Core Insights - The European Commission (EC) is investigating potential collusion between Deutsche Börse and Nasdaq regarding the listing, trading, and clearing of certain derivatives [2] Group 1 - The investigation is reminiscent of the 2007 antitrust case involving the International Securities Exchange (ISE) [2]

Core Viewpoint - The stock market experienced a rally on Friday, but uncertainty remains about whether the selling frenzy from the previous week has concluded, with expectations for a higher opening on Monday [1] Market Performance - The past week was challenging for investors, with significant market fluctuations despite strong earnings reports from major companies like Nvidia [3] - Key market indices showed mixed results: - S&P 500: Up 1% on Friday, down nearly 2% for the week, and down 3.4% in November - Nasdaq Composite: Up 0.9% on Friday, down 2.7% for the week, and down 6.1% in November - Dow Jones Industrial Average: Up 1.1% on Friday, down nearly 1.9% for the week, and down 2.8% in November - Bitcoin: Down 2.1% on Friday, down 10.3% for the week, and down 20.5% so far in November [6] Corporate Earnings and Revenue - U.S. corporate revenues are projected to increase by 8.4% for the third quarter, potentially marking the best quarter since Q3 2022, when revenues rose by 11% [4] - Despite robust earnings, concerns arose that stock valuations may be inflated, with the S&P 500 up nearly 37% since early April, and the Nasdaq up 51% during the same period [5]

Core Viewpoint - Market volatility has raised concerns among investors, but experts at T. Rowe Price believe that the current nervousness will lead to a better market environment by 2026 [1][3]. Market Performance - Major stock indices experienced significant declines last week, with the S&P 500 Index falling nearly 2% and the Nasdaq-100 Index dropping 3.1%. Bitcoin also saw a substantial slump of 10.3% last week, down 23% in November, and down 9.6% for the year [2]. Future Outlook - T. Rowe Price anticipates a less volatile market in 2026, driven by a benign economic environment despite current challenges such as labor market weakness and persistent inflation [3][4]. - The firm remains optimistic that the impact of Donald Trump's tariffs has been less detrimental to the economy than initially feared, which is seen as a positive sign for stocks [5]. Economic Drivers - Significant corporate spending on artificial intelligence is contributing to economic growth, helping to offset weaknesses in the housing market and manufacturing sectors [6]. - The jobs data indicates a bifurcated economy, with non-cyclical sectors like government, education, and healthcare facing stagnation or struggles [7]. Contributing Factors - Factors contributing to the positive outlook include business and personal tax cuts, substantial tax refunds in the first half of the year, increased capital spending, job growth, and reduced tariff uncertainty [8].

Core Insights - Separate Managed Accounts (SMA) are customized investment tools for high-net-worth and institutional clients, allowing investors to directly own each security in their account while benefiting from professional management, combining the advantages of fund-like management with personal asset control [3][6][10] - Compared to Model Portfolios, SMAs offer significant differences in customization, ownership, and tax management, enabling tailored investment strategies based on individual risk preferences and ESG considerations [3][10] - The global SMA market is evolving towards digitalization, deeper ESG customization, and scalability, with opportunities for domestic accounts to adopt similar strategies to enhance personalization and tax efficiency [3][10] Overview of SMA Business - SMA allows investors to have direct ownership of securities, providing transparency and tax efficiency, making it a preferred choice for high-net-worth and institutional investors [6][10] - Various forms of SMA exist, including discretionary, non-discretionary, model-driven, multi-manager, and tax-optimized types, catering to different investor preferences and needs [12][10] International SMA Practices - J.P. Morgan is a leading SMA provider with over $300 billion in assets under management, utilizing a tax-driven index strategy that has significantly outperformed benchmarks [24][3] - Vanguard's SMA strategy focuses on low-cost, direct indexing, enhancing tax efficiency through coordinated rebalancing, with a minimum investment threshold of $10,000 [31][3] - Fidelity employs a tax-smart investing approach, utilizing a proprietary STAR Score system for stock selection and achieving a tax efficiency rate of 85% in 2024 [34][35] Key Features of SMA Providers - J.P. Morgan's SMA includes a comprehensive management structure with dedicated teams for investment management and client service, ensuring tailored solutions and compliance monitoring [16][24] - Vanguard's SMA leverages a direct indexing platform to provide personalized investment solutions, enhancing tax management and cost efficiency [31][32] - Morgan Stanley's SMA platform emphasizes professional management and tax optimization, allowing clients to directly hold assets while benefiting from expert guidance [51][53] Investment Strategies and Performance - J.P. Morgan's Large Cap Growth Strategy SMA achieved a five-year annualized net return of 15.25%, significantly outperforming the Russell 1000 Growth Index [24][3] - Morgan Stanley's ClearBridge Small Cap SMA focuses on undervalued small-cap stocks, employing a probability distribution valuation model to identify long-term growth opportunities [59][60] - Fidelity's cross-account tax loss harvesting technology enhances after-tax returns by 0.5%-1.2%, demonstrating the effectiveness of tax optimization strategies [35][3]

Company Overview - T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) is a multinational investment manager based in Baltimore, Maryland, with a market capitalization of nearly $22.2 billion, focusing on equity and fixed income mutual funds [1] - The firm typically invests between $3 million and $5 million in late-stage venture capital projects [1] Stock Performance - TROW stock has experienced a decline of approximately 15.1% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 Index increased by 13.2% during the same period [2] - Year-to-date (YTD), TROW shares have fallen by 10.1%, contrasting with a 14.5% gain in the S&P 500 [2] - The financial sector has also been challenging for TROW, which lagged behind the S&P 500 Financials Sector SPDR (XLF), which rose by 5.7% over the past year and 8.5% YTD [3] Recent Developments - On November 12, TROW's stock rose by nearly 1.1% during trading, with preliminary assets under management reported at $1.79 trillion as of October 31 [4] - The breakdown of assets includes $902 billion in equity assets and $210 billion in fixed income, with net outflows of $5.9 billion for the month [4] Asset Composition - Retirement-related assets make up about two-thirds of TROW's total holdings, with multi-asset and alternatives assets at $622 billion and $56 billion, respectively, indicating steady growth and a strategic investment focus [5] Earnings Forecast - For the fiscal year 2025, analysts project a 4.5% year-over-year growth in earnings per share (EPS), estimating $9.75 on a diluted basis [5] - TROW has exceeded analyst expectations for three consecutive quarters, while missing on one occasion [5] Analyst Ratings - Among 14 analysts covering TROW, the consensus rating is "Hold," an upgrade from "Moderate Sell" two months ago [6] - The current ratings include one "Strong Buy," eight "Holds," one "Moderate Buy," and four "Strong Sell" recommendations [6] - The current configuration is slightly bullish compared to two months ago, when TROW had no "Strong Buy" ratings [7]

Core Insights - Major asset managers are achieving significant milestones in their ETF businesses amid record inflows, with Capital Group's ETFs reaching $100 billion in assets under management [2] - BlackRock's iShares and Vanguard remain the dominant players in the ETF market, holding $3.9 trillion and $3.7 trillion respectively, while newer entrants like T. Rowe Price are gaining traction [2] Industry Trends - Approximately $1.1 trillion has flowed into US ETFs in 2023 through October, surpassing total inflows for all of 2024, with $378 billion specifically directed towards active ETFs [3] - Total assets in the ETF market have exceeded $13 trillion, indicating robust growth and demand for exchange-traded funds [3] Company Developments - Capital Group has focused on core-style products while other niche issuers have introduced leveraged and thematic funds, with a notable increase in model portfolios for active ETFs [3] - As of March, Capital Group became the third-largest provider of active ETF model portfolios, managing $61 billion, following Wilshire and BlackRock [3] Additional Milestones - Invesco is nearing $800 billion across its 240 US ETFs, while Goldman Sachs has surpassed $50 billion with its 45 US ETFs, and T. Rowe Price has exceeded $20 billion with its 24 ETFs [5]

Core Insights - T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) reported preliminary assets under management (AUM) of $1.79 trillion for October 2025, reflecting a 1.3% increase from the previous month despite net outflows of $5.9 billion [1][7]. AUM Performance Breakdown - Equity products reached $902 billion, up 1.9% from the prior month [2]. - Fixed income products, including money market, grew nearly 1% to $210 billion [2]. - Multi-asset products totaled $622 billion, increasing nearly 1% from the previous month [2]. - Alternative products remained stable at $56 billion [2]. - Target date retirement portfolios amounted to $557 billion, rising 0.7% from the prior month [3]. Company Outlook - The company's diversified business model and ongoing efforts are expected to support top-line growth and provide resilience amid market fluctuations [4]. - A strong brand, consistent investment record, and decent business volumes are anticipated to sustain AUM growth in the future [4]. - Concerns exist regarding the company's overdependence on investment advisory fees [4]. Stock Performance - Over the past six months, TROW shares have increased by 7.7%, contrasting with a 1.1% decline in the industry [5]. - T. Rowe Price currently holds a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) [8]. Comparison with Other Asset Managers - Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) reported AUM of $1.69 trillion, up 1.7% from the prior month, despite long-term net outflows of $2 billion [9]. - Invesco Ltd. (IVZ) announced AUM of $2.17 trillion, a 2% increase from the previous month, with net long-term inflows of $8 billion [10][11].

Core Insights - T. Rowe Price has launched the fifth season of its retirement podcast "CONFIDENT CONVERSATIONS on Retirement," aimed at providing listeners with knowledge and tools to navigate retirement challenges [1][4]. Group 1: Podcast Overview - The new season is hosted by Jessica Sclafani, Global Retirement Strategist, and focuses on timely topics and expert guests to aid listeners in financial planning [1][2]. - The first episode discusses connecting savings with life goals, featuring insights on debt management, emergency funds, tax-advantaged accounts, and automation [3]. Group 2: Upcoming Topics - Future episodes will address critical issues such as balancing immediate needs with long-term goals and navigating complex tax and caregiving dynamics [4]. Group 3: Company Background - T. Rowe Price manages $1.79 trillion in client assets as of October 31, 2025, with approximately two-thirds related to retirement [5]. - The firm has over 85 years of experience in investment excellence and retirement leadership, emphasizing integrity and client interests [5].

Core Insights - T. Rowe Price reported moderate growth in Q3, exceeding Wall Street expectations for revenue and adjusted earnings, driven by solid investment returns and progress in ETFs and alternative investments [1][2] - CEO Rob Sharps highlighted improvements in one-year fund performance and positive momentum in retirement-focused products [1] Financial Performance - Revenue reached $1.91 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of $1.87 billion, reflecting a 6.9% year-on-year growth and a 2.2% beat [5] - Adjusted EPS was $2.81, exceeding analyst estimates of $2.54, marking a 10.5% beat [5] - Adjusted EBITDA stood at $785.8 million, with a margin of 41.2%, beating estimates of $757.6 million [5] - Operating margin was 33.7%, consistent with the same quarter last year [5] - Market capitalization is reported at $22.29 billion [5] Analyst Insights - Questions from analysts focused on T. Rowe Price's digital asset strategy, with management emphasizing internal expertise and gradual product rollout [5] - The economics of the Goldman Sachs partnership were described as balanced, with shared incentives but no specific financial details provided [5] - Management acknowledged weaker near-term flows due to higher equity redemptions, indicating a need for alternatives and retirement products to scale further [5] - Initial launches of co-branded Target Date products are planned for mid-2026, with potential slow client uptake due to regulatory and fee concerns [5] - Recent investment performance was attributed to a narrow market environment and some stock selection missteps, with recent changes in portfolio management acknowledged [5]

Core Insights - Investors are evaluating Affiliated Managers Group (AMG) and T. Rowe Price (TROW) for potential value opportunities in the investment management sector [1] Valuation Metrics - Both AMG and TROW currently hold a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), indicating positive earnings estimate revisions for both companies [3] - AMG has a forward P/E ratio of 10.22, while TROW has a forward P/E of 10.50 [5] - AMG's PEG ratio is 0.57, suggesting a more favorable valuation relative to its expected earnings growth compared to TROW's PEG ratio of 3.30 [5] - AMG's P/B ratio is 1.71, compared to TROW's P/B of 2.03, indicating that AMG is valued more attractively relative to its book value [6] - Based on these valuation metrics, AMG is rated with a Value grade of B, while TROW has a Value grade of C, suggesting that AMG is the superior value option at this time [6]