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Equitable Holdings, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Non-GAAP EPS rose 25% year on year: Non-GAAP operating earnings were $472 million, against $421 million a year earlier. Per-share and excluding-notable-items figures are given in the CEO's comment. Source
  • Retirement earnings rose on fees: Retirement operating earnings were $396 million, against $380 million a year earlier, on higher fee-based revenue and a lower tax rate. Source
  • Asset Management net outflows of $7.1B: Net outflows were $7.1 billion, against $2.4 billion of net inflows a year earlier. Retail accounted for $5.8 billion and Institutional for $1.9 billion, partly offset by Private Wealth inflows of $0.6 billion. Source
  • Institutional pipeline reached a record: AB reported an institutional pipeline of $27.5 billion at quarter end, which the release describes as a record. Source
  • Notable items totalled $19 million: Notable items of $19 million after tax comprised $32 million of net investment income items, partly offset by a $13 million tax credit. Corporate and Other accounted for $21 million. Source
  • Returned $223 million to shareholders: Repurchases were the larger component at $147 million; quarterly cash dividends were $76 million. Source
  • All-stock Corebridge merger announced: The company announced an all-stock merger with Corebridge Financial on March 26, intended to create a diversified financial institution. Source

“Within our businesses, we continued to see healthy organic growth momentum, highlighted by $1.3 billion of net inflows in Retirement and $2.0 billion of advisory net inflows in Wealth Management.”

Mark Pearson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Cash generation Source2026$1.8 billionKept
Non-GAAP earnings per share growth Source2026over 15%New
Payout ratio Source202660-70%Kept
EPS accretion from Corebridge merger Sourcerun-rate by year-end 2028at least 10%New

What changed from last quarter

  • New: All-stock merger with Corebridge Financial announced on March 26. The prior release, dated February 4, does not mention it. Source
  • New: Stifel Independent Advisors acquisition closed in the first quarter, adding over $9 billion of client assets. The prior release does not mention it. Source

Earnings and net income

  • Non-GAAP EPS rose 25% year on year: Non-GAAP operating earnings were $472 million, against $421 million a year earlier. Per-share and excluding-notable-items figures are given in the CEO's comment. Source
  • Net income rose on variable annuity items: Net income attributable to Holdings was $621 million, $2.14 per diluted share, against $63 million. The reconciliation shows a $(386) million variable annuity product features item, against $211 million a year earlier. Source
  • Diluted share count fell: Diluted weighted average shares were 283.8 million, against 311.9 million a year earlier. Source

Segment operating results

  • Retirement earnings rose on fees: Retirement operating earnings were $396 million, against $380 million a year earlier, on higher fee-based revenue and a lower tax rate. Source
  • Retirement premiums up, net inflows lower: First-year premiums were $6.0 billion, up 10%. Retirement net inflows were $1.3 billion, against $1.6 billion a year earlier. Total Retirement assets were $175.7 billion. Source
  • Asset Management earnings rose on fees: Asset Management operating earnings were $140 million, against $126 million. AUM was $838.6 billion, against $784.5 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Asset Management net outflows of $7.1B: Net outflows were $7.1 billion, against $2.4 billion of net inflows a year earlier. Retail accounted for $5.8 billion and Institutional for $1.9 billion, partly offset by Private Wealth inflows of $0.6 billion. Source
  • Wealth Management earnings and assets grew: Operating earnings were $55 million, against $45 million. AUA was $131.0 billion, up 28% over the last twelve months, against $102.1 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Corporate and Other loss narrowed: The operating loss was $119 million, against $130 million. Adjusted for notable items, the loss was $98 million, against $122 million a year earlier. Source

“I am incredibly excited about the announced merger with Corebridge, which will create a diversified financial services company with leading positions across retirement, life insurance, asset management, and wealth management and accelerate our growth strategy.”

Mark Pearson, President and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and distribution

  • Institutional pipeline reached a record: AB reported an institutional pipeline of $27.5 billion at quarter end, which the release describes as a record. Source
  • Advisor productivity up 11%: Advisory net inflows of $2.0 billion matched the prior year quarter, which the release links to an 11% rise in advisor productivity. Source
  • Private Markets assets reached $85B: AB Private Markets had $85 billion of assets under management at quarter end, against $82 billion at year end 2025. Source

Costs and notable items

  • Notable items totalled $19 million: Notable items of $19 million after tax comprised $32 million of net investment income items, partly offset by a $13 million tax credit. Corporate and Other accounted for $21 million. Source
  • Retirement adjusted earnings $394 million: Retirement operating earnings adjusted for notable items were $394 million, against $385 million a year earlier. Source
  • Commissions and compensation rose: Commissions and distribution-related payments were $556 million, against $501 million. Compensation and benefits were $625 million, against $601 million. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Returned $223 million to shareholders: Repurchases were the larger component at $147 million; quarterly cash dividends were $76 million. Source
  • Holdings cash above minimum target: Holdings held $1.2 billion of cash and liquid assets, excluding about $195 million available to AB through its credit facility. Source
  • Combined RBC ratio above target: The combined NAIC RBC ratio was about 475% at year end, against a 400% target. The release gives no later RBC figure. Source

Book value and assets

  • Book value excluding AOCI rose: Book value per common share excluding AOCI was $19.56, against $18.14 at year end. Both measures reflect AB at book value, given the 68% stake. Source
  • Book value with AB at fair value: With AB at fair market value, book value per common share excluding AOCI was $34.70, against $33.84 at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Total AUM/A reached $1.1 trillion: Total AUM/A was $1.1 trillion, up 9% year on year. Total AUM was $963.1 billion at March 31, 2026. Source

Strategy and the Corebridge merger

  • All-stock Corebridge merger announced: The company announced an all-stock merger with Corebridge Financial on March 26, intended to create a diversified financial institution. Source
  • Stifel Independent Advisors acquisition closed: The company closed the Stifel Independent Advisors acquisition in the first quarter, adding over $9 billion of client assets. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 May 2026

  • Corebridge merger expected to close: The Corebridge merger is expected to close by year-end 2026, subject to a shareholder vote and regulatory approvals. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Book value per common share excluding AOCI Source$19.56
Book value per common share including AOCI Source$(2.83)

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management attributes the Asset Management net outflows primarily to active equities. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management says deployment of the $20 billion AB capital commitment is complete, up from over $19 billion at the prior release. Source
  • Not stated: Management says it remains committed to the payout ratio target for 2026. 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.