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Acadian Asset Management Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • ENI earnings per share up 94%: ENI diluted EPS was $1.05 against $0.54 a year earlier. ENI rose 85% to $37.6 million, which management attributed mainly to management fee growth. Source
  • Management fees reached quarterly record: Management fees were $159.3 million, up 41%. Average AUM rose 57% over the year on net inflows and market appreciation. Source
  • Record net inflows, ninth straight quarter: Net client cash flows were $21.4 billion, 12% of beginning AUM, led by Enhanced, Extension and Global strategies. Gross inflows were $29.6 billion and gross outflows $9.3 billion. Source
  • AUM reached $195.7 billion: Ending AUM was $195.7 billion at March 31, 2026, up from $177.5 billion at December 31, 2025, and described as another record for the firm. Source
  • ENI operating margin reached 38.1%: ENI operating margin expanded 978 bps from 28.3%. ENI operating earnings rose 88% to $62.9 million. Source
  • 96% of revenue outperforming over three years: Firmwide figures show 96% revenue-weighted outperformance over 3, 5 and 10 years, and 93%, 94% and 92% asset-weighted over the same periods. Source

“Acadian achieved its ninth consecutive quarter of positive net client cash flows in the first quarter of 2026”

Kelly Young, Acadian Asset Management Inc.’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Variable compensation ratio SourceFull year 202640%-43%Kept
Acadian LLC key employee distribution ratio SourceFull year 202612%-14%Kept
Quarterly dividend SourcePayable June 26, 2026$0.10 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Ended: Share repurchases resumed in Q1 2026 after the Q4 2025 suspension; the company bought 0.1 million shares for $4.7 million. Source
  • New: Gross inflows in the quarter included a significant Enhanced mandate from a UK wealth manager, adding to Non-US client and Wealth segment AUM. Source
  • New: Tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments now uses a blended rate instead of the 27.3% statutory rate used previously; the change to prior periods is described as not material. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • ENI earnings per share up 94%: ENI diluted EPS was $1.05 against $0.54 a year earlier. ENI rose 85% to $37.6 million, which management attributed mainly to management fee growth. Source
  • Management fees reached quarterly record: Management fees were $159.3 million, up 41%. Average AUM rose 57% over the year on net inflows and market appreciation. Source
  • GAAP net income and EPS higher: U.S. GAAP net income attributable to controlling interests was $24.3 million, up 21%, and diluted EPS was $0.68, up 26%. Non-cash equity revaluation charges partly offset the fee growth. Source
  • ENI revenue rose on fees: ENI revenue was $165.0 million, up 40%, from recurring management fees and higher performance fees of $5.7 million. Source

Client flows and assets under management

  • Record net inflows, ninth straight quarter: Net client cash flows were $21.4 billion, 12% of beginning AUM, led by Enhanced, Extension and Global strategies. Gross inflows were $29.6 billion and gross outflows $9.3 billion. Source
  • AUM reached $195.7 billion: Ending AUM was $195.7 billion at March 31, 2026, up from $177.5 billion at December 31, 2025, and described as another record for the firm. Source
  • Market depreciation trimmed AUM in quarter: Market depreciation reduced AUM by $3.2 billion in the quarter, after appreciation of $5.7 billion in Q4 2025. Reinvested income and distributions added $1.1 billion. Source

“Going forward, Acadian will remain focused on our time-tested investment process and the execution of our growth strategy, including ongoing expense discipline.”

Kelly Young, Acadian Asset Management Inc.’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Regions and strategy mix

  • EMEA share of AUM rose: EMEA AUM rose to $55.1 billion, 28.2% of the total, from $37.7 billion (21.2%) at December 31, 2025. U.S. clients were $99.3 billion, down to 50.7% of the total. Source
  • Enhanced Equity assets rose most: Enhanced Equity AUM rose to $57.8 billion, 29.5% of the total, from $40.0 billion at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Small Cap Equity assets declined: Small Cap Equity AUM was $32.2 billion, 16.5% of the total, down from $32.8 billion at December 31, 2025. Source

Costs, margins and variable compensation

  • ENI operating margin reached 38.1%: ENI operating margin expanded 978 bps from 28.3%. ENI operating earnings rose 88% to $62.9 million. Source
  • Operating expense ratio fell: ENI operating expenses rose 13% to $61.2 million, while the operating expense ratio fell to 38.4% from 48.1%. Source
  • Expense growth tied to AUM: Expense growth came from higher sales-based compensation and portfolio-related costs linked to AUM, plus continued IT and infrastructure investment. Source
  • Variable compensation ratio fell: Variable compensation rose 35% to $40.9 million, but its ratio to earnings before variable compensation fell 817 bps to 39.4%. Source

“we continue to see organic growth, reflecting strength and momentum in the business driven by long-term outperformance, as well as product and distribution initiatives”

Kelly Young, Acadian Asset Management Inc.’s President and Chief Executive Officer

Investment performance record

  • 96% of revenue outperforming over three years: Firmwide figures show 96% revenue-weighted outperformance over 3, 5 and 10 years, and 93%, 94% and 92% asset-weighted over the same periods. Source
  • One-year outperformance share 67%: Assets representing 67% of revenue were outperforming on a one-year basis, against 85% a year earlier and 57% at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Five-year excess return figures moved lower: Five-year annualized returns in excess of benchmark were shown as +4.1% and +3.4%, against +4.7% and +3.8% at December 31, 2025. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Cash rose to $129.0 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $129.0 million, up from $101.2 million at December 31, 2025, alongside $96.7 million of seed investments. Source
  • Leverage rose to 1.3x: Debt comprised a $200.0 million term loan and an $85.0 million revolving balance. Leverage rose to 1.3x from 1.0x and net leverage to 0.7x from 0.5x. Source
  • $1.4 billion returned since 2019: Since the end of 2019, $1.4 billion of excess capital has been returned to stockholders through share buybacks and dividends. Source

Acadian LLC distributions and GAAP items

  • Distribution ratio rose to 10.0%: Acadian LLC key employee distributions were $6.3 million, and the distribution ratio rose to 10.0% from 9.3% on fee profit above contractual thresholds. Source
  • Equity revaluation charge raised GAAP costs: A $16.1 million charge from revaluing Acadian LLC key employee equity raised U.S. GAAP operating expenses. The company excludes it from ENI. Source
  • Income tax expense up 59%: Income tax expense rose 59% to $13.2 million on higher pre-tax income attributable to controlling interests and non-deductible compensation expense. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 April 2026

  • Investor Forum on May 19: Management plans to discuss the growth strategy in more detail at the previously announced May 19 Investor Forum. Source
  • Distribution and product initiatives continue: Management said the company is positioned to keep driving growth through targeted distribution initiatives and new product offerings. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Assets under management Source$195.7 billion
Net client cash flows Source$21.4 billion
Average AUM Source$189.5 billion
ENI management fee rate Source34 bps

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.