Key Takeaways Fed rate cuts and stabilizing funding costs set the stage for a potentially favorable 2026 for banks.EWBC is highlighted for solid loan demand, fee income focus, and a strong liquidity position.USB and KEY are benefiting from strategic acquisitions and rising NII as credit demand shows early recovery.This year has had no shortage of surprises for investors. It began with optimism as President Donald Trump’s return fueled expectations of a more business-friendly environment. That confidence was ...

Core Viewpoint - Affiliated Managers Group (AMG) has shown a positive performance with a 5.9% increase in shares since the last earnings report, outperforming the S&P 500, raising questions about the sustainability of this trend leading up to the next earnings release [1][2]. Financial Performance - Q3 2025 economic earnings were reported at $6.10 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.83, and reflecting a 26.6% increase year-over-year [3]. - Economic net income reached $179.7 million, up 17.3% from the previous year, surpassing the estimate of $166.8 million [4]. - Total revenues for the quarter increased by 2.2% year-over-year to $528 million, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $521.1 million [5]. - Adjusted EBITDA was reported at $250.9 million, a 17.2% increase, exceeding the projected $233.3 million [5]. Assets Under Management (AUM) - As of September 30, 2025, total AUM was $803.6 billion, reflecting a 10.3% increase, surpassing the estimate of $780.8 billion [6]. - Average AUM totaled $786.9 billion, up 10.6% year-over-year, with net client cash outflows of $2.8 billion during the quarter [6]. Capital and Liquidity - The company had $476.1 million in cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2025, down from $950 million at the end of 2024 [7]. - Total debt decreased to $2.37 billion from $2.62 billion as of December 31, 2024, while stockholders' equity slightly decreased to $3.34 billion [7]. Share Repurchase Activity - During Q3, Affiliated Managers repurchased shares worth $77 million [8]. Future Outlook - Management anticipates adjusted EBITDA in the range of $325-$370 million for Q4 2025, based on current AUM levels and expected net performance fees of $75-$120 million [9]. - Economic net income (controlling interest) is projected between $234-$267 million, with economic EPS expected to range from $8.10 to $9.26 [11]. Estimate Revisions - There has been an upward trend in estimates revisions, with the consensus estimate shifting by 7.88% in the past month [12]. Investment Strategy Scores - Affiliated Managers has an average Growth Score of C, a Momentum Score of A, and a Value Score of B, resulting in an aggregate VGM Score of A [13]. Industry Context - Affiliated Managers operates within the Zacks Financial - Investment Management industry, where competitor Invesco reported a 4.3% gain over the past month and revenues of $1.19 billion, reflecting a year-over-year change of +7.4% [15].

Core Points - AllianceBernstein L.P. and AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. announced that Seth Bernstein, President and CEO, will participate in the Goldman Sachs 2025 US Financial Services Conference on December 9, 2025 [1] - A live audio webcast of the conference will be available on the Investor & Media Relations section of AB's website, with a replay accessible shortly after the event [2] - AllianceBernstein is recognized as a leading global investment management firm, providing diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients [3] Ownership Structure - As of September 30, 2025, AllianceBernstein Holding owned approximately 30.8% of AllianceBernstein, while Equitable Holdings, Inc. held an approximate 68.5% economic interest in AllianceBernstein [4]

Core Viewpoint - SOFI Technologies Inc. demonstrates strong operational performance but faces high valuation multiples, necessitating a thorough evaluation of its growth potential to justify its premium status [2][7]. Valuation - SOFI's price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is 9.4x, significantly higher than the S&P 500's 3.1x, while its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio stands at 49.0x, double that of the benchmark's 23.4x, indicating that investors are paying a premium for its sales and earnings [4]. Growth - The company has achieved an average annual revenue growth of 33.4% over three years, which is six times the S&P 500's growth rate of 5.5%. Recent revenues increased from $2.5 billion to $3.3 billion, reflecting a 34% rise, with the latest quarter showing a year-over-year growth of 38.6% to $962 million [5]. Profitability - SOFI reports a net income of $640 million, resulting in a net margin of 19.3%, which is significantly higher than the S&P 500's margin of 13.1%. This indicates strong profitability while pursuing rapid growth, suggesting scalable unit economics [6]. Market Performance - During the 2022 inflation crisis, SOFI's stock experienced an 83.3% peak-to-trough decline, compared to the S&P 500's 25.4% drop, highlighting its vulnerability to market volatility. However, it fully recovered by August 2025, reaching $32.21, indicating improved fundamentals [6]. In contrast, during the COVID pandemic, SOFI only declined by 2.8%, outperforming the S&P 500's 33.9% decrease [6]. Investment Conclusion - SOFI is positioned as a high-conviction growth investment despite its elevated valuation. The combination of over 30% revenue growth and nearly 20% net margins warrants attention, although sustaining current growth rates is critical to maintain its high sales multiple [7][8].

Core Insights - AllianceBernstein L.P. and AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. reported a preliminary increase in assets under management (AUM) to $869 billion in October 2025, up from $860 billion at the end of September, reflecting a 1% month-over-month growth driven by market appreciation and modest net inflows [1][2] Summary by Category Assets Under Management - As of October 31, 2025, total AUM reached $869 billion, with a breakdown of $356 billion in private institutions, $359 billion in retail, and $154 billion in private wealth [2] - The increase in AUM was primarily attributed to market appreciation, with institutional net inflows partially offset by retail net outflows and slight net outflows from private wealth [1] Investment Performance - The total equity AUM was $362 billion, which includes $283 billion in actively managed equity and $79 billion in passive equity [2] - Total fixed income AUM amounted to $314 billion, with $217 billion in taxable fixed income and $88 billion in tax-exempt fixed income [2] - Alternatives and multi-asset solutions contributed $193 billion to the total AUM [2] Company Overview - AllianceBernstein is recognized as a leading global investment management firm, providing diversified investment services to institutional investors, individuals, and private wealth clients across major world markets [4]

Core Insights - State Street Corporation (STT) has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Albilad Capital to enhance securities services in Saudi Arabia, marking a significant commitment to the Kingdom's financial sector [1][11] - The partnership aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, aiming to create a diversified economy supported by modern financial infrastructure [2][11] - The collaboration is expected to improve operational efficiency and market competitiveness while accelerating the development of Saudi Arabia's capital markets [2][11] Company Strategy and Operations - State Street has been operating in Saudi Arabia for over 25 years and established local operations in 2020, currently managing $127 billion in assets under custody and/or administration and $60 billion in assets under management in the region [4][11] - The agreement is viewed as the first step in a long-term strategic relationship, with plans to introduce additional investment services and leverage both firms' ETF capabilities to attract foreign direct investment [5][11] - The CEO of State Street emphasized the firm's intent to expand its presence and provide world-class securities services in one of the fastest-growing markets globally [6][11] Financial Performance - Over the past four years (2020-2024), State Street's revenues have experienced a compound annual growth rate of 2.7%, with a continued upward trend in the first nine months of 2025 [12] - State Street's shares have increased by 24.7% in the past six months, outperforming the industry's growth of 13.2% [15]

Core Insights - BlackRock, in collaboration with Nvidia and Microsoft, has acquired Aligned Data Centers for $40 billion, marking the largest data center deal to date, driven by the ongoing AI revolution [1][2]. Group 1: Company Developments - BlackRock reported earnings that led to a spike in its stock price, indicating improved financial performance [1]. - The acquisition of Aligned Data Centers positions BlackRock strategically within the growing data center market, which is essential for supporting AI infrastructure [1][2]. Group 2: Industry Trends - The deal reflects the increasing demand for data centers fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence, highlighting a robust investment trend in this sector [1][2]. - The acquisition is part of a broader trend where major investment firms are consolidating resources to capitalize on the AI boom [1].

Core Insights - KeyCorp reported a net income of $454 million for Q3 2025, a significant increase from a net loss of $(447) million in Q3 2024, reflecting strong operational performance and effective management strategies [1][5][39] - Adjusted revenue for Q3 2025 was $1.9 billion, up 17% year-over-year, driven by net interest income growth and a 8% increase in adjusted noninterest income [2][6] - The company achieved a net interest margin of 2.75%, an increase of 58 basis points compared to Q3 2024, attributed to lower deposit costs and a favorable shift in the balance sheet composition [6][7] Financial Performance - Net interest income for Q3 2025 was $1.19 billion, up 23.8% year-over-year, while total revenue increased by 172.7% compared to Q3 2024 [6][30] - Noninterest income reached $702 million, a 361% increase from the previous year, primarily due to the absence of significant losses on securities sales that occurred in Q3 2024 [8][9] - Total noninterest expense was $1.18 billion, reflecting a 7.4% increase year-over-year, mainly driven by higher personnel expenses related to incentive compensation [10][11] Asset Quality and Risk Management - Nonperforming assets decreased by 9.9% year-over-year, indicating improved credit quality, with net charge-offs remaining stable at 42 basis points [1][17] - The allowance for loan and lease losses was $1.44 billion, representing 219% of nonperforming loans, demonstrating a strong reserve position [17][19] Capital Position - KeyCorp's Common Equity Tier 1 ratio stood at 11.8% as of September 30, 2025, reflecting a solid capital position above regulatory requirements [21][23] - The company maintained a tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio of 8.1%, indicating strong capital management [21] Business Segment Performance - The Consumer Bank segment generated $935 million in revenue, a 16.9% increase year-over-year, while the Commercial Bank segment reported $1.01 billion, up 17.1% [25][39] - Investment banking and debt placement fees contributed significantly to revenue growth, with a notable increase in M&A pipelines [3][39]

Core Insights - AllianceBernstein L.P. and AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. reported a preliminary increase in assets under management (AUM) to $860 billion in September 2025, up from $844 billion at the end of August, representing a 2% month-over-month growth driven by market appreciation and modest net inflows [1] Summary by Category Assets Under Management - Preliminary AUM reached $860 billion as of September 30, 2025, compared to $844 billion at the end of August 2025 [1] - The increase in AUM was primarily attributed to market appreciation and modest net inflows, despite retail net outflows [1] Net Inflows - For the quarter ended September 2025, preliminary firmwide net inflows totaled approximately $1.8 billion, excluding about $4.0 billion in outflows related to the EQH-RGA reinsurance transaction [1] - Net inflows were observed from Private Wealth and Institutions, which were partially offset by retail net outflows [1] Breakdown of AUM - Total equity AUM was $359 billion, with actively managed equity at $281 billion and passive equity at $78 billion [1] - Total fixed income AUM was $310 billion, with taxable fixed income at $214 billion and tax-exempt fixed income at $86 billion [1] - Alternatives/Multi-Asset solutions accounted for $191 billion in AUM [1] Ownership Structure - As of September 30, 2025, AllianceBernstein Holding owned approximately 30.8% of AllianceBernstein, while Equitable Holdings, Inc. owned an approximate 68.5% economic interest in AllianceBernstein [5]

Core Insights - Blue-chip stocks are essential for a stable investment portfolio, providing a reliable source of passive income through dividends [1] Group 1: DBS Group (SGX: D05) - DBS is Singapore's largest bank by market capitalization, offering a wide range of banking, insurance, and investment services [3] - In 1H 2025, total income rose by 5% year on year to S$11.6 billion, driven by a 3.2% increase in net interest income to S$7.3 billion [3] - Fee and commission income surged 17% year on year to S$2.4 billion, with profit before tax reaching a record S$6.8 billion, up 3% year on year [4] - Net profit decreased by 1% year on year to S$5.7 billion due to a 15% global minimum tax rate [4] - An interim dividend of S$0.75 was declared, which is 39% higher than the previous year's S$0.54 [5] Group 2: Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX: S68) - SGX is the sole stock exchange operator in Singapore, enjoying a natural monopoly [6] - For FY2025, net revenue increased by 11.7% year on year to S$1.3 billion, with net profit excluding one-off items climbing 16% year on year to S$609.5 million [6] - A final dividend of S$0.105 was declared, 16.7% higher than the previous year's S$0.09 [7] - SGX anticipates medium-term revenue growth of 6% to 8% per annum, supported by product developments and global partnerships [8] Group 3: Singapore Technologies Engineering (SGX: S63) - STE operates in aerospace, smart city, and public security sectors, known for consistent dividend payouts [9] - Revenue for 1H 2025 rose 7.2% year on year to S$5.9 billion, with operating profit improving by 15.2% year on year to S$602.2 million [9] - Net profit increased nearly 20% year on year to S$402.8 million, with an interim dividend of S$0.04 declared [10] - The order book stood at S$31.2 billion, with S$5 billion expected to be delivered for the remainder of the year [10] Group 4: SATS Ltd (SGX: S58) - SATS provides air cargo handling services and is Asia's leading airline caterer, operating over 225 stations across 27 countries [12] - Revenue for 1Q FY2026 rose 9.9% year on year to S$1.5 billion, while operating profit increased nearly 11% year on year to S$125.2 million [13] - Net profit increased by 9.1% year on year to S$70.9 million, with cargo tonnage reaching a record high of 3.2 million tonnes [13] - The number of flights handled rose 3.2% year on year to 279,100, and meals served increased by 5.6% year on year to 39.1 million [14]