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T. Rowe Price(TROW) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

2026-02-04 14:00

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company closed 2025 with $1.78 trillion in assets under management, up over 10% from the start of the year, despite $56.9 billion in net outflows [4] - Adjusted diluted earnings per share for Q4 2025 was $2.44, bringing full-year adjusted diluted EPS to $9.72, which is up 4.2% from 2024 [16] - Q4 adjusted net revenue was $1.9 billion, raising full-year adjusted net revenue to nearly $7.4 billion, an increase of 2.8% from 2024 [18] - Adjusted operating expenses for Q4 were $1.2 billion, bringing full-year adjusted operating expenses to $4.6 billion, which is up 3.4% from 2024 [21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net outflows were concentrated in the equity and mutual fund business, with $75 billion of net outflows from equity and almost $64 billion from mutual funds in 2025 [5] - Fixed income and alternatives had positive net flows for the quarter, with fixed income delivering eight consecutive quarters of positive net flows [17] - The target date franchise ended the year with net inflows of $5.2 billion, while the ETF business had $1.8 billion in net inflows during the quarter [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced elevated redemptions from its legacy equity and mutual fund business, but strong equity market returns offset the net outflows [16] - The average effective fee rate for Q4 was 38.8 basis points, down from 39.1 basis points in Q3 2025, driven by changes in asset and vehicle mix [19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company established a strategic collaboration with Goldman Sachs to pursue opportunities in wealth and retirement through co-developed public-private offerings [9] - The company is focused on integrating digital capabilities and enhancing its strategic vision through organizational changes [13] - The company plans to launch an active crypto ETF in 2026, utilizing a blend of fundamental and quantitative analysis [34] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the biggest factor affecting operating margins is equity market returns, with a portion of the expense base being variable [26] - The company anticipates continued pressure in equities but expects to offset this with inflows in target-date funds and growth in fixed income and alternatives [45] - Management expressed confidence in the company's strategic initiatives and the ability to navigate changing market cycles [22] Other Important Information - The company returned nearly $1.8 billion of cash to stockholders and extended its regular dividend for the 39th consecutive year [5] - The company launched 13 ETFs in 2025, bringing the total to 30, with assets under management growing to over $21 billion at year-end [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: How is the company planning for 2026 in terms of operating expenses? - Management indicated that a third of the expense base is variable and that they are balancing cost savings with investments in growth areas [26][28] Question: What is the company's approach to tokenization and blockchain? - The company is exploring efficiency opportunities, product opportunities, and distribution opportunities related to tokenization and blockchain [33] Question: What is the outlook for the target date business given recent outflows? - Management noted that outflows were driven by M&A activity and that the company is well-positioned to mitigate headwinds with strong blend and hybrid offerings [43][44] Question: How does the company expect to respond to recent market disruptions? - Management stated that client reactions vary, but the overall impact on flows is not expected to be substantial in the long term [48] Question: What is the company's exposure to investments potentially disrupted by AI? - Management emphasized that they have a rigorous credit process and are well-positioned to navigate potential disruptions in the market [53]