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Ameriprise Financial Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Adjusted operating EPS hit a record: Adjusted operating EPS rose 19 percent to $11.26 from $9.50, and adjusted operating earnings reached $1,064 million, up 12 percent. Source
  • Advice segment earnings up 20 percent: Segment pretax adjusted operating earnings reached $951 million, a 30.0 percent margin, against 28.5 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Client net flows slowed sharply: Client net flows were $4.2 billion against $10.3 billion a year earlier; wrap net flows were $6.0 billion against $8.7 billion. Source
  • Advisor departures offset organic activity: Management cited elevated advisor departures, including an acceleration of Comerica advisors, as partly offsetting the underlying activity. Source
  • Net outflows narrowed sharply: Net outflows were $5.9 billion against $18.3 billion a year earlier, improving in both retail and institutional channels. Source
  • Segment earnings down 12 percent: Pretax adjusted operating earnings were $190 million against $215 million a year earlier, reflecting higher distribution expenses tied to higher sales levels. Source
  • Capital returned at 88 percent: Total capital returned was $936 million, or 88 percent of operating earnings, including $784 million of buybacks and $152 million of dividends. Source

“In an environment of heightened market volatility and uncertainty, clients remain highly engaged and well-served by our personalized advice, expert investment perspective and broad product range.”

Jim Cracchiolo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Operating effective tax rate SourceFull year 202620 to 22 percentNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: The company gave a full-year 2026 operating effective tax rate range; the prior release gave no 2026 rate. Source
  • New: Huntington National Bank selected the company as its retail investment program provider, bringing about 260 advisors and nearly $28 billion of assets. Source
  • New: Quarterly dividend raised 6 percent, announced with the results. Source
  • Ended: The Comerica Bank relationship was terminated; the termination produced a $25 million benefit in the quarter. Source

Earnings and revenue growth

  • Adjusted operating EPS hit a record: Adjusted operating EPS rose 19 percent to $11.26 from $9.50, and adjusted operating earnings reached $1,064 million, up 12 percent. Source
  • GAAP EPS rose on market impacts: GAAP EPS was $9.68 against $5.83, with net income of $915 million; management attributed the gap to market impacts on derivatives and market risk benefits. Source
  • Net revenues rose 11 percent: Adjusted operating net revenues rose 11 percent to $4.8 billion, which management attributed mainly to asset growth. Source
  • Return on equity stayed high: Return on equity excluding AOCI was 53.3 percent on a GAAP basis and 54.3 percent adjusted operating, on a trailing 12-month basis. Source

Advice and wealth management

  • Advice segment earnings up 20 percent: Segment pretax adjusted operating earnings reached $951 million, a 30.0 percent margin, against 28.5 percent a year earlier. Source
  • Comerica termination added $25 million: A $25 million benefit from ending the Comerica Bank relationship was included in segment pretax earnings. Source
  • Core earnings up, spread flat: Core distribution earnings rose in the mid-30 percent range excluding the Comerica benefit, while spread earnings were essentially flat. Source
  • Revenue per advisor reached a high: Trailing 12-month adjusted operating net revenue per advisor reached a new high of $1.2 million, up 10 percent. Source
  • Net revenues up 14 percent: Segment adjusted operating net revenues rose 14 percent to $3.2 billion; transactional activity was up 10 percent. Source
  • Distribution expenses drove cost growth: Adjusted operating expenses rose 12 percent to $2.2 billion; distribution expenses rose to $1,770 million from $1,554 million. Source

“Our capital strength remains a clear differentiator. During the quarter, we returned 88% of operating earnings to shareholders and today announced an additional 6% increase in our quarterly dividend”

Jim Cracchiolo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Client flows and assets

  • Client net flows slowed sharply: Client net flows were $4.2 billion against $10.3 billion a year earlier; wrap net flows were $6.0 billion against $8.7 billion. Source
  • Advisor departures offset organic activity: Management cited elevated advisor departures, including an acceleration of Comerica advisors, as partly offsetting the underlying activity. Source
  • Cash sweep steady at $29.4 billion: Cash sweep balances were $29.4 billion, against $29.9 billion in the prior quarter, which management called normal seasonal patterns. Source
  • Bank assets and earnings grew: Bank assets rose 6 percent to $25.5 billion, and bank earnings rose in the mid-single digits percent. Source

Asset management results

  • Segment earnings up 13 percent: Pretax adjusted operating earnings were $273 million, with net pretax margin at 43.8 percent against 42.7 percent; the underlying fee rate was stable. Source
  • Net outflows narrowed sharply: Net outflows were $5.9 billion against $18.3 billion a year earlier, improving in both retail and institutional channels. Source
  • Retail outflows narrowed on sales: Retail and model delivery net outflows were $3.9 billion against $5.8 billion, reflecting higher gross U.S. sales. Source
  • Institutional outflows reduced, Japan wins: Institutional net outflows were $1.2 billion against $11.5 billion, with notable wins in Japan equity and liability-driven investment strategies. Source
  • Fund performance above median: More than 70 percent of retail funds ranked above median on an asset-weighted basis over one, three and five years, and 85 percent over ten years. Source
  • Assets under management up 8 percent: Assets under management and advisement rose to $706 billion; segment adjusted operating net revenues were $910 million. Source

Retirement and protection solutions

  • Segment earnings down 12 percent: Pretax adjusted operating earnings were $190 million against $215 million a year earlier, reflecting higher distribution expenses tied to higher sales levels. Source
  • Sales rose 10 percent: Sales were $1.3 billion, with demand for structured variable annuities, variable annuities without living benefit riders and variable universal life insurance. Source
  • Living-benefit annuity outflows continued: Management cited continued outflows from variable annuities with living benefits, partly offset by higher average equity markets. Source

Corporate and other

  • Corporate loss narrowed: Corporate & Other, excluding Closed Blocks, lost $79 million against $103 million a year earlier. Source
  • Long term care earnings eased: Long Term Care pretax adjusted operating earnings were $7 million against $14 million; management called it a continuation of a solid trend. Source
  • Fixed annuities lost $9 million: Fixed Annuities pretax adjusted operating loss was $9 million, against $8 million a year earlier. Source

Costs, margins and tax

  • Pretax adjusted margin rose: Pretax adjusted operating margin was 27.9 percent against 26.7 percent; pretax income margin was 23.8 percent against 15.8 percent. Source
  • General and administrative costs rose: Advice segment general and administrative expenses rose $15 million to $439 million, driven by volume-related expenses and growth investment. Source
  • Operating tax rate 20.2 percent: Operating effective tax rate was 20.2 percent in the quarter; the GAAP effective tax rate was 20.0 percent. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Capital returned at 88 percent: Total capital returned was $936 million, or 88 percent of operating earnings, including $784 million of buybacks and $152 million of dividends. Source
  • Common shares outstanding down six percent: Total common shares outstanding were 90.1 million, against 95.5 million a year earlier, after 1.6 million shares were repurchased. Source
  • Debt to capital ratio fell: Long-term debt to total capital was 33.1 percent against 39.8 percent a year earlier; senior notes stood at $3.1 billion against $3.6 billion. Source
  • Cash balances declined from year-end: Cash and cash equivalents were $8,341 million at March 31, 2026, against $9,953 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Strategy, recognition and investment

  • Investment across the business: Management said it continues to invest across the business with a clear long-term focus, including technology and AI capabilities. Source
  • Investor satisfaction ranking: The company was ranked third among advised investors in the JD Power 2026 U.S. Investor Satisfaction Study. Source
  • Fund family ranking in Barron's: Columbia Threadneedle ranked in the top 10 across all time periods in Barron's Best Fund Families of 2025 ranking. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Assets under management, administration and advisement Source$1.7 trillion
Total client assets and wrap assets Source$1.1 trillion; wrap $664 billion
Experienced advisors added Source61
Client net flows Source$4.2 billion; wrap $6.0 billion
Financial advisors in network Sourcemore than 10,000

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Management cited elevated advisor departures, including Comerica advisors, as partly offsetting underlying client activity. Source
  • External: Management described the market environment as one of heightened volatility and uncertainty. Source
  • Demand: Variable annuities with living benefits continued to see outflows, which management named as a factor on the segment's earnings. Source
  • Financial: GAAP results move with market valuation of derivatives and market risk benefits, which the company excludes from adjusted operating measures. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it continues to expect Retirement & Protection Solutions earnings to be in its target range over time. Source

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.