Bullish View
Last year, BlackRock’s stock gained nearly 10% and reached an all-time high after it reported strong Q3 earnings in mid-October. While the stock experienced high volatility in recent weeks, analysts are generally bullish on its prospects, with the consensus target price signaling a double-digit growth this year. Favorable global investment trends, supported by declining interest rates and economic recovery, bode well for BlackRock’s business and translate into stronger investor returns.
Record AUM
In the third quarter, revenue climbed 25% year-over-year to $6.51 billion, aided by an increase in organic base fee and technology services & subscription revenue. Assets under management reached a new high of $13.5 trillion in Q3, up 17% year-over-year. Earnings rose 1% year-over-year to $11.55 per share in the September quarter. Unadjusted net income declined to $1.32 billion or $8.43 per share from $1.63 billion or $10.90 per share in the prior-year quarter. Both revenue and the bottom line surpassed Wall Street’s projections.
Commenting on the Q3 results, BlackRock’s CEO Laurence Fink said in the earnings call, “As we’ve grown our firm, we’ve also evolved our leadership structure to help us meet client needs and develop our talent. We recently expanded our executive team to include a group of exceptional enterprise leaders to better serve clients and advance our long-term strategy. Together, we’re both defining and fulfilling the future of asset management through a truly differentiated platform. One that is anchored by public, private, investment models backed by Aladdin technology united by a shared culture of performance and client service.”
What Works
Of late, BlackRock has been diversifying beyond its core business to other categories such as private markets and international assets. The company operates the world’s largest ETF family under its iShares brand, offering a vast array of ETFs across equities, fixed income, and commodities. The strength of this franchise, together with record assets under management, positions the firm for solid earnings growth in Q4. A few months ago, the company acquired real estate private equity firm ElmTree Funds to further elevate its Private Financing Solutions platform.
The average price of BlackRock’s shares over the past 12 months is $1,037.29. On Wednesday, BLK opened lower and maintained the downtrend in the early hours of the session.