SEI(US:SEIC)2025-10-22 22:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - SEI reported an EPS of $1.30, marking an all-time high excluding one-time items, with earnings growth of 8% sequentially and 17% year over year [4][13] - Net sales events totaled $31 million, with a record sales quarter in Investment Manager Services, reflecting strong demand for outsourcing and client expansions [5][10] - Year-to-date net sales surpassed $100 million, a record for SEI through the third quarter [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Private banking revenue increased by 4% year over year, driven by growth in the SWP platform [14] - Investment Manager Services experienced double-digit revenue and operating profit growth, with alternatives showing robust growth in both the U.S. and EMEA [14] - Advisors' business posted the highest year-over-year revenue growth among all segments, supported by market appreciation and the integrated cash program [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Assets under administration grew broadly across CITs, alternatives, and traditional funds, with alternatives driving the majority of growth [18] - Assets under management increased, with modestly positive net flows in advisors, driven by growth in ETFs and SMAs [18] Company Strategy and Development Direction - SEI is focused on disciplined execution, transparent communication, and creating long-term value for clients and shareholders [4] - The company is investing in technology, automation, and talent to drive margin expansion and support future growth [11][20] - SEI is well-positioned in the outsourcing fund administration market, engaging with large alternative asset managers [7] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the sales pipeline and the ability to capitalize on growth opportunities, despite a recent contract loss in private banking being a one-off event [10][27] - The company is optimistic about the impact of AI and tokenization initiatives on efficiency and scalability [11] Other Important Information - SEI ended the quarter with $793 million in cash and no net debt, with share repurchases totaling $142 million in Q3 [19][20] - The company made a $50 million investment in LSV's market-neutral hedge fund, contributing positively to Q3 results [20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Sales events from alternatives - Management noted that two-thirds of sales events were from alternatives, with a mix of large and small clients contributing to this growth [23][25] Question: Details on the known contract loss in private banking - Management clarified that the contract loss was a one-off due to a major operating model change by the client, not indicative of a trend [26][27] Question: Integrated cash program and fixed rates - The company is currently earning about 370 basis points on the integrated cash program and is monitoring investor yields as rates change [32] Question: Expense growth in private banking - Management indicated that the expense growth is related to investments in talent and onboarding new clients, not unusual [34][35] Question: Future margin expectations for Investment Manager Services - Management expects strong margins going forward but acknowledges the need for ongoing investments [40] Question: International market strategy - The company is in the early phases of defining its go-to-market strategy for international markets, focusing on existing jurisdictions [46][47] Question: Buyback pace and Stratos acquisition - Management plans to return 90% to 100% of free cash flow to shareholders through dividends or buybacks, with the pace of buybacks expected to continue [50] Question: Impact of credit fears on private credit servicing - Management reported no significant impact on the private credit servicing pipeline, as their clients are well-positioned to manage credit risk [51][53] Question: High-risk relationships in private banking - Management stated there are currently no known high-risk relationships in the private banking portfolio [57][59]