Core Viewpoint - Silvercrest Asset Management Group reported a decline in earnings and revenue for Q2 2025, despite achieving record assets under management, indicating challenges in profitability due to rising costs and fee pressures [1][7][8]. Financial Performance - GAAP revenue for Q2 2025 was $30.7 million, down 1.0% from $31.0 million in Q2 2024, and slightly below analyst expectations [1][12]. - Non-GAAP EPS was $0.25, missing estimates by 16.7% and down from $0.30 in Q2 2024 [1][2]. - Adjusted EBITDA fell to $5.7 million, a decrease of 20.6% year-over-year [2]. - Net income dropped to $3.1 million, down 28.4% from the previous year [2]. Assets Under Management - Assets under management reached a record $36.7 billion, up 9.9% from $33.4 billion a year earlier [1][5]. - Discretionary AUM increased by 9.7% year-over-year, while non-discretionary AUM rose by 10.2% [5]. Client Flows - Overall net client flows were negative at ($0.4) billion, although this was an improvement from ($0.9) billion in Q2 2024 [6]. - Gross client inflows were $0.9 billion, with outflows at $1.3 billion [6]. Expense Management - Total expenses increased by 3.7% year-over-year, driven by a 1.7% rise in compensation and benefits and an 8.8% increase in general and administrative expenses [8]. - Adjusted EBITDA margin fell to 18.7% from 23.3% year-over-year [8]. Investment Strategies - Proprietary equity strategies showed mixed results, with the Large Cap Value composite returning 10.1% compared to its benchmark's 13.7%, while the Global Value Opportunity composite outperformed its benchmark with a return of 19.5% [9]. Shareholder Returns - The company completed a $12.0 million share repurchase and announced a new $25.0 million buyback authorization [10]. - The quarterly dividend was raised by 5% to $0.21 per share [10][13]. Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about long-term growth, highlighting a strong pipeline for global investment strategies and new client acquisitions [11]. - Elevated expenses are expected to persist through at least 2026, with anticipated improvements in margins as growth investments begin to yield results [11][12].

Core Insights - Blackstone Inc. reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results, driven by a 25% increase in distributable earnings and robust growth across key business segments, leading to total assets under management exceeding $1.2 trillion, a new industry record [1][3]. Financial Performance - Second-quarter fiscal year segment revenues reached $3.075 billion, reflecting a 22% year-over-year increase, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $2.778 billion [2]. - Distributable earnings rose 25% year-over-year to $1.57 billion [2]. Business Growth - The strong performance was attributed to broad growth across private wealth, credit and insurance, and infrastructure sectors [3]. - Blackstone achieved the highest level of fund appreciation in nearly four years, indicating strong investment performance for its limited partners [3]. Market Reaction - Following the earnings announcement, Blackstone shares gained 3.6%, closing at $178.11 [4]. - Analysts adjusted their price targets for Blackstone, with Deutsche Bank raising it from $170 to $192 and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increasing it from $168 to $180 [9].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total assets under management (AUM) decreased to $167.5 billion as of March 31, primarily due to market performance and net outflows [9][16][20] - Earnings per share (EPS) as adjusted was $5.73, a decline from the previous quarter but an increase of 6% year-over-year [13][28] - Operating income as adjusted was $54.6 million, down from $74.5 million sequentially, largely due to seasonal employment expenses [26][27] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Institutional AUM accounted for 34% of total AUM, with net outflows of $1.2 billion primarily from large cap equity strategies [16][20] - Retail separate accounts experienced net outflows of $700 million, largely due to the soft closing of a specific equity model offering [10][21] - ETFs saw positive net flows of $300 million, with a year-over-year organic growth rate of 73% [12][20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total sales for the quarter were $6.2 billion, slightly down from $6.4 billion in the previous quarter, with stable sales across products despite market disruptions [9][19] - Institutional sales remained relatively unchanged at $1.5 billion, while retail separate account sales were also stable at $1.7 billion [19][20] - The average fee rate was 41.7 basis points, consistent with the previous quarter, reflecting a mix of asset classes [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its offerings in ETFs, global funds, and retail separate accounts, with several strategies under development [8][9] - Management emphasized the importance of active management in volatile markets, with over 70% of equity strategies outperforming their benchmarks [7][8] - The company aims to maintain a balanced approach to capital management, investing in growth while returning capital to shareholders [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted ongoing market volatility and uncertainty, which they believe provides opportunities for active managers to demonstrate value [6][10] - The company remains cautious about investor behavior in light of market conditions, with trends in retail investments remaining consistent [12][20] - Management expressed confidence in their investment performance, with a strong track record recognized by industry rankings [8][18] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately 146,000 shares during the quarter, reducing shares outstanding by 3% on a net basis [14][29] - The first quarter typically represents the highest cash utilization due to annual incentives and revenue participation payments [29][30] - The net present value of the tax asset is approximately $112 million, providing a cash tax benefit not included in adjusted EPS [31] Q&A Session Summary Question: Fee rate outlook and changes - Management indicated that the fee rate will be influenced by market conditions and the mix of assets, with a target range of 41 to 42 basis points for modeling purposes [32][34] Question: Capital allocation and share repurchases - Management acknowledged an increase in share repurchases compared to previous quarters, emphasizing the importance of stock performance in capital allocation decisions [36][38] Question: SMAs and capacity constraints - Management confirmed that the soft closing of a successful SMA strategy was a response to market challenges, but they have other strategies available to investors [42][44] - There are no current capacity constraints in other areas of the retail channel, with expectations for growth in mid-cap strategies [45] Question: Monetizing deferred tax assets - Management clarified that they are achieving economic benefits from tax attributes and will continue to provide transparency regarding their value [46][47]