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Jefferies Financial Group Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 September 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Total revenue rose, led by banking: Total net revenues were $2.22 billion against $2.05 billion a year earlier. Investment Banking net revenues were $1.33 billion, up 17%. Source
  • Earnings to common shareholders rose: Net earnings to common shareholders were $261 million against $224 million. Diluted EPS was $1.08 against $1.01, and return on adjusted tangible equity was 13.5% against 13.6%. Source
  • Advisory delivered a record quarter: Advisory net revenues were $818 million, up 25%, driven by market share gains across multiple sectors. The company called it its best quarter on record. Source
  • Equities record on trading volumes: Equities net revenues were $626 million, up 29%, from higher global trading volumes in cash and electronic trading, equity options and corporate derivatives. Prime services also expanded. Source
  • Asset management revenue fell: Asset management net revenues were $86 million against $177 million. Higher fees from strategic affiliates' funds were offset by lower fees from funds the company manages directly. Source
  • Buybacks in the quarter: The company repurchased 1.3 million shares for $70 million. Nine-month repurchases totaled 8.3 million shares for $441 million, including net-share settlements. Source
  • SMBC joint venture in Japan: The Japan venture is meant to scale a wholesale equities and equity capital markets business. Management expects it to serve as a template for other partnerships with SMBC. Source

“reflecting record quarterly results in Investment Banking and Equities, offset by a more subdued market for Fixed Income”

Richard Handler, CEO, and Brian Friedman, President

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Share repurchase authorization SourceFuture repurchases$250 millionKept
Quarterly cash dividend SourceDividend payable November 25, 2026$0.40 per common shareKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: SMBC's equity ownership in Jefferies rose to about 20%, making SMBC the largest shareholder. Source
  • New: A planned joint venture with SMBC in Japan was announced, covering wholesale equities and equity capital markets. Source
  • New: Voting common shares were exchanged for non-voting common shares during the quarter, alongside SMBC's preferred share conversion. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Total revenue rose, led by banking: Total net revenues were $2.22 billion against $2.05 billion a year earlier. Investment Banking net revenues were $1.33 billion, up 17%. Source
  • Earnings to common shareholders rose: Net earnings to common shareholders were $261 million against $224 million. Diluted EPS was $1.08 against $1.01, and return on adjusted tangible equity was 13.5% against 13.6%. Source
  • Nine-month earnings well above last year: Nine-month net earnings to common shareholders were $640 million against $440 million. Diluted EPS was $2.79 against $1.98, and return on adjusted tangible equity was 12.9% against 9.3%. Source
  • Lower tax rate in the quarter: Effective tax rate was 24.8% against 26.9% a year earlier. Pre-tax earnings were $351 million against $332 million. Source

Investment banking and capital markets

  • Advisory delivered a record quarter: Advisory net revenues were $818 million, up 25%, driven by market share gains across multiple sectors. The company called it its best quarter on record. Source
  • Equity underwriting up, debt underwriting down: Equity underwriting was $306 million against $181 million, up 69%. Debt underwriting was $177 million against $250 million, on lower industry volumes. Source
  • Equities record on trading volumes: Equities net revenues were $626 million, up 29%, from higher global trading volumes in cash and electronic trading, equity options and corporate derivatives. Prime services also expanded. Source
  • Fixed Income fell on lower volumes: Fixed Income net revenues were $176 million against $237 million, with the company citing lower industry volumes. Source

“We are keenly focused on improving the consistency and quality of our earnings.”

Richard Handler, CEO, and Brian Friedman, President

Asset management and investments

  • Asset management revenue fell: Asset management net revenues were $86 million against $177 million. Higher fees from strategic affiliates' funds were offset by lower fees from funds the company manages directly. Source
  • Capital reduced in certain funds: Management said it continues to reposition the platform by reducing capital allocated to certain existing funds. Source
  • Nine-month fund income flat: Nine-month asset management fees and investment return were $239 million, flat year on year. Improved performance in long-equity strategies offset declines in other funds. Source

Costs and margins

  • Compensation ratio up a point: Compensation and benefits expense was $1.19 billion, or 54% of net revenues, against 53% a year earlier. Source
  • Non-compensation costs rose with volumes: Non-compensation expenses were $678 million against $632 million, with brokerage and clearing fees rising on equities volumes and technology spending higher. The ratio was 30.5% against 30.9%. Source
  • Tessellis goodwill write-down in expenses: Nine-month other expenses rose on a goodwill write-down tied to the expected sale of Tessellis, which the notes put at a $35.5 million after-tax charge. Source

“We are very optimistic about the balance of 2026 and our momentum heading into 2027, supported by the breadth and strength of our current backlog and new business activity.”

Richard Handler, CEO, and Brian Friedman, President

Demand and market activity

  • M&A activity led by sponsors: The company said it continues to expand its M&A business, with sponsor-led activity in the quarter particularly in healthcare, industrials and energy. Source
  • Underwriting up on share gains: Combined underwriting revenues were $483 million, up 12%, on market share gains and higher equity underwriting activity across most sectors. Source
  • Nine-month banking revenue record: Advisory and underwriting revenues for the nine months totaled $3.52 billion, which the company called record nine-month results. Source

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • Buybacks in the quarter: The company repurchased 1.3 million shares for $70 million. Nine-month repurchases totaled 8.3 million shares for $441 million, including net-share settlements. Source
  • Leverage and assets higher: Total assets were $81.3 billion against $69.3 billion a year earlier. Leverage ratio was 7.6 against 6.6, and tangible gross leverage was 9.1 against 8.0. Source
  • Book value per share lower: Book value per common share was $46.55 against $50.60, lower on non-voting shares from the SMBC conversion. Adjusted tangible book value per fully diluted share was $35.21 against $33.38. Source

Strategy and partnerships

  • SMBC joint venture in Japan: The Japan venture is meant to scale a wholesale equities and equity capital markets business. Management expects it to serve as a template for other partnerships with SMBC. Source
  • Margin and earnings aims tied to Tessellis: Management said it expects meaningfully higher operating margins and earnings as the Tessellis sale completes and legacy merchant banking investments are wound down. Source
  • Prime services adds durable revenue: Management described prime services as a partner to large, diversified hedge funds, which it said adds consistency and durability to Equities revenue. Source

Trading and balance sheet risk measures

  • Average trading VaR little changed: Average VaR was $10.38 million for the quarter, against $10.31 million in the prior quarter and $10.45 million a year earlier. The nine-month average was $10.16 million against $11.81 million. Source
  • Level 3 holdings higher: Level 3 financial instruments owned were $891 million, against $839 million at May 31, 2026 and $803 million a year earlier. Source
  • Trading days up by one: The quarter had 64 trading days against 63 a year earlier. The nine months had 188 trading days against 187. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 September 2026

  • Japan joint venture starts serving clients: The SMBC joint venture in Japan is expected to begin serving clients in January 2027. Source
  • Form 10-Q filing expected October 9: The company expects to file its 10-Q on or about October 9, 2026. Figures in the release are preliminary and may be revised when the 10-Q is filed. Source
  • Dividend payment and record dates: The $0.40 quarterly dividend is payable November 25, 2026, to holders of record on November 16, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Employees at period end Source7,065 (6,585 excluding Tessellis and Stratos)

Risks management discussed

  • External: Asset management revenue fell as several fund strategies performed less well, including Point Bonita. Source
  • Financial: Nine-month Fixed Income results included a mark-to-market loss on the securitized products business tied to Market Financial Solutions. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the fund capital reduction is consistent with the strategy it outlined last fall when it announced the Hildene plan. 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.