AllianceBernstein L.P.(AB) - 2025 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Assets under management (AUM) reached a record $867 billion at year-end 2025, reflecting market appreciation and strong sales [5] - Adjusted earnings for Q4 2025 were $0.96 per unit, down 9% year-over-year, while full-year adjusted earnings increased 2% to $3.33 [22] - Total net revenues for Q4 were $957 million, down 2% year-over-year, with full-year revenues flat at $3.5 billion [23] - Adjusted operating margin expanded to 33.7% for the year, at the upper end of the 30%-35% target range [9][36] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Bernstein Private Wealth business had $156 billion in AUM, contributing approximately 37% of firm-wide revenues in 2025 [5] - Private markets platform closed the year with $82 billion in AUM, up 18% year-over-year [6] - SMA franchise reached $62 billion in AUM, growing 12% organically in 2025 [6] - Active ETF suite expanded to $14 billion across 24 strategies, delivering 65% organic growth in 2025 [6] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Firm-wide active net flows were negative for both the quarter and the full year, with total net active outflows of $9.4 billion in 2025 [6] - Tax-exempt franchise generated $3.9 billion in inflows in Q4 and $11.6 billion for the year, marking 13 consecutive years of organic growth [8] - Alternatives and multi-asset strategies posted $1.9 billion active net inflows in Q4 and $10.6 billion for the full year [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its private markets capabilities and enhancing commercial real estate lending [10][21] - Strategic partnership with Equitable is seen as a competitive advantage, expected to onboard over $10 billion of new long-duration assets by year-end 2026 [10][21] - Investments in technology and operational build-out are aimed at enhancing earnings power over time [29][38] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the firm's ability to navigate macroeconomic challenges and highlighted strong momentum entering 2026 [22][36] - The company anticipates adding approximately $3 billion of new private asset mandates from strategic insurance partnerships in the first half of 2026 [11] - Management noted that the bond reallocation trend has significant runway, positioning the firm to capture fixed income's enduring value [17] Other Important Information - The effective tax rate for 2025 was 5.9%, with a forecast of 6%-7% for 2026 [31] - The firm expects non-compensation expenses to be in the range of $625 million-$650 million for 2026, reflecting investments in growth initiatives [26][30] Q&A Session Summary Question: Outlook for high-yield funds distributed in Asia - Management noted macro factors such as FX risk and interest rates but emphasized strong structural demand for U.S. dollar-denominated strategies in Asia [40][41] Question: Seasonality in private wealth and expected flow demand - Management indicated that tax impacts in Q2 are a key seasonal factor, with strong growth driven by M&A activity and onboarding new ultra network clients [45][46] Question: Private credit exposure to software across the portfolio - Management stated that exposure to software is not significant, with around 25% of the corporate direct lending business related to technology [49][50] Question: Growth of private markets AUM beyond the target - Management expressed ambition to exceed the $90 billion-$100 billion target for private markets AUM by 2027, with ongoing opportunities for expansion [53]