Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Firm-wide assets under management (AUM) reached $860 billion, with Bernstein Private Wealth at a record high of $153 billion [4][5] - Adjusted earnings per unit for Q3 increased by 12% year-over-year to $0.86, with net revenues at $885 million, a 5% increase compared to the prior year [25][26] - Total performance fees decreased by $6 million to approximately $20 million [25] - Adjusted operating income rose by 15% year-over-year to $303 million, reflecting a strong margin expansion of 290 basis points [28][34] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Institutional asset management business AUM stands at $351 billion, while the retail platform serves $356 billion [4] - Tax-exempt fixed income saw over $4 billion in inflows, marking 11 consecutive quarters of positive organic growth [6][7] - Private markets generated nearly $3 billion in net inflows, with strong origination for investment-grade corporate and ABS private placements [7] - Active equities experienced over $6 billion in outflows, while structured and defensive strategies attracted inflows [7][13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - U.S. equity markets delivered strong returns, with the S&P 500 returning 8.1% in Q3 [11] - Emerging markets outperformed, while global developed equities underperformed compared to the U.S. [12] - The firm is seeing increased inquiries for international equity strategies, particularly from outside the U.S. [49] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its third-party insurance asset management business and has partnered with Fortitude for strategic investments [8][9] - The strategic alliance with Equitable enhances the firm's client-centric asset-light approach, allowing for the scaling of higher-fee private alternative strategies [9] - The firm aims to achieve $90 to $100 billion in private markets AUM by 2027, leveraging existing investment teams and strategic partnerships [24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management maintains a positive outlook on fixed income, anticipating a reallocation wave as bonds regain diversification value [11] - The firm is optimistic about capturing growth opportunities in Asia, particularly in taxable fixed income [47][61] - Management acknowledges potential volatility in public markets but remains confident in the firm's ability to navigate challenges [43][62] Other Important Information - The firm has successfully expanded its private markets platform to nearly $80 billion, representing a 17% year-over-year growth [22] - The effective tax rate for the third quarter was 6%, in line with full-year guidance [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on the insurance opportunity and Ruby Re - Management confirmed that the timing of funding for Reinsurance Group of America has not changed and is proceeding as planned [40] Question: Insights on private credit and credit quality - Management noted competitive environments in private credit but reassured that there is no broader material deterioration in credit quality [42] Question: Update on Asia business and investor reactions - The firm observed improvement in its Asia business, particularly in taxable fixed income, despite external market noise [47] Question: Clarification on capital allocation strategy and buybacks - Management indicated that the light buyback this quarter was due to timing and not related to Equitable [57] Question: Discussion on bond reallocation and performance - Management expressed confidence in benefiting from bond reallocation trends, particularly in Asia [60]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Firm-wide assets under management (AUM) reached $860 billion, with a record high of $153 billion in Bernstein Private Wealth [4][5] - Adjusted earnings per unit increased by 12% year-over-year to $0.86, while net revenues rose by 5% to $885 million [25][26] - Total adjusted operating expenses remained flat at $582 million, with total compensation and benefits expenses increasing by 6% to $439 million [26][28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Institutional asset management business AUM stood at $351 billion, while the retail platform AUM was $356 billion [4] - Tax-exempt fixed income saw over $4 billion in inflows, marking 11 consecutive quarters of positive organic growth [6][7] - Private markets generated nearly $3 billion in net inflows, reflecting improved conditions in commercial real estate [7][8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. equity markets delivered strong returns, with the S&P 500 returning 8.1% in Q3 2025 [11] - Emerging markets outperformed, while global developed equities underperformed compared to the U.S. [12][13] - The firm observed a rebound in client flows into American Income, indicating renewed interest in U.S. dollar-denominated assets [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to expand its third-party insurance asset management business, leveraging partnerships like the one with Fortitude [8][9] - A strategic alliance with Equitable enhances the firm's competitive advantage, allowing for the scaling of higher-fee private alternative strategies [9][10] - The focus remains on scalable, long-duration assets that align with sustainable organic growth and long-term profitability [31][34] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management maintains a positive outlook on fixed income, anticipating a reallocation wave as bonds regain diversification value [11] - The firm is well-positioned to capture growth opportunities in Asia, particularly in taxable fixed income [47][49] - The company is committed to investing in growth initiatives while maintaining expense discipline [34][56] Other Important Information - The firm has successfully expanded its private markets platform to nearly $80 billion, representing a 17% year-over-year growth [22] - The effective tax rate for the third quarter was 6%, consistent with full-year guidance [28] - The firm is raising its full-year performance fee guidance to $130 million-$155 million, driven by strong public market performance [32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the insurance opportunity and the Ruby Re sidecar? - Management expressed excitement about the insurance asset management business, confirming that the Ruby Re relationship is performing as expected and that the FCA REIT sidecar is additive to their strategy [38][40] Question: What is the outlook for private credit and credit quality? - Management noted competitive environments in private credit but reassured that there is no material deterioration in credit quality, with manageable maturities and positive cash flow generation [42][43] Question: How is the Asia business performing post-trade conflicts? - The Asia business showed improvement, particularly in taxable fixed income, with strong engagement from institutional clients despite external noise [47][48] Question: What is the capital allocation strategy regarding buybacks? - The light buyback in the quarter was attributed to timing rather than any strategic shift, with plans to continue funding the deferred compensation plan [57] Question: How is the firm positioned for the bond reallocation? - Management indicated that they are well-positioned to benefit from the bond reallocation, particularly in Asia, with a strong distribution capability [60][61]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Firm-wide assets under management (AUM) reached $860 billion, with a record high of $153 billion in Bernstein Private Wealth [4][5] - Net revenues for the third quarter were $885 million, a 5% increase year-over-year, while adjusted earnings per unit rose 12% to $0.86 [25][26] - Total performance fees decreased by $6 million to approximately $20 million [25] - Adjusted operating income increased by 15% to $303 million, reflecting strong margin expansion of 290 basis points [28][34] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Institutional asset management business AUM stood at $351 billion, while the retail platform reached $356 billion [4] - Tax-exempt fixed income saw over $4 billion in inflows, marking 11 consecutive quarters of positive organic growth [5][6] - Private markets generated nearly $3 billion in net inflows, with strong origination for investment-grade corporate and ABS private placements [6][8] - Active equities experienced outflows of over $6 billion, primarily due to growth-oriented redemptions [6][7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. equity markets delivered strong returns, with the S&P 500 returning 8.1% in the third quarter [11] - Emerging markets outperformed, while global developed equities underperformed the U.S. [11][12] - The firm observed a rebound in client flows into American Income, reflecting renewed interest in U.S. dollar-denominated assets [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its third-party insurance asset management business and enhancing its leadership in global insurance asset management [8] - A strategic alliance with Equitable is expected to provide a competitive advantage, allowing the company to scale higher-fee, longer-dated private alternative strategies [9] - The firm aims to achieve $90 to $100 billion in private markets AUM by 2027, leveraging partnerships and expanding capabilities [24] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management maintains a positive outlook on fixed income, anticipating a reallocation wave as bonds regain diversification value [11] - The company is optimistic about capturing market share in Asia, particularly in taxable fixed income, despite geopolitical tensions [46][47] - Management emphasized the importance of innovation in retirement planning, with a focus on custom target date funds and lifetime income solutions [17][18] Other Important Information - The company is lowering its non-compensation expense projection for the full year to $600 to $610 million, reflecting enhanced operational efficiency [27] - The effective tax rate for the third quarter was 6%, in line with full-year guidance [28] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you elaborate on the insurance opportunity and the Ruby Re sidecar? - Management expressed excitement about the insurance asset management business and clarified that the timing of funding for Ruby Re has not changed, with positive results expected [37][41] Question: What is the current state of credit quality in private credit? - Management noted competitive environments in private credit but reassured that there is no material deterioration in credit quality, with manageable maturities and positive cash flow generation [42][44] Question: How is the Asia business performing post-trade conflicts? - Management reported improvement in the Asia business, particularly in taxable fixed income, with strong engagement from institutional clients [46][47] Question: What is the capital allocation strategy regarding buybacks? - Management indicated that the light buyback this quarter was due to timing and not related to Equitable, with plans to fund deferred compensation [58] Question: How is the company positioned to benefit from bond reallocations? - Management highlighted strong demand for taxable fixed income in Asia and noted the company's success in the tax-exempt SMA space, indicating readiness to capture market share [60][61]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record assets under management (AUM) of $829 billion, marking a post-financial crisis high [6][7] - Adjusted earnings per unit for the second quarter increased by 7% year-over-year to $0.76 [39] - Net revenues reached $844 million, a 2% increase compared to the prior year, while base fees saw a 4% increase [40][41] - Total performance fees decreased by $12 million to $30 million, primarily due to lower public market performance fees [40] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Private wealth represented 17% of total AUM and 35% of base management fees [7] - Active strategies experienced net outflows of $4.8 billion, with active equity shedding $6 billion [8][29] - The private markets platform grew to $77 billion in fee-paying and net fee-eligible AUM, a 20% year-over-year increase [11] - Alternatives multi-asset inflows totaled $1.6 billion, driven by strong deployments into various strategies [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company observed a negative trend in retail flows, with active equity experiencing significant outflows [29] - The retail municipal bond platform grew organically at a 14% annualized rate, continuing to gain market share [9][32] - The U.S. equity market saw a rebound, with the S&P 500 rallying 10.6% in the second quarter [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to grow private markets AUM to $90 billion to $100 billion by 2027, leveraging partnerships with Equitable [14][15] - The focus remains on delivering consistent and profitable growth supported by scale gains and improved operational efficiency [11] - The company is expanding its distribution coverage by forming new partnerships and extending its addressable market [12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that geopolitical tensions and policy uncertainty impacted investor sentiment, but conditions improved as trade tensions eased [6] - The company expects to maintain a 33% operating margin in 2025, with potential for further margin expansion over time [11][49] - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of their investment strategies despite market volatility [17][20] Other Important Information - The company has invested significantly in operational resources to enhance client service and unlock incremental revenue opportunities [12] - The effective tax rate for the second quarter was 6.7%, in line with full-year guidance [43] Q&A Session Summary Question: How is the company thinking about scaling its retirement income business with Pacific Life joining? - Management highlighted the importance of the insurance segment and the ongoing expansion of engagement in lifetime income solutions, noting that these products tend to be lower fee from an asset management perspective [52][55] Question: Can you clarify the likelihood of further exchanges into AllianceBernstein holding units? - Management explained that the conversion from public to private units is driven by tax treatment and does not affect daily trading volume [56][58] Question: What is the company's stance on potential M&A activity? - Management indicated that they are exploring opportunities, particularly in partnerships with key insured clients, while maintaining a cautious approach to avoid becoming capital-heavy [60][63] Question: How should investors think about the incremental margin and trajectory into 2026? - Management affirmed the expectation of maintaining a 33% margin for both halves of the year, with future guidance for 2026 to be provided later [72][73] Question: Can you discuss the drivers of demand for American Income and the outlook for the rest of the year? - Management noted that demand for American Income is cyclical and has seen signs of stabilization, with positive trends observed in July [87][90]