Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Record Fee Related Earnings (FRE) of $627 million, a 22% year-over-year increase [7] - Management fee growth of 21% year-over-year [7] - Record Asset Under Management (AUM) of $840 billion, a 22% year-over-year increase [54] - Strong inflows of $61 billion across the firm, with record organic inflows of $49 billion [48] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Asset Management: AUM increased by 22% year-over-year to $840 billion, with fee-generating AUM growing 22% to $638 billion [54] - Retirement Services: $21 billion of inflows in Q2, the second highest on record [57] - Credit business: Core opportunistic credit returned 9% over the latest twelve months, with a 23% quarter-over-quarter increase [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strong demand for retirement services products driven by demographic trends [15] - Inflows from Athene reached $21 billion, the second highest result on record [51] - Significant origination activity in Europe, with a focus on infrastructure investments [43] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Focus on origination and maintaining high-quality spread in a competitive environment [18][19] - Expansion into the UK market through strategic partnerships and acquisitions [24][79] - Emphasis on innovation in product offerings to meet evolving market demands [34][35] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the business's health and growth potential despite current market challenges [64][67] - Anticipation of continued strong performance in the Retirement Services segment due to favorable demographic trends [15][57] - Expectation of significant opportunities in private credit and infrastructure financing [45][46] Other Important Information - The company is on track to achieve higher margins over time as it scales its operations [57] - The acquisition of Bridge Investment Group is expected to close in early September, with modest FRE contributions anticipated for 2025 [59] Q&A Session Summary Question: Credit spread dynamics and impact on insurance business - Management noted that while credit spreads have tightened, they are originating new business at historical rates of return, maintaining profitability [63][64] Question: Potential FRE impacts from Athora PIC acquisition - Management expects the transaction to be accretive to Athora's valuation and FRE over time, creating a significant origination ecosystem in the UK market [74][76] Question: Scalability of ABC following ADS success - Management indicated strong early approvals for ABC and believes it can follow the success of ADS, leveraging their first-mover advantage [82][84] Question: Drivers of recent origination and deployment growth - Management highlighted the power of their integrated origination platform and the ability to provide diverse financing solutions as key drivers of growth [86][90] Question: Outlook for inflows in Retirement Services - Management emphasized the development of stable value products as a growth area for Athene's business [94][96]

Partnerships & Market Access - Blackstone is partnering with Wellington and Vanguard to expand access to private assets for retail investors [1] - The initiative aims to bring private assets to Main Street investors [1] Regulatory & Economic Context - The Trump administration is supporting the move to broaden investment opportunities [1] Risk Considerations - Investors should be aware of the risks associated with investing in private assets [1]

The biggest direct lenders have been laying the groundwork to spur more private assets into retirement funds for quite some time https://t.co/sFtPzdTtnN ...

Blackstone is partnering with Wellington and Vanguard to bring private assets to the masses. The Trump administration is getting on board and Main Street investors could benefit, so long as they know the risks. (Photo: Michael Prince for Forbes) https://t.co/ly0RWRs01Z https://t.co/943VbhdHrN ...

Investment Strategy - Including private assets in 401(k) plans could potentially increase returns [1] - Incorporating private assets also introduces higher risk [1]

An industry group that advocates for putting private assets in 401(k)s called for plan administrators to evaluate such investments with the same standards used for traditional ones like stocks and bonds https://t.co/HxB0OFYJRE ...

Core Insights - BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) is expanding private market investments into retirement plans, indicating a shift in retirement product structuring [1] - Great Gray Trust Company has selected BlackRock to provide a custom glidepath for its first target date retirement solution, which includes private equity and private credit [1][9] Group 1: BlackRock's Strategy and Offerings - BlackRock aims to modernize traditional target date solutions by incorporating private market exposures, which have historically been limited to institutional investors [3] - The firm plans to allocate 5-20% of retirement plans to private assets based on the investor's age, potentially increasing annual returns by 50 basis points [5][9] - BlackRock has committed nearly $28 billion to acquiring private asset firms over the past year, including significant acquisitions like Global Infrastructure Partners for $12.5 billion [10] Group 2: Market Demand and Growth Projections - There is a rising demand for private assets, which are becoming crucial for economic growth and returns for institutional and high-net-worth investors [4] - BlackRock predicts the private credit market could grow to $4.5 trillion by 2030, with a target of raising $400 billion in private markets by the same year [8] - The integration of private equity and credit investments into pre-built portfolios is part of BlackRock's strategy to enhance its offerings in the private asset space [6] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Other financial institutions, such as JPMorgan and Citigroup, are also expanding their presence in the private credit market, indicating a competitive environment [15][17] - JPMorgan announced a $50 billion allocation for direct lending, while Citigroup partnered with Apollo for a $25 billion private credit program [15][17]

Market Trends & Investment Opportunities - Washington and Wall Street are pushing to bring private assets to 401(k)s, potentially opening up a new frontier for alternative asset managers [1][2] - Blackrock plans to offer a target date fund with up to 20% allocated to private assets by early next year [2] - Incorporating private equity and private credit into a 401(k) could deliver 15% more income over four decades, before fees [3] - The House advanced a bill broadening the accredited investor status, allowing more people to invest in private markets through their 401(k)s [3] - The Trump administration is expected to issue an executive order directing federal agencies to study and propose rule changes involving private assets in retirement plans [4] - Blackrock acquired a private credit manager with $14 billion in assets, indicating a strategic move to capitalize on this potential new market [5] Risks & Challenges - Sizable hurdles remain among plan providers, including high fees, illiquidity, opacity, and litigation risk [4] - Over half of defined contribution plans with more than $1 billion in assets have been sued for excess fees, highlighting litigation concerns [5] - Structuring products specifically for 401(k)s is required to address concerns about fees, liquidity, and transparency [4]

Summary of Apollo Global Management (APO) Conference Call Company Overview - Apollo Global Management is one of the world's largest alternative investment managers with nearly $800 billion in assets under management [2] Macro Economic Insights - Recent months have shown a normalization of investor sentiment and a fading uncertainty regarding the trade war, which is reflected in market performance [5] - The market anticipates fewer interest rate cuts than previously expected, with a likelihood of higher rates persisting for an extended period [6][7] - Higher interest rates are generally favorable for credit markets, leading to a constructive outlook for Apollo's portfolio [8] Capital Solutions Business - Apollo has successfully built a capital solutions revenue stream, which is now a significant part of its business model [11] - The capital solutions business is expected to grow, with a target of achieving $1 billion in annual revenue within five years [14] - The business has shown stability with consistent revenue generation, having achieved over $100 million in revenue for ten consecutive quarters [14] Private Credit Expansion - Apollo views the private credit market as a vast opportunity, estimating it to be a $40 trillion marketplace, primarily in investment-grade and asset-backed financing [21] - The adoption of private credit is still in its early stages, with insurance companies being the most advanced adopters [22] Origination Strategy - Apollo has doubled its origination volume over the past few years, currently running at over $200 billion per year, with expectations to reach $275 billion in the next four to five years [26] - The origination strategy is supported by 16 platforms, which are crucial for driving growth and providing financing solutions [25][30] Fundraising Environment - The fundraising environment is evolving, with challenges in traditional institutional capital raising due to difficult exit conditions [31][34] - Apollo is focusing on expanding its global wealth opportunities and partnerships with traditional firms to access new markets [32] Private Wealth Strategies - Apollo has launched various strategies in the private wealth sector, raising $12 billion last year and continuing to see strong demand [40] - The firm is experimenting with different fund structures across various markets to optimize distribution [42] Annuity Sales Outlook - Annuity sales have tripled over the last five years, with Apollo being the number one writer of annuities [61] - The firm anticipates stable growth in annuity sales, supported by demographic trends and the increasing number of retirees [62] Spread-Related Earnings - Apollo expects mid-single-digit growth in spread-related earnings for the year, influenced by tight asset spreads and competitive pressures in the annuity market [66] - The pace of investments has been cautious, with a focus on deploying capital when favorable conditions arise [70] Conclusion - Apollo Global Management is well-positioned in the current economic environment, with a strong focus on capital solutions, private credit, and origination strategies, while navigating challenges in fundraising and market competition [8][31][66]

Wall Street is increasingly interested in bringing private assets to everyday investors. Financial services firm Empower, which oversees 1.8% trillion in 401k accounts for 19 million people, recently announced that it will offer private credit equity and real estate into some of its accounts later on this year. But there are certain issues tied to private assets and mainstream use.According to our very own Bob Pal, private assets can be complex and illquid, meaning they aren't easily bought or sold. These a ...