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Evercore Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue reached $1.3 billion in the quarter: Fourth quarter net revenues were $1,288.3 million U.S. GAAP and $1,298.1 million adjusted. Full-year net revenues were $3,855.8 million U.S. GAAP. Source
  • Advisory fees drove most of the growth: Advisory fees rose $278.7 million, or 33%, in the fourth quarter and $826.5 million, or 34%, for the full year. Source
  • Operating income rose by roughly half: Fourth quarter operating income was $312.2 million U.S. GAAP and $337.4 million adjusted, up 47% and 55% year over year. Source
  • Advised on five of top 15 deals: Strategic Advisory advised on five of the top 15 globally announced transactions in 2025, including Warner Bros. Discovery's separation and sale to Netflix. Source
  • Operating margin rose on both bases: Quarterly operating margin was 24.2% U.S. GAAP and 26.0% adjusted. Full-year adjusted operating margin was 21.6%, up from 18.6%. Source
  • Returned $812.4 million in 2025: Returns in 2025 combined dividends and repurchases. Buybacks of 2.4 million shares averaged $275.42 per share. Source

“Our 2025 results reflect strengthening market conditions and the benefits of our diversified business model.”

John S. Weinberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Capital return: quarterly dividend SourceDividend payable March 13, 2026$0.84 per shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Christine Varney was appointed to the Board of Directors, effective March 1, 2026. Source
  • New: Adjusted results now also exclude Robey Warshaw acquisition-related compensation charges, intangible amortization and deferred consideration interest. The Q3 release excluded only acquisition and transition costs. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue reached $1.3 billion in the quarter: Fourth quarter net revenues were $1,288.3 million U.S. GAAP and $1,298.1 million adjusted. Full-year net revenues were $3,855.8 million U.S. GAAP. Source
  • Advisory fees drove most of the growth: Advisory fees rose $278.7 million, or 33%, in the fourth quarter and $826.5 million, or 34%, for the full year. Source
  • Operating income rose by roughly half: Fourth quarter operating income was $312.2 million U.S. GAAP and $337.4 million adjusted, up 47% and 55% year over year. Source

Segments and regions

  • Advisory businesses in several regions set records: Management said each of these advisory businesses had a record revenue year for 2025. Source
  • Wealth management fees grew on higher AUM: Asset management and administration fees rose 10% in the quarter, with associated Wealth Management AUM up 12% from market appreciation and net inflows. Source
  • Affiliate earnings rose in the quarter: Equity in earnings of affiliates was up 14% in the quarter, while the full-year figure fell 25% after the remaining ABS interest was sold in 2024. Source

“We enter 2026 with momentum and remain focused on serving our clients and executing our long-term growth strategy.”

John S. Weinberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • Advised on five of top 15 deals: Strategic Advisory advised on five of the top 15 globally announced transactions in 2025, including Warner Bros. Discovery's separation and sale to Netflix. Source
  • Equities reported its best year: Equities revenue has risen year over year for nine consecutive quarters. Source
  • Restructuring team named IFR adviser of year: The Liability Management & Restructuring team received IFR's 2025 Americas Restructuring Adviser of the Year designation. Source

Costs and margins

  • Compensation ratio fell to 64.9%: Full-year compensation ratio was 64.9% U.S. GAAP and 64.2% adjusted, down from 66.3% and 65.7%. The fourth quarter ratio was 63.0%. Source
  • Pay costs rose on accruals and salaries: Incentive accruals, base salaries and amortization of earlier deferred awards drove compensation growth. Higher revenue also moved the ratio. Source
  • Operating margin rose on both bases: Quarterly operating margin was 24.2% U.S. GAAP and 26.0% adjusted. Full-year adjusted operating margin was 21.6%, up from 18.6%. Source
  • Non-compensation ratio fell for the year: Full-year non-compensation costs rose 20%, mainly on technology, occupancy and travel. The ratio fell to 14.7% from 15.8%. Source
  • Quarterly tax rate rose: The fourth quarter effective tax rate was 29.0% against 27.5%. The full-year rate was 19.3%, down from 21.6%. Source

“Evercore delivered record fourth quarter and full year revenues, ranking #3 globally in Advisory revenues among public firms for the second consecutive year.”

Roger C. Altman, Founder and Senior Chairman

Demand and the order book

  • Underwriting fees rose on more deals: Underwriting fees rose 87% in the fourth quarter, reflecting more transactions in which the company took part. Source
  • Bookrunner role on all equity deals: Underwriting revenue rose 14% in 2025, and the company was bookrunner on all of its equity transactions that year. Source
  • Fees of $1 million or more grew faster: Advisory and underwriting fees of at least $1 million grew faster than total fee counts in the quarter. Source
  • Early-2026 mandates named: Early-2026 mandates named include Devon Energy's $58 billion merger with Coterra Energy, the sale of a majority stake in GHX to Veritas Capital and Cogentrix's sale to Vistra. Source

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Returned $812.4 million in 2025: Returns in 2025 combined dividends and repurchases. Buybacks of 2.4 million shares averaged $275.42 per share. Source
  • Cash rose to $1.4 billion: Investment securities and certificates of deposit were $1.6 billion, and current assets exceeded current liabilities by $2.1 billion at year end. Source
  • Fourth quarter repurchases totalled 0.5 million shares: Shares bought under the program averaged $317.85 in the quarter. Another 12 thousand shares were bought from employees at $303.03. Source
  • Deferred cash payments due through 2029: The company expects to pay $360.2 million under its deferred cash compensation program, with payments subject to certain vesting events. Source
  • Notes payable balance at year end: Amounts due on the Notes Payable stood at $588.2 million at year end. Source

Strategy, acquisitions and investment

  • Robey Warshaw intangibles lifted amortization: Depreciation and amortization rose in the quarter on intangible assets from the Robey Warshaw acquisition. Source
  • Acquisition costs of $9.9 million for year: Acquisition and transition costs were $4.7 million in the fourth quarter and $9.9 million for the year, tied to Robey Warshaw and an EMEA reorganization. Source
  • Robey Warshaw deal closed in October: The Robey Warshaw acquisition closed in October 2025, as reported in the prior-quarter release.

People and leadership

  • Headcount rose to about 2,570: The company employed about 2,570 people worldwide at year end, up from about 2,380 a year earlier. Source
  • Senior managing director ranks grew: Investment Banking & Equities senior managing directors rose to 210 from 184 a year earlier. Counts include committed incoming directors. Source
  • Seven Investment Banking hires since last call: New joiners since the last call included Jonathan Dale, Kaan Kesedar, Chris Macios, Ashish Varshneya, Lars Ingemarsson, Keith Prusek and Hugh Rabb. Source

In management's words

“Our market share is at an all-time high.”

Roger C. Altman, Founder and Senior Chairman

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Fees from advisory and underwriting client transactions Source357 (Q4); 806 (full year)
Fees of at least $1 million from advisory and underwriting client transactions Source185 (Q4); 529 (full year)
Underwriting transactions Source18 (Q4); 59 (full year)
Underwriting transactions as bookrunner Source18 (Q4); 56 (full year)
Assets under management Source$15,516 million at December 31, 2025
Investment Banking senior managing directors Source171

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said quarterly results may fluctuate significantly with the timing and size of transaction fees, so one quarter may not represent a longer period. Source
  • Financial: Other revenue fell for the year, and higher interest expense from senior notes issued in July 2025 added to the drag. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Three more Investment Banking senior managing directors have committed to join Evercore, with joins expected later this year. 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.