Core Insights - BlackRock and Goldman Sachs reported strong Q3 earnings, exceeding expectations and achieving record assets under management (AUM) [1][3][4] Financial Performance - BlackRock's Q3 sales reached $6.5 billion, a 25% increase from $5.19 billion year-over-year, surpassing estimates of $6.24 billion [3] - Goldman Sachs reported Q3 sales of $15.18 billion, up 19% from $12.69 billion a year ago, exceeding estimates of $14.14 billion [4] - BlackRock's Q3 earnings per share (EPS) increased nearly 1% to $11.55, beating expectations of $11.19 by 3% [3] - Goldman Sachs' Q3 EPS climbed nearly 46% to $12.25, compared to $8.40 in the same quarter last year, beating expectations of $11.11 by 10% [4] Assets Under Management - BlackRock's AUM rose 17% year-over-year to a record $13.5 trillion, maintaining its position as the largest global asset manager [5] - Goldman Sachs' AUM reached a new peak of $3.45 trillion, increasing 11% year-over-year [5] Valuation Metrics - Goldman Sachs trades at a forward earnings multiple of 16X, which is a discount compared to the S&P 500's 25X and BlackRock's 24X [6] - Goldman Sachs also trades near a preferred level of less than 2X forward sales, while BlackRock trades at 8X, which is a premium to the S&P 500's 5X [8] Dividend Comparison - Goldman Sachs offers a current yield of 2.03%, slightly higher than BlackRock's 1.8%, both exceeding the S&P 500's average of 1.11% [10] Investment Outlook - Both BlackRock and Goldman Sachs are considered viable investments, with Goldman Sachs potentially receiving a buy rating due to expected earnings estimate revisions following its strong Q3 performance [12]

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. A heated debate is splitting one of investing’s most level-headed communities, and it has nothing to do with stock picking or market timing. On r/Bogleheads—the forum dedicated to passive investing pioneer Jack Bogle’s principles—members are wrestling with a question that pits cold financial logic against something far less quantifiable: peace of mind. The issue? Whether to pay off ultra-low-rate mortgages ...

Investment Portfolio - Japan's corporate pension funds hold over 500 billion USD in global financial assets [1] Investment Behavior - These funds are considered "silent investors" due to their passive approach to investment management [1] - They tend to passively follow managers' investment decisions [1]