Core Insights - Carlyle Group reported a revenue of $782.5 million for the quarter ended September 2025, reflecting a 12.6% decrease year-over-year and a surprise of -7.78% compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $848.51 million [1] - The earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $0.98, slightly up from $0.95 in the same quarter last year, aligning with the consensus EPS estimate [1] Financial Performance Metrics - Total Assets Under Management (AUM) for Global Private Equity at the end of the period was $163.45 billion, below the estimated $165.82 billion [4] - Total AUM at the end of the period was $474.06 billion, compared to the estimated $478.66 billion [4] - Fee-earning AUM for Global Private Equity was reported at $101.15 billion, slightly above the average estimate of $100.83 billion [4] - Revenues from Global Private Equity totaled $346.5 million, significantly lower than the estimated $455.09 million, marking a year-over-year decline of 36.7% [4] - Fee-related performance revenues were $47.5 million, exceeding the average estimate of $42.33 million, with a year-over-year increase of 30.9% [4] - Fund management fees generated segment revenues of $573.9 million, slightly above the estimated $569.26 million, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 9% [4] - Realized performance revenues were reported at $61.7 million, well below the average estimate of $170.13 million, indicating a year-over-year decline of 77.6% [4] - Realized principal investment income was $49.5 million, surpassing the average estimate of $37.99 million, with a substantial year-over-year increase of 444% [4] - Total segment fee revenues were $653.7 million, closely matching the estimated $653.72 million, with a year-over-year increase of 10.8% [4] - Global Private Equity fund management fees were $295 million, slightly below the average estimate of $293.65 million, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of 1.2% [4] - Total fee revenues for Global Private Equity were $301.5 million, marginally above the average estimate of $301.17 million, with a year-over-year decline of 1% [4] Stock Performance - Carlyle's shares have returned -11.2% over the past month, contrasting with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.2% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3]

Core Insights - BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, is shutting down a social impact fund that had invested in the now-collapsed subprime car lender Tricolor [1] Company Summary - The decision to wind down the fund is reported by the Financial Times, citing sources familiar with the situation [1]

Core Insights - Fixed income ETFs experienced record inflows of $51 billion in October, indicating strong interest despite market uncertainty [1] - The U.S. Federal Reserve has implemented two rate cuts this year, with potential for another before year-end, prompting fixed income investors to consider active management strategies [2] - Active ETFs provide flexibility in uncertain markets, allowing investors to adapt to systematic risks such as changing interest rates [3] Active Management Advantages - Active portfolio managers can navigate the complexities of bond markets, adjusting portfolios to align with current market conditions [4] - Active funds serve as flexible, all-weather solutions, enabling tailored investment strategies to meet specific objectives [4] Investment Options - The Thornburg Core Plus Bond ETF (TPLS) is recommended for those seeking core exposure, offering more flexibility than passive index funds [6] - The Thornburg Multi Sector Bond ETF (TMB) is suggested for income diversification, combining active management to enhance income in a rate-cutting environment [7] Educational Resources - A recent webinar featuring Thornburg's Head of Fixed Income discussed the advantages of active ETFs in the context of lower interest rates [8]

Core Insights - Freedom Holding Corp. reported total revenue of $526.1 million for Q2 FY 2026, a decrease from $586.1 million in the same quarter last year, primarily due to a decline in insurance premiums and lower net gains on trading securities [5][9] - The company achieved a net income of $38.7 million for Q2 FY 2026, down from $114.5 million in the previous year, with basic and diluted earnings per share at $0.65 and $0.63 respectively [9][16] - As of September 30, 2025, the company had total assets of $10.3 billion and shareholders' equity of $1.2 billion, with cash and cash equivalents totaling $4.5 billion [22][23] Financial Performance - For the six months ended September 30, 2025, total revenue was $1,060 million, compared to $1,041 million for the same period last year, driven by higher fee and commission revenue and net gains on trading securities [11][12] - Fee and commission income for Q2 FY 2026 rose to $132.2 million from $121.1 million, mainly due to increased brokerage services and agency fees [6][12] - The net gain on trading securities for Q2 FY 2026 was $37.1 million, down from $68.3 million, attributed to the sale of Kazakhstani corporate debts [7][9] Operational Highlights - The customer base grew to 6.2 million as of September 30, 2025, reflecting growth across all major segments [2][4] - The company is focused on creating a technology-driven ecosystem that integrates various financial services, which requires disciplined spending for future scalability and efficiency [2][3] - S&P upgraded the ratings for Freedom Life, validating the company's approach to building long-term value and financial strength [3][4] Expense Overview - Total expenses for Q2 FY 2026 were approximately $465.6 million, an increase from $457.7 million, driven by higher payroll, insurance claims, and professional services [9][15] - The company reported a net loss on derivatives of $3.2 million for Q2 FY 2026, compared to a net gain of $6.3 million in the previous year [8][9] Balance Sheet Strength - As of September 30, 2025, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $635.975 million, restricted cash of $1.312 billion, and investment securities totaling $2.511 billion [22] - Total liabilities stood at $9.128 billion, with customer liabilities increasing to $5.759 billion [23]

Core Insights - Global X Investments Canada Inc. announced distribution amounts for its exchange traded funds (ETFs), specifically the Global X Bitcoin Covered Call ETF (BCCC) and the Global X Enhanced Bitcoin Covered Call ETF (BCCL) [1][2] Distribution Details - The distribution per security for BCCC is $0.17000 for both the ex-dates of November 14, 2025, and November 28, 2025 [2] - The distribution per security for BCCL is $0.17500 for the same ex-dates [2] - The U.S. dollar equivalent distribution rates for BCCC.U and BCCL.U are approximately $0.12041 and $0.12396 per security, respectively [2] Company Overview - Global X manages over $47 billion in assets and offers 154 ETFs listed on major Canadian stock exchanges [3] - The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mirae Asset Financial Group, which manages more than $1 trillion across 19 countries [3]

Core Insights - Franklin Resources Inc. reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings of 67 cents per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 57 cents per share and improving from 59 cents in the prior year [1][9] - The company's results were driven by higher revenues, improved assets under management (AUM), and lower expenses [1][11] Financial Performance - For fiscal 2025, total operating revenues increased by 3.4% year over year to $8.77 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.55 billion [3] - In the fourth quarter, total operating revenues rose by 5.9% year over year to $2.34 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.12 billion [3][9] - Investment management fees increased by 5.8% year over year to $1.87 billion, while sales and distribution fees rose by 3.9% to $382.4 million [4] - Total operating expenses decreased by 4.4% year over year to $2.26 billion, attributed to reductions in various costs [5] Assets Under Management - As of September 30, 2025, total AUM was $1.66 trillion, reflecting a sequential increase of 3.1% [6] - The average AUM for the quarter was $1.63 trillion, up 4.3% sequentially [6] Capital Position - As of September 30, 2025, cash and cash equivalents and investments totaled $6.7 billion, with total stockholders' equity at $13.0 billion [7] Shareholder Actions - In the reported quarter, the company repurchased 2.6 million shares for $67.1 million [10]

Core Insights - KKR & Co. Inc. reported a third-quarter 2025 adjusted net income per share of $1.41, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.29 and increasing from $1.38 in the prior-year quarter [1][9] - The company's shares rose nearly 2.2% in pre-market trading following the positive results [1] - The growth in assets under management (AUM) and transaction fees in the capital markets business were key drivers of the results, although rising expenses posed a challenge [1] Financial Performance - Net income attributable to KKR on a GAAP basis was $859.9 million, up from $600.6 million in the same quarter last year [2] - Total segment revenues reached $1.46 billion, a 3.4% increase year-over-year, driven by higher management fees and transaction-related revenues, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.9% [3] - Total segment expenses rose by 3.9% to $431.9 million [3] - Total operating earnings grew 12% year-over-year to $1.4 billion, while fee-related earnings increased by 3% to $1 billion [5] Assets Under Management - As of September 30, 2025, total AUM increased by 16% year-over-year to $723 billion, with fee-paying AUM also rising by 16% to $585 billion [4] Strategic Outlook - The company is expected to continue capitalizing on lucrative investment opportunities due to its effective fundraising capabilities [6] - Significant growth in fee-related and total operating earnings is enhancing the company's financial position, although elevated expenses from global expansion and a challenging operating environment are concerns [6]

Group 1 - The core concept of thermodynamics, which states that energy flow drives most systems, is applicable to economies and financial markets where capital flows are crucial [1] - ClearBridge is identified as a leading global asset manager that emphasizes active management and research-based stock selection [1] - The investment strategies of ClearBridge reflect the highest-conviction ideas of its portfolio managers, which are communicated to investors through various channels [1]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q4 2025, ending AUM reached $1.66 trillion, a 3.1% increase from the prior quarter, while average AUM increased by 4.4% to $1.63 trillion [31] - Adjusted operating revenues increased by 13.9% to $1.82 billion from the prior quarter, driven by elevated performance fees and higher average AUM [31] - Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share increased by 35.7% and 36.7% from the prior quarter to $357.5 million and $0.67, respectively [32] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - In public markets, over 50% of mutual funds, ETFs, and composites outperformed peers and benchmarks across all standard time periods, indicating improved investment performance [9] - Private markets saw fundraising of $22.9 billion, contributing to a total of $270 billion in alternative AUM, with expectations to increase fundraising to between $25 billion and $30 billion in fiscal 2026 [11] - The SMA business grew at a 21% compound annual rate since 2023, with AUM of $165 billion across more than 200 strategies [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Internationally, Franklin Templeton managed nearly $500 billion in assets, achieving $10.7 billion in positive long-term net flows in markets outside the U.S. [26] - Fixed income net inflows were $17.3 billion for the year, with positive net flows for seven consecutive quarters [28] - Alternatives and multi-asset generated $25.7 billion in net flows for the year, reflecting broad-based client demand [29] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on deepening client partnerships, broadening investment capabilities, and strengthening its diversified model as part of a five-year plan [7] - Franklin Templeton aims to democratize private assets and expand its wealth management offerings, targeting to double Fiduciary's AUM by 2029 [20] - The company is investing in innovation, particularly in digital assets and AI, to redefine how investors access opportunities and improve operational efficiency [22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The management expressed optimism about the strong public equity gains and the overall constructive view of private markets, despite a complex geopolitical backdrop [24] - The company anticipates continued growth in alternatives, particularly in the retail market, driven by partnerships and innovative product offerings [13] - Management highlighted the importance of selectivity and discipline in navigating the current market dynamics, which present opportunities across public and private markets [25] Other Important Information - Franklin Templeton was named 2025 Asset Manager of the Year in the $500 billion-plus AUM category, reflecting its leadership in innovation and investment advisory solutions [7] - The company has integrated certain corporate functions to drive efficiency and enhance client service, particularly in response to challenges faced by Western Asset Management [29] - The firm is focused on capital management, returning $930 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [36] Q&A Session Summary Question: Fundraising target for fiscal 2026 - The target is between $25 billion and $30 billion, with contributions expected from various funds including Lexington, Clarion, and Alcentra [43] Question: Expense guidance for 2026 - The company expects to achieve $200 million in cost savings for 2026, with a focus on maintaining or reducing total expenses compared to fiscal 2025 [44][46] Question: Infrastructure product pipeline - The company is building a fund around partnerships with DigitalBridge, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, and Actis to participate in infrastructure deals [48] Question: AI and tokenization opportunities - The company is leading in tokenization, offering unique features for money market funds and exploring new distribution capabilities through partnerships with exchanges like Binance [51][53] Question: Update on Lexington flagship fund - The target size for the Lexington flagship fund is about $25 billion, with expectations for the first close in the first half of 2026 [54]

Economic Impact - The ongoing government shutdown is projected to cost the U.S. economy up to $14 billion, equivalent to a 2 percentage point hit to GDP [2] - U.S. businesses and consumers are facing an average tariff rate of 18%, the highest in about 90 years, leading to an estimated income loss of around $1,800 per household this year [3] - Consumers are shouldering most of the tariffs, with American households responsible for about 55% of the new levies [4] Consumer Spending Trends - Record spending on Halloween is anticipated, with Americans expected to spend $13.1 billion this year, up from $11.6 billion last year [5] - Preliminary data suggests U.S. households will spend 4% less on gifts and 12% less on other items for Christmas compared to last year due to tariffs [6] Cocoa Market Dynamics - Cocoa prices have spiked due to plant disease and drought in West Africa, with futures prices reaching as high as $12,000 per metric ton [6] - Major chocolatiers have announced higher prices for chocolate products and have reformulated recipes to reduce cocoa content [7][8] - European chocolate manufacturers are expected to see a decline in operating margins this year due to increased competition and reduced demand for cocoa-containing products [10] Market Performance and Investor Sentiment - The S&P 500 has spent over 125 trading sessions above its 50-day moving average, the longest stretch since 2011, driven by enthusiasm over artificial intelligence [12] - Historical data suggests that stocks tend to outperform from November to April, with an average return of 7% during this period since 1945 [13] - If the S&P 500 is up more than 15% year-to-date by the end of October, stocks have finished higher in November and December 95% of the time [14]