, share prices and interest rates 
will affect income or the value of holdings of financial 
instruments. The objective of market risk management 
is to manage and control market risk exposures within 
acceptable parameters, while optimising the return.

Financial assets

Cash

Financial liabilities

Bank loan

GBST GROUP

2014 
$’000

87

87

2013 
$’000

1,712

1,712

5,047

5,047

14,030

14,030

Lease liabilities have fixed rates, all other items are variable 
rate. The exposure to market interest rates relates primarily 
to long and short term debt obligations. 

Foreign currency variable interest rate risk

At reporting period, the Group had the following mix of 
foreign currency exposed to variable interest rate risk.

GBST GROUP

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

Financial assets

Great British Pounds 

1,918

1,000

United States of America 
Dollars

Euros

Singapore Dollars

Hong Kong Dollars

310

–

17

7

623

114

–

55

2,252

1,792

72

Foreign Currency Risk

The Group is exposed to fluctuations in foreign currencies arising from the sale and purchase of goods and services in 
currencies other than the Group’s measurement currency. 

The Group constantly monitors its foreign currency exposure, and seeks to utilise existing currency reserves and naturally 
hedge foreign currency purchase where possible. 

At balance sheet date the Group had exposure to movements in the exchange rate as follows: 

Great British Pounds 

United States of America Dollars

Euros

Singapore Dollars

Hong Kong Dollars

2014

2013

Cash and 
Receivables 
$’000

Payables 
$’000

Cash and 
Receivables 
$’000

Payables 
$’000

10,956

343

–

17

7

1,205

5,760

961

–

–

6

–

796

114

–

55

–

–

–

–

11,323

1,211

6,725

961

(c)  Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due. The approach 
to managing liquidity is to ensure, as far as possible, that there will always be sufficient liquidity to meet liabilities when 
due, under both normal and stressed conditions, without incurring unacceptable losses or risking damage to the 
Group’s reputation. 

The Group’s objective is to maintain a balance between continuity of funding and flexibility through the use of overdrafts, 
loans and finance leases. Liquidity risk is managed by monitoring forecasted business performance including cash flows, 
the collection of trade receivables, payment of trade payables and maintaining adequate borrowing facilities. In addition, 
the Group forecasts bank covenant compliance and completes a compliance certificate to the Commonwealth Bank of 
Australia on a quarterly basis. 

(d)  Credit Risk
The maximum exposure of credit risk at balance date, excluding the value of any collateral or other security, to recognised 
financial assets is the carrying amount (net of any allowance for impairment of those assets) as disclosed in the balance 
sheet and notes to the financial statements. The Group’s exposure to credit risk arises from potential default of the 
counter party, with a maximum exposure equal to the carrying amount of these instruments. Credit risk arises primarily 
from exposures to customers. The Group trades only with recognised, creditworthy third parties, and as such collateral 
is not requested nor is it the Group’s policy to securitise its trade and other receivables. In addition, receivable balances 
are monitored on an ongoing basis with the result that apart from the risks noted below, there are no other material credit 
risks to the Group. 

In respect of the parent entity, credit risk also incorporates the exposure of GBST Holdings Limited to the liabilities of all 
Australian entities under the Deed of Cross Guarantee. Refer to Note 22 for further information.

Except for the following concentrations of credit risks, the Group does not have any material credit risk exposure to any 
single debtor or group of debtors under financial instruments entered into. Approximately 44% (2013: 39%) of the Group’s 
revenue is derived from five customers providing financial services. All Australian clients satisfy the minimum core capital 
requirements of the ASX (where applicable). 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

73

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 26: Financial Risk Management (continued)

Trade debtor terms range between fourteen to thirty days. Included in the Group’s trade receivable balance are debtors 
with a carrying amount of $3.48 million (2013: $2 million) which are past due at the reporting date for which the Group has 
not provided as there has not been a significant change in the credit quality and the Group believes that the amounts are 
still considered recoverable. The weighted average age of these receivables is 29 days (2013: 28 days). 

The aging of the Group’s trade receivables at the reporting date was:

Not past due

Past due 0-30 days

Past due 30-90 days

Past due more than 
90 days

2014

2013

Gross $’000

Impairment $’000

Gross $’000

Impairment $’000

11,848

879

2,179

423

15,329

–

–

–

–

–

11,248

631

814

552

13,245

–

–

–

440

440

The maximum exposure to credit risk to the Group is the carrying value, which at the reporting date was:

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

GBST GROUP  
CARRYING AMOUNT

2014 
$’000

2,339

16,558

18,897

2013 
$’000

3,505

14,651

18,156

The maximum exposure to credit risk for trade and other receivables at reporting date by geographic region was:

GBST GROUP  
CARRYING AMOUNT

2014 
$’000

6,683

7,568

1,743

53

2013 
$’000

9,560

3,668

1,233

190

16,047

14,651

Australia

Europe and Middle East

Asia

United States of America

74

Lease 
facilities(2)

Trade 
& other 
payables

TOTAL 
FINANCIAL 
LIABILITIES

(e)  Financial Instruments
(i)  Liquidity Risk:

The following table reflects the undiscounted contractual settlement terms for financial liabilities including 
interest payments:

0-1 YEARS

 1-2 YEARS

 2-5 YEARS

 OVER 5 YEARS

TOTAL

 CARRYING 
AMOUNTS

GBST Group

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

Financial Liabilities

Bank loan(1)

287

4,349

5,172

5,099

22

6,193

689

1,084

218

786

45

80

–

 – 

–

5,481

15,641

5,007 13,932

 – 

952

1,950

901

1,840

7,413

7,170

392

263

1,233

263

 1,253 

 835  10,291

8,531 10,291

8,531

8,389

12,603

5,782

6,148

1,300

6,536

 1,253

 835 16,724

26,122

16,199 24,303

1.   These items have variable interest rates.

2.   These items have fixed interest rates. All other items are non-interest bearing.

(ii)  Net Fair Values

The fair value of investments traded on active liquid markets are determined with reference to quoted market prices.

Term receivables and other loans and amounts due are determined by discounting the cash flows, at market interest rates 
of similar items, to their present value. Other financial assets and financial liabilities net of fair value approximates their 
carrying value. Loans payable are determined by discounting the cash flow at market interest rates of similar items, to their 
present value. No financial assets or financial liabilities are readily traded on organised markets in standardised form other 
than listed investments.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

75

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 26: Financial Risk Management (continued)

Financial assets where the carrying amount exceeds net fair values have not been written down as the Group intends to 
hold these assets to maturity.

Aggregate net fair values and carrying amounts of Group financial assets and financial liabilities at balance date:

Financial Assets

Cash and cash equivalents

Trade and other receivables

Financial Liabilities

Trade and other payables

Bank loans and overdrafts

Lease facilities 

2014

2013

Carrying 
Amount  
$’000

Net Fair Value 
$’000

Carrying 
Amount  
$’000

Net Fair Value 
$’000

2,339

16,558

18,897

2,339

16,558

18,897

10,291

10,291

5,007

901

5,046

901

16,199

16,238

3,505

14,651

18,156

8,531

13,932

1,840

24,303

3,505

14,651

18,156

8,531

14,030

1,840

24,401

Fair values are materially in line with carrying values. An average discount rate of 5.7% (2013: 6.26%) has been applied to 
all non-current borrowings to determine fair value. 

(iii)  Sensitivity Analysis

Interest Rate Risk, Foreign Currency Risk and Price Risk
The Group has performed sensitivity analysis relating to its exposure to interest rate risk, foreign currency risk and price 
risk at balance date. This sensitivity analysis demonstrates the effect on the current year results and equity which could 
result from a change in these risks.

Interest Rate Sensitivity Analysis
At 30 June 2014, the net effect on full year profit and equity as a result of changes in the interest rate on variable rate 
financial instruments, with all other variables remaining constant would be as follows:

GBST GROUP

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

(50)

50

(140)

140

Increase/(Decrease) in Profit and Equity

Increase in interest rate by 1%

Decrease in interest rate by 1%

76

Foreign Currency Risk Sensitivity Analysis
At 30 June 2014, the effect on profit as a result of changes in the value of the Australian Dollar (AUD) to the Great British 
Pound (GBP), United States of America Dollar (USD), Euro (EUR), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) with all other variables 
remaining constant is as follows:

Increase/(Decrease) in Profit

Improvement in AUD to GBP by 10%

Decline in AUD to GBP by 10%

Improvement in AUD to USD by 10%

Decline in AUD to USD by 10%

Improvement in AUD to EUR by 10%

Decline in AUD to EUR by 10%

Improvement in AUD to SGD by 10%

Decline in AUD to SGD by 10%

Improvement in AUD to HKD by 10%

Decline in AUD to HKD by 10%

GBST GROUP

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

(25)

25

92

(75)

–

–

(2)

2

(14)

11

2

(2)

14

(11)

13

(10)

–

–

5

(6)

At 30 June 2014, the effect on equity as a result of changes in the value of the Australian Dollar (AUD) to the Great 
British Pound (GBP), United States of America Dollar (USD), Euro (EUR), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) with all other variables 
remaining constant is as follows:

Change in Equity

Improvement in AUD to GBP by 10%

Decline in AUD to GBP by 10%

Improvement in AUD to USD by 10%

Decline in AUD to USD by 10%

Improvement in AUD to EUR by 10%

Decline in AUD to EUR by 10%

Improvement in AUD to SGD by 10%

Decline in AUD to SGD by 10%

Improvement in AUD to HKD by 10%

Decline in AUD to HKD by 10%

Price Risk

At 30 June 2014 there no investments in listed shares.

GBST GROUP

2014 
$’000

2013 
$’000

12

(12)

92

(75)

–

–

(2)

2

(14)

11

530

(530)

14

(11)

13

(10)

–

–

5

(6)

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

77

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 27: Contingent Liabilities

As at 30 June 2014, GBST has with its clients a variety of software supply agreements, each of which contain service and 
performance warranties and indemnities. These warranties and indemnities are of the standard type used in the industry 
and the likelihood of liabilities arising under these warranties and indemnities is considered remote.

The Group is also involved in litigious matters arising in the course of business.

It is impractical to estimate the maximum contingent asset or liability in relation to these matters, and in the opinion of the 
Directors’ disclosure of any further information would be prejudicial to the interests of the Group.

Note 28: Related Parties

Transactions between related parties are on normal commercial terms and conditions no more favourable than those 
available to other parties unless otherwise stated.

(a)  Transactions with Directors and Key Management Personnel
Compensation and equity interests are set out in the Remuneration Report.

Consultancy fees paid to Mr J Puttick.

Short-term employee benefits

Post-employment benefits

Other long-term benefits

Share-based payments

GBST GROUP

2014 
$

–

2013 
$

4,000

GBST GROUP 

2014 

2013 

3,785,643

3,653,956

100,273

153,076

44,046

40,736

309,561

199,306

4,239,523

4,047,074

Detailed disclosures on compensation for Key Management Personnel are set out in the Remuneration Report included in 
the Directors’ Report.

Note 29: Share Based Payments

To assist in the attraction, retention and motivation of employees, the Company operates a GBST Performance Rights and 
Option Plan.

Share based payments entered into in the year are detailed below.

Share Performance Rights
At the Company’s 2012 annual general meeting the issue of these performance rights and the GBST Performance Rights 
and Option Plan was approved by shareholders.

Under this Scheme select staff are made individual offers of specific numbers of share performance rights at the discretion 
of the Board. The Board may determine the number of share performance rights, vesting conditions, vesting period, 
exercise price and expiry date. Share performance rights may be granted at any time, subject to the Corporations Act and 
ASX Listing Rules.

78

As at reporting date, the expense for these share performance rights for the period ending 30 June 2014 was 
$698 thousand (2013: $230 thousand) included in share based payment expense. 

The share performance rights outstanding at 30 June 2014 had a weighted remaining contractual life of 20 months. 

FY13 issue

On 8 November 2012, 1,314,636 performance rights were issued to select Executive employees. There is a nil exercise 
price and the share performance rights vest in thirty-six months after the date of grant or the date of release of GBST’s 
financial results for the 2015 financial year, whichever is later. The share performance rights expire thirty days after the 
vesting date.

The share performance rights are conditional on the employees meeting continuous service conditions and the group 
meeting certain financial performance measures. 

FY14 issue

During the year, 514,536 and 13,766 performance rights were issued to select employees on 16 September 2013 and 
11 February 2014 respectively. There is a nil exercise price and the share performance rights vest in thirty-six months after 
the date of grant or the date of release of GBST’s financial results for the 2016 financial year, whichever is later. The share 
performance rights expire thirty days after the vesting date.

The share performance rights are conditional on the employees meeting continuous service conditions and the group 
meeting certain financial performance measures. 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

79

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 29: Share Based Payments (continued)

The performance criteria associated with the grant of share performance rights outstanding under the GBST Performance 
Rights and Option Plan is summarised below:

Performance Criteria

Grant Date

8 November 2012*

Financial Performance hurdle

Cumulative Earnings Per Share (EPS) Target

•   Subject to GBST achieving three year (2013 – 2015 financial years) 

cumulative EPS targets of 26 cents, 28 cents, and 32 cents for 25%, 
50% and 100% vesting respectively. 

Minimum EPS 

•   A minimum EPS of 5 cents is achieved in each year 

Service Condition

•   Continuous employment with the Group from grant date for three years. 

16 September 2013**

Cumulative Earnings Per Share (EPS) Target

•   Subject to GBST achieving three year (2014 – 2016 financial years) 

cumulative EPS targets of 32 cents, 36 cents, and 40 cents for 25%, 
50% and 100% vesting respectively. 

Minimum EPS 

•   A minimum EPS of 5 cents is achieved in each year

 Service Condition

•   Continuous employment with the Group from grant date for three years.

11 February 2014**

Cumulative Earnings Per Share (EPS) Target

•   Subject to GBST achieving three year (2014 – 2016 financial years) 

cumulative EPS targets of 32 cents, 36 cents, and 40 cents for 25%, 
50% and 100% vesting respectively. 

Minimum EPS 

•   A minimum EPS of 5 cents is achieved in each year 

Service Condition

•   Continuous employment with the Group from grant date for three years.

*  The fair value of the share performance rights at the 8 November 2012 of $0.8151 each was determined using the Binomial Approximation Option Valuation 

Model. The model inputs were: the share price at date of grant $0.96, expected volatility of 46.8 percent, expected dividends of 5.42 percent, a term of three 
years and a risk-free interest rate of 2.61 percent. The exercise price for the share performance rights is nil.

**  The fair value of the share performance rights of $2.5425 each was determined using the Binomial Approximation Option Valuation Model. The model inputs 

were: the share price at date of grant $2.85, expected volatility of 40.02 percent, expected dividend yield of 3.80 percent, a term of three years and a risk-free 
interest rate of 2.81 percent. The exercise price for the share performance rights is nil.

80

Movement in Share Performance Rights 
The following table illustrates the number, weighted average exercise price (WAEP) and movement in share performance 
rights under the Share Performance Rights Scheme issued during the period.

Outstanding at the beginning of the period

Granted during the period 

Forfeited during the period 

Exercised during the period 

Expired during the period 

Outstanding at the end of the period 

Exercisable at the end of the period 

Jun 2014 
Number

Jun 2014
WAEP

Jun 2013 
Number

Jun 2013
WAEP

1,314,636

528,302

(10,555)

–

–

1,832,383

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

1,314,636

–

–

–

1,314,636

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

No person entitled to exercise any performance right had or has any right by virtue of the performance right to participate 
in any share issue of any other body corporate.

Note 30: Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share (cents)

Diluted earnings per share (cents) 

(a) Reconciliation of earnings to net profit

Net Profit

Earnings used in the calculation of basic EPS

Earnings used in the calculation of dilutive EPS

GBST GROUP

2014

15.07

15.07

 $’000

10,031

10,031

10,031

2013

9.06

9.06

 $’000

6,031

6,031

6,031

(b) Weighted average number of ordinary shares 

Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year used in calculation 
of basic EPS

66,561,725

66,561,725

Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year used in 
calculation of dilutive EPS

66,561,725

66,561,725

The average market value of the Company’s shares for purposes of calculating the dilutive effect of share options was 
based on quoted market prices for the period during which the options were outstanding.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

81

Notes to and forming part of the Consolidated Financial Statements

for the year ended 30 June 2014 continued

Note 31: Subsequent Events

The financial report was authorised for issue on 18 August 2014 by the Board of Directors.

No matters or circumstances have arisen since the end of the financial year which significantly affected or may significantly 
affect operations of GBST, the results of those operations, or the state of affairs of GBST in future financial years.

As announced to the ASX on 5 August 2014, the Group issued 345,005 performance rights to selected employees. The 
rights were issued under the GBST Performance Rights and Option Plan approved by GBST shareholders at the 2012 
AGM. Following this grant the total number of share performance rights issued will be 2,177,388. 

The Board of GBST also intends to issue 100,486 performance rights to Mr Stephen Lake, Managing Director, on the 
same terms as the issue of these performance rights. The issue to Mr Lake will be subject to shareholder approval at the 
upcoming AGM later this year.

Note 32: Parent Entity Disclosures

As at, and throughout the financial year ending 30 June 2014 the parent company of the Group was GBST Holdings Limited.

GBST HOLDINGS

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

Results of the Parent Entity

PROFIT ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE PARENT ENTITY

2,608

2,114

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss

Total Comprehensive Income for the Year

Financial Position of the Parent Entity at Year End

Current Assets

Total Assets

Current Liabilities

Total Liabilities

Total Equity of the Parent Entity Comprising of:

Issued capital

Equity remuneration reserve 

Retained earnings

Total Equity 

–

2,608

–

2,114

5,378

8,692

142,430

194,139

8,988

14,610

90,468

146,227

37,664

37,664

928

13,370

51,962

230

10,018

47,912

Parent Entity Contingencies
The Directors are of the opinion that no provisions are required in respect of parent entity contingencies.

82

Contingent Liabilities not Considered Remote
The parent entity has guaranteed, to an unrelated party, 
the performance of a subsidiary in relation to a contract for 
the supply of software and services.

GBST HOLDINGS

30 Jun 2014
$’000

30 Jun 2013
$’000

Parent Entity Capital 
and Other Expenditure 
Commitments

Contracted for:

Capital and other 
operating purchases

Payable

Not later than one year

Guarantees
Property Leases

105

105

105

246

246

246

In accordance with property lease requirements, the 
Company has provided bank guarantees to the lessors.

Lending Facilities

The Groups’ lending facilities are supported by guarantees 
from its subsidiaries.

Performance Guarantees

The parent entity provides certain guarantees in relation 
to subsidiary performance of contract.

Parent Entity Guarantees in Respect of Debts of its 
Subsidiaries

The parent entity has entered into a Deed of Cross 
Guarantee with the effect that the Company guarantees 
debts in respect of its subsidiaries.

Further details of the Deed of Cross Guarantee and the 
subsidiaries subject to the deed, are disclosed in Note 22.

Note 33: Company Details

The registered office of the Company is:

GBST Holdings Limited
c/- McCullough Robertson
Level 11, Central Plaza Two
66 Eagle Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000

The Group’s places of business are:

Level 4
410 Ann Street
BRISBANE QLD 4000

Level 24
259 George Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000

Level 2
63 Market Street
WOLLONGONG NSW 2530 

Level 8
34 Queen Street
MELBOURNE Vic 3000

8th Floor Linen court
10 East Road
LONDON NI 6AD

Building 5
Croxley Green Business Park
Hatters Lane, Watford
HERTFORDSHIRE WD 18 8Y

19th Floor
222 Broadway
NEW YORK NY 10007 

Unit 2904, 29F
Universal Trade Centre
3-5A Arbuthnot Road
HONG KONG

Level 10
55 Market St
SINGAPORE 048941

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

83

Directors’ Declaration  for the year ended 30 June 2014

Directors’ Declaration

1.  In the opinion of the Directors of GBST Holdings Limited (‘the Company’):

a)  the consolidated financial statements and Notes 1 to 33 and the Remuneration report in the Directors’ report, set 

out on pages 22 to 30, are in accordance with the Corporations Act (2001), including:

i)  giving a true and fair view of the Group’s financial position as at 30 June 2014 and of its performance for the 

financial year ended on that date; and

ii)  complying with Australian Accounting Standards (including the Australian Accounting Interpretations) and the 

Corporations Regulations (2001); and

b)  there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Company will be able to pay its debts as and when they become 

due and payable.

2.  There are reasonable grounds to believe that the Company and the Group entities identified in Note 22 will be able 
to meet any obligations or liabilities to which they are or may become subject to by virtue of the Deed of Cross 
Guarantee between the Company and those Group entities pursuant to ASIC Class Order 98/1418.

3.  The Directors have been given the declarations required by Section 295A of the Corporations Act (2001) from the 

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer for the financial year ended 30 June 2014.

4.  The Directors draw attention to Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, which includes a statement of 

compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards.

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors:

Dr J F Puttick 
Chairman

Mr S M L Lake 
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

Dated at Brisbane this 18th day of August 2014

84

Independent Auditor’s Report   

for the year ended 30 June 2014

ABCD

Independent auditor’s report to the members of GBST Holdings Limited

Report on the financial report

We have audited the accompanying financial report of GBST Holdings Limited (the company), 
which comprises the consolidated statement of financial position as at 30 June 2014, and 
consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, consolidated statement 
of changes in equity and consolidated statement of cash flows for the year ended on that date, 
notes 1 to 33 comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory 
information and the directors’ declaration of the Group comprising the company and the entities 
it controlled at the year’s end or from time to time during the financial year. 

Directors’ responsibility for the financial report 

The directors of the company are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives 
a true and fair view in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations 
Act 2001 and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the 
preparation of the financial report that is free from material misstatement whether due to fraud or 
error. In note 2, the directors also state, in accordance with Australian Accounting Standard 
AASB 101 Presentation of Financial Statements, that the financial statements of the Group 
comply with International Financial Reporting Standards. 

Auditor’s responsibility

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial report based on our audit. We 
conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. These Auditing 
Standards require that we comply with relevant ethical requirements relating to audit 
engagements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial 
report is free from material misstatement.

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and 
disclosures in the financial report. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgement, 
including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether 
due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control 
relevant to the entity’s preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view in order 
to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of 
expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. An audit also includes 
evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting 
estimates made by the directors, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial 
report.  

We performed the procedures to assess whether in all material respects the financial report 
presents fairly, in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001 and Australian Accounting 
Standards, a true and fair view which is consistent with our understanding of the Group’s 
financial position and of its performance.  

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a 
basis for our audit opinion. 

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

85

91

KPMG, an Australian partnership and a member firm of the KPMG 

network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under 

International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity.    

Professional Standards Legislation. 

 
 
Independent Auditor’s Report   

for the year ended 30 June 2014

ABCD

Independence 

In conducting our audit, we have complied with the independence requirements of the 
Corporations Act 2001.  

Auditor’s opinion 

In our opinion: 

(a) 

the financial report of the Group is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, 
including: 

(i) 

(ii) 

giving a true and fair view of the Group’s financial position as at 30 June 2014 and 
of its performance for the year ended on that date; and 

complying with Australian Accounting Standards  and the Corporations Regulations 
2001. 

(b) 

the financial report also complies with International Financial Reporting Standards as 
disclosed in note 2. 

Report on the remuneration report 

We have audited the Remuneration Report included in pages 22 to 30 of the directors’ report for 
the year ended 30 June 2014. The directors of the company are responsible for the preparation 
and presentation of the remuneration report in accordance with Section 300A of the 
Corporations Act 2001. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the remuneration report, 
based on our audit conducted in accordance with auditing standards. 

Auditor’s opinion 

In our opinion, the remuneration report of GBST Holdings Limited for the year ended 
30 June 2014, complies with Section 300A of the Corporations Act 2001. 

KPMG 

Stephen Board 
Partner 

Brisbane 
18 August 2014 

86

Additional Information  for the year ended 30 June 2014

Shareholding Information as at 29 August 2014

a. Distribution of Shareholders

Category (size of holding)

1 to 1,000

1,001 to 5,000

5,001 to 10,000

10,001 to 100,0000

100,001 and over

Total

b. The number of shareholdings in less than marketable parcels is 141

c. The names of the substantial shareholders listed in the company’s register are:

Shareholder

Crown Financial Pty Ltd

Perpetual Limited

John Francis Puttick

Stephen Maurice Linton Lake

Renaissance Smaller Companies Pty Ltd

National Nominees Ltd ACF Australian Ethical Smaller Companies Trust

National Australia Bank Limited and its associated entities

Number ordinary

576

715

241

180

44

1,756

Number ordinary

6,277,610

6,226,781

5,278,356

5,146,109

3,688,368

3,621,638

3,585,018

d. Voting rights
The company only has ordinary shares on issue. There are 66,561,725 ordinary shares on issue.

Each ordinary share is entitled to one vote when a poll is called, otherwise each member present at a meeting or by proxy 
has one vote on a show of hands. No shares are the subject of voluntary escrow.

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

87

Additional Information  for the year ended 30 June 2014

Total Units

12,893,361

% IC

19.37%

4,366,234

4,280,693

3,768,148

3,563,051

3,448,902

2,450,000

2,343,096

2,233,000

2,013,462

2,000,000

1,691,000

932,511

751,553

730,123

707,839

707,839

703,594

639,632

615,908

600,000

6.56%

6.43%

5.66%

5.35%

5.18%

3.68%

3.52%

3.35%

3.02%

3.00%

2.54%

1.40%

1.13%

1.10%

1.06%

1.06%

1.06%

0.96%

0.93%

0.90%

e. 20 Largest Shareholders – Ordinary Shares

Rank

Name

NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED 

BNP PARIBAS NOMS PTY LTD 

RBC INVESTOR SERVICES AUSTRALIA NOMINEES PTY LIMITED 

CROWN FINANCIAL PTY LTD 

J P MORGAN NOMINEES AUSTRALIA LIMITED 

HSBC CUSTODY NOMINEES (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED 

MR JOHN FRANCIS PUTTICK 

STEPHEN MAURICE LINTON LAKE

DEKACROFT PTY LTD 

MR JOAKIM SUNDELL & MRS SHARA SUNDELL 

BRAZIL FARMING PTY LTD 

MRS AMBER ROBYN LAKE 

BOND STREET CUSTODIANS LIMITED 

BERISLAV BECAREVIC & IVANKA BECAREVIC 

MR STEPHEN MAURICE LAKE 

ROBERT DEDOMINICIS 

RAYMOND TUBMAN 

TIMENOW PTY LTD

BOND STREET CUSTODIANS LIMITED 

MR DONAL O'BRIEN 

RJAE PTY LTD 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

16

17

18

19

20

88

Corporate Directory  for the year ended 30 June 2014

Share Registry

Link Market Services

Level 19, 324 Queen Street

Brisbane QLD 4000

Ph +61 1300 554 474

Fax +61 2 9287 0309

Stock Exchange Listing

GBST Holdings Limited shares are quoted on the Australian 
Stock Exchange under the code GBT.

Unquoted Securities

The company has 2,177,388 Performance Rights on issue.

Auditors

KPMG

Level 16, 71 Eagle Street

Brisbane QLD 4000

Ph +61 7 3233 3111

Fax +61 7 3233 3100

Registered Office

c/- McCullough Robertson, Lawyers

Level 11, Central Plaza Two

66 Eagle Street

BRISBANE QLD 4000

Ph +61 7 3233 8888

Fax +61 7 3229 9949

Principal Place of Business

Level 4, 410 Ann Street

Brisbane QLD 4000

Ph +61 7 3331 5555

Fax +61 7 3839 7783

www.gbst.com

Postal Address

PO Box 1511

Milton QLD 4064

Directors

John Francis Puttick

Stephen Maurice Linton Lake

Joakim James Sundell

Allan James Brackin

David Campbell Adams

Ian Thomas

Company Secretary

Andrew David Ritter

Sean Anthony Norman

GBST Holdings Limited ABN 85 010 488 874 Annual Report

2014

89

www.gbst.com