Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Ares Management reported a 28% year-over-year increase in management fees, totaling $971 million, and a 39% increase in fee-related earnings (FRE) [22][23] - Realized income for the quarter increased by 34% year-over-year, reaching $456 million [29] - Assets under management (AUM) grew to over $595 billion, with fee-paying AUM increasing to $368 billion, both up 28% year-over-year [8][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The firm raised over $30 billion in new capital during the quarter, marking the highest quarter on record, and has raised over $77 billion year-to-date [6][7] - Gross deployment reached over $41 billion, a 55% increase from the previous quarter and 30% above the previous high [8] - The infrastructure secondaries fund closed at $3.3 billion, exceeding its hard cap due to strong investor demand [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced strong demand for private credit strategies, with $19.3 billion raised in credit strategies during the quarter [11] - Approximately 40% of third-quarter inflows came from outside the U.S., indicating strong international demand [16] - The diversified non-traded REIT saw record fundraising, driven by a leading 1031 exchange program [17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Ares Management aims to continue increasing its quarterly dividend, with a 20% increase announced for the current quarter [4][5] - The company is focused on expanding its wealth management platform and enhancing its distribution capabilities globally [18] - Ares is positioning itself to benefit from potential credit cycle opportunities, emphasizing its asset-light model and strong capital base [39][40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the current market environment, noting a rebound in transaction activity and strong M&A volumes expected in the fourth quarter [19] - The firm anticipates continued strong demand for its institutional funds and expects to exceed last year's fundraising record of $93 billion [15][48] - Management highlighted the resilience of its credit portfolios and the low realized loss rates, indicating a healthy credit environment [33][39] Other Important Information - Ares launched the "Promote Giving" initiative, committing to donate a portion of fund performance fees to charitable organizations [20][21] - The company is actively investing in expanding its investment teams across various products and geographies [40] Q&A Session Summary Question: Real estate market outlook and Ares' position - Management highlighted Ares' position as the third-largest institutional real estate manager, benefiting from scale and a vertically integrated platform [43][44] Question: Fundraising outlook for next year - Management expressed confidence in surpassing previous fundraising records, driven by strong performance and diverse strategies [47][48] Question: Impact of lower yields in private credit - Management indicated that investor appetite for private credit remains strong, as private credit spreads continue to offer better relative returns compared to traded alternatives [53][54] Question: Update on GCP transaction integration - Management reported positive integration progress with GCP, enhancing Ares' real estate platform and expanding opportunities in data centers [62][63] Question: Asset-based finance market strategy - Management discussed the significant growth in asset-based finance deployment, with nearly double the deployment in Q3 compared to Q2 [80]