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KKR & Co. Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 9 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fee Related Earnings rose 27%: Fee Related Earnings were $1.3 billion, or $1.42 per adjusted share, up 27% year-over-year. LTM FRE was $4.5 billion, or $4.96 per adjusted share. Source
  • Total Operating Earnings rose 25%: Total Operating Earnings were $1.7 billion, or $1.88 per adjusted share, up 25% year-over-year. LTM TOE was $5.9 billion, up 23%. Source
  • Adjusted Net Income rose 29%: Adjusted Net Income was $1.6 billion, or $1.78 per adjusted share, up 29% year-over-year. LTM ANI was $5.4 billion, up 18%. Source
  • New capital raised $25 billion in quarter: New capital raised was $25 billion in the quarter, against $34 billion in the second quarter. LTM new capital raised was $116 billion, against $133 billion. Source
  • Realized investment income rose to $150 million: Asset Management realized investment income was $150 million in the quarter, against $4 million a year earlier, and $462 million year to date. Source
  • Gross unrealized carried interest $9.7 billion: Gross unrealized carried interest was $9.7 billion at September 30, 2026, against $10.2 billion at June 30, 2026. Source
  • Buybacks of $567 million since June 30: From June 30 through November 4, KKR used $567 million to repurchase and retire 6.2 million shares, at an average of $92 per share. Source

“We continue to monetize investments and return capital to our clients at record levels.”

KKR & Co. Inc., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Capital returned to clients Source2026more than $40 billionNew
ANI from sale of USI Source4Q'26 resultsapproximately $2.0 billion of ANI, or over $2.00 ANI per shareNew
Series D Mandatory Convertible Preferred conversion Sourceby March 1, 2028no later than March 1, 2028Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Management gave a 2026 expectation for capital returned to clients. The second-quarter release does not contain this figure. Source
  • New: The company announced the sale of USI Insurance Services, its inaugural Core Private Equity investment, on August 31, 2026. Source
  • New: KKR approved a $500 million increase to its share repurchase program on November 6, 2026. Source
  • New: Global Infrastructure V held its final close in August 2026, with total commitments of $19.2 billion. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fee Related Earnings rose 27%: Fee Related Earnings were $1.3 billion, or $1.42 per adjusted share, up 27% year-over-year. LTM FRE was $4.5 billion, or $4.96 per adjusted share. Source
  • Total Operating Earnings rose 25%: Total Operating Earnings were $1.7 billion, or $1.88 per adjusted share, up 25% year-over-year. LTM TOE was $5.9 billion, up 23%. Source
  • Adjusted Net Income rose 29%: Adjusted Net Income was $1.6 billion, or $1.78 per adjusted share, up 29% year-over-year. LTM ANI was $5.4 billion, up 18%. Source
  • Fee-related performance revenues rose sharply: Fee-related performance revenues were $326 million, against $73 million a year earlier. About $220 million was K-Series Private Equity performance revenue now reported in this line. Source
  • GAAP net income to KKR was $1.1 billion: GAAP net income attributable to KKR common stockholders was $1.1 billion for the quarter, or $1.19 diluted per share, against $0.90 a year earlier. Source

Segments and regions

  • Asset Management earnings rose to $1.6 billion: Asset Management Segment Earnings were $1.6 billion, against $1.3 billion a year earlier, with fee-related and realized income both higher. Source
  • Insurance earnings fell on actuarial charge: Insurance Operating Earnings were $230 million, or $257 million excluding the actuarial assumption review charge. The prior-year quarter was $305 million, including a $41 million benefit. Source
  • Global Atlantic book value rose: Global Atlantic book value was $12.0 billion, compared with $10.4 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Strategic Holdings dividends rose: Strategic Holdings operating earnings were $192 million, from dividends from the segment's businesses, up from $58 million a year earlier. Source
  • Strategic Holdings EBITDA mostly in Americas: Of Strategic Holdings LTM adjusted EBITDA (KKR's share), 66% is in the Americas, 28% in Europe and 6% in Asia Pacific. Source

“Over time, we expect Strategic Holdings Operating Earnings to contribute more meaningfully to Total Operating Earnings”

KKR & Co. Inc., press release

Fund strategies and assets

  • Private equity AUM reached $256 billion: Private equity AUM was $256 billion, up 1% quarter-over-quarter and 15% year-over-year, with $4 billion of new capital raised in the quarter. Source
  • Traditional private equity portfolio gained 7%: The traditional private equity portfolio appreciated 7% over the last twelve months. Source
  • Real Assets AUM reached $212 billion: Real Assets AUM was $212 billion, flat quarter-over-quarter and up 14% year-over-year, with $7 billion of new capital raised in the quarter. Source
  • Credit and Liquid Strategies AUM $337 billion: Credit and Liquid Strategies AUM was $337 billion, up 2% quarter-over-quarter and 7% year-over-year, with $14 billion of organic new capital raised in the quarter. Source
  • Credit AUM split by strategy: Credit and liquid AUM is $148 billion leveraged credit, $91 billion asset-based finance, $49 billion corporate private credit, $13 billion strategic investments and $37 billion liquid strategies. Source

Demand and capital raised

  • New capital raised $25 billion in quarter: New capital raised was $25 billion in the quarter, against $34 billion in the second quarter. LTM new capital raised was $116 billion, against $133 billion. Source
  • Capital invested $20 billion in quarter: Capital invested was $20 billion in the quarter, down from $24 billion in the second quarter. LTM capital invested was $98 billion, against $104 billion. Source
  • $75 billion committed capital not yet paying fees: Committed capital of $75 billion is not yet paying fees. It carries a weighted average fee of about 90 bps once invested or once its investment period starts. Source
  • Performance fee eligible AUM up 15%: Performance fee eligible AUM was $493 billion, up 15% year-over-year. Source
  • Transaction fees $290 million in quarter: Transaction fees totaled $290 million in the quarter and $692 million year to date. Source

Monetization and carried interest

  • Realized investment income rose to $150 million: Asset Management realized investment income was $150 million in the quarter, against $4 million a year earlier, and $462 million year to date. Source
  • Net realized performance income declined: Net realized performance income was $151 million, against $233 million a year earlier, after realized performance income of $602 million and compensation of $452 million. Source
  • Gross unrealized carried interest $9.7 billion: Gross unrealized carried interest was $9.7 billion at September 30, 2026, against $10.2 billion at June 30, 2026. Source
  • Most carry-eligible AUM above cost: Of $415 billion of carry-eligible AUM, $332 billion is above cost and accruing carry. The prior quarter was $410 billion, with $325 billion above cost. Source

Costs and margins

  • LTM management fees rose 23%: LTM management fees rose 23% to $4.8 billion. The company attributes the growth mainly to higher fee paying AUM from organic new capital raised. LTM FRE margin was 70%. Source
  • Fee-related compensation and expenses rose: Fee-related compensation was $325 million, against $256 million a year earlier. Other operating expenses were $215 million, against $176 million. Source
  • Non-operating items added $236 million: Transaction-related and non-operating items in the ANI reconciliation totaled $236 million, including $14 million of integration and restructuring costs across Asset Management and Insurance. Source
  • Net cost of insurance rose to $1.6 billion: Net cost of insurance was $1.6 billion, against $1.4 billion a year earlier, which management ties to business growth and higher funding costs. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Buybacks of $567 million since June 30: From June 30 through November 4, KKR used $567 million to repurchase and retire 6.2 million shares, at an average of $92 per share. Source
  • Repurchase availability $33 million before increase: Remaining availability under the repurchase plan was $33 million as of November 4, 2026, before the November 6 increase. Source
  • Quarterly dividend held at $0.195: A regular dividend of $0.195 per share was declared for the quarter, the same amount as in the second quarter. Source
  • Net cash and investments $5.0 billion: Cash and short-term investments of $5.4 billion plus $8.9 billion of asset management investments, against $9.3 billion of debt at par, gave net cash and investments of $5.0 billion. Source
  • Average debt maturity about 15 years: Average debt maturity is about 15 years, with a weighted average fixed coupon of 3% after tax. The company reports a $3 billion revolving credit facility, undrawn. Source

Strategy and investment deployment

  • Insurance inflows from annuities and funding agreements: Global Atlantic inflows were mainly individual markets annuity sales, funding agreements and institutional flow business. Source
  • Net investment income rose to $1.9 billion: Net investment income was $1.9 billion, against $1.8 billion a year earlier, which management attributes to portfolio growth from net inflows and higher average yields. Source
  • Real Assets deployment in infrastructure: Real Assets capital invested was $8 billion in the quarter and $24 billion year to date, mainly in core infrastructure and North American real estate equity. Source

Coming up, as management said on 9 November 2026

  • USI sale closing subject to conditions: The USI sale is subject to closing conditions. Management states there can be no assurance as to whether or when it will complete. Source
  • Common dividend payment date: The $0.195 common dividend is payable December 3, 2026, to holders of record at the close of business on November 19, 2026. Source
  • Series D preferred dividend payment date: A Series D preferred dividend of $0.78125 per share has been declared and set aside for payment on December 1, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Assets Under Management Source$804 billion, up 11% year-over-year
Fee Paying Assets Under Management Source$648 billion, up 11% year-over-year
Perpetual Capital Source$344 billion, up 11% year-over-year
Global Atlantic AUM Source$223 billion
Uncalled commitments Source$146 billion

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: A $230 million impairment on an equity-method asset management partnership was included in transaction-related items. A $75 million contingent reserve release partly offset it. Source
  • External: The opportunistic real estate portfolio declined 2% over the last twelve months, while the infrastructure portfolio appreciated 9%. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The September 2026 increase of $500 million was made under the previously approved capacity increase announced in March 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.