Cohen & Steers(US:CNS)2026-01-23 16:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Earnings per share (EPS) for Q4 2025 was $0.81, unchanged from the prior quarter, while full-year EPS increased to $3.09 from $2.93 in 2024 [4] - Revenue for Q4 increased by 2% sequentially to $143.8 million, and full-year revenue rose by 6.9% to $554 million [5][6] - Operating income for Q4 increased by 3% to $52.4 million, and for the full year, it rose by 6.3% to $195.1 million [6] - The effective fee rate during Q4 was stable at 59 basis points, consistent with the prior quarter [5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Ending assets under management (AUM) in Q4 was $90.5 billion, slightly down from Q3, but average AUM was higher compared to the prior quarter [6][19] - Net inflows during Q4 were $1.2 billion, primarily from advisory and closed-end funds, offset by market depreciation [6] - The institutional pipeline strengthened, ending the year with $1.72 billion across 20 mandates [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Equities finished 2025 with double-digit gains for the third consecutive year, with diversified real assets rising about 3% in Q4 [11] - Natural resource equities rose more than 6% in Q4, driven by strength in metals and mining stocks [11] - Global real estate stocks were flat overall in Q4, with significant disparities in returns by property type [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to focus on harvesting returns on investments made in recent years and increasing coverage in the RIA channel while maintaining presence in wirehouses [25] - The largest AUM strategy, U.S. REITs, is expected to enter a favorable return cycle, with earnings anticipated to accelerate [25][26] - The company is positioning itself to benefit from a broadening economic growth engine and relative valuation attractiveness in 2026 [18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that economic activity and market returns are expected to broaden in 2026, with above-consensus global growth anticipated [14] - The company is optimistic about the return of investor interest in private real estate, driven by adjustments in commercial real estate prices and reduced interest rates [36][38] - The institutional channel is showing improved activity, with a strong pipeline and increased interest from allocators [45][46] Other Important Information - The company reported liquidity of $403 million at year-end, a $39 million increase from the prior quarter [8] - The effective tax rate for the quarter was 25.7%, consistent with the previous year [8] - The company launched five active ETFs with total AUM of $378 million, indicating strong market acceptance [29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Signs of improving demand for private real estate - Management noted early signs of increasing interest in private real estate, with expectations for it to become a more significant contributor in 2026 [36][38] Question: Progress in the institutional channel - Management highlighted a strong pipeline for two consecutive quarters, with improved allocator confidence and more liquidity in portfolios [45][46] Question: Dynamics driving the won and unfunded pipeline - Management indicated that the recent increase in the won and unfunded pipeline reflects broader positive dynamics in the market [48][50] Question: Demand for active ETFs - Management observed that active ETFs are gaining traction, particularly among RIAs who exclusively use ETFs, which is driving new capital into these vehicles [62]