Cohen & Steers(US:CNS)2020-07-23 18:45Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Earnings per share for Q2 2020 were $0.54, down from $0.62 in the prior year's quarter and $0.61 sequentially [9] - Revenue decreased to $94 million from $101.8 million in the prior year's quarter and $105.8 million sequentially [9] - Average assets under management (AUM) were $62.2 billion, down from $66.6 billion year-over-year and $69 billion sequentially [10] - Operating income was $35.5 million, compared to $38.8 million in the prior year's quarter and $40.4 million sequentially [11] - The effective tax rate for the quarter was 26.5%, lower than previous guidance [14] - Firm liquidity totaled $191.9 million, an increase from $140.3 million last quarter [15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Assets under management totaled $66.3 billion at June 30, an increase of $9 billion or 16% from March 31, driven by net inflows of $3.4 billion and market appreciation of $6.6 billion [16] - Advisory accounts had inflows of $851 million, with $318 million from new mandates and $754 million from existing accounts [17] - Open-end funds recorded net inflows of $2 billion, with $1.2 billion from a strategic intermediary [19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Japan sub-advisory had net inflows of $318 million, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of inflows after eight quarters of outflows [18] - Distribution from portfolios totaled $334 million, compared to $316 million last quarter [19] - Global-listed infrastructure returned 9.5% in the quarter, underperforming the global equity index [35] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to invest in people and product development to capitalize on growth opportunities in real assets and alternative income strategies [48] - The firm aims to improve organic growth domestically and has made strategic hires to enhance institutional sales efforts [59] - The company is focusing on diversifying its distribution capabilities and broadening its platform [50] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The management expressed optimism about the strong inflows of $3.4 billion in the quarter, indicating it was one of the strongest quarters ever [49] - The company remains cautious about market volatility and economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic [20] - Management expects to maintain a compensation-to-revenue ratio of 36.5% and anticipates G&A expenses to remain flat [21][22] Other Important Information - The company remains debt-free and has maintained effective communication with employees and clients during the pandemic [8][15] - The firm is actively working on new product initiatives, including additional real asset strategies and active ETF products [63] Q&A Session Summary Question: Composition of the advisory channel and client sources - The advisory channel is diverse, mainly consisting of global real estate, with significant contributions from existing accounts [65][66] Question: Reception of retail strategies in Europe - The company is in the process of hiring a new head for its retail fund effort in Europe and aims to enhance flows starting this fall [68] Question: Update on institutional distribution investments - The company has reorganized its U.S. institutional efforts and expects to see significant improvements in asset raising over the next 12 months [72][73] Question: Outlook for sub-advisory business in Japan - The outlook remains positive, with strong sales of U.S. REIT portfolios and new product developments with distributors [82] Question: Opportunities in U.S. high net worth channels - The RIA channel is identified as the fastest-growing segment, with a focus on high-quality research and support for large teams [84]