BlackRock, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks. It also provides global risk management and advisory services. The firm manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. It also launches and manages open-end and closed-end mutual funds, offshore funds, unit trusts, and alternative investment vehicles including structured funds. The firm launches equity, fixed income, balanced, and real estate mutual funds. It also launches equity, fixed income, balanced, currency, commodity, and multi-asset exchange traded funds. The firm also launches and manages hedge funds. It invests in the public equity, fixed income, real estate, currency, commodity, and alternative markets across the globe. The firm primarily invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, SMID-cap, large-cap, and multi-cap companies. It also invests in dividend-paying equity securities. The firm invests in investment grade municipal securities, government securities including securities issued or guaranteed by a government or a government agency or instrumentality, corporate bonds, and asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. It employs fundamental and quantitative analysis with a focus on bottom-up and top-down approach to make its investments. The firm employs liquidity, asset allocation, balanced, real estate, and alternative strategies to make its investments. In real estate sector, it seeks to invest in Poland and Germany. The firm benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against various S&P, Russell, Barclays, MSCI, Citigroup, and Merrill Lynch indices. BlackRock, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in New York City with additional offices in Boston, Massachusetts; London, United Kingdom; Gurgaon, India; Hong Kong; Greenwich, Connecticut; Princeton, New Jersey; Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, District of Columbia; Toronto, Canada; Wilmington, Delaware; and San Francisco, California.

BlackRock, Inc. демонстрирует сильные финансовые показатели, значительно превышающие медиану отрасли. P/E, P/S и P/FCF выше медианных значений, что может свидетельствовать о переоцененности акций, хотя их динамика указывает на некоторую стабильность. В то же время, ROE и ROA показывают высокую эффективность, что является положительным фактором. Долговая нагрузка относительно низкая, что говорит о низком финансовом риске. Однако, текущая дивидендная доходность остается нулевой, что может вызывать вопросы у инвесторов, ориентированных на дивиденды. Выручка и чистая прибыль также продолжают расти, что укрепляет общую картину устойчивого роста. Несмотря на некоторые слабые стороны, такие как высокая оценка по мультипликаторам, общая финансовая устойчивость и рост ключевых показателей делают BlackRock привлекательным активом для долгосрочных инвестиций.

BlackRock, Inc.

Shares of Deutsche Bank AG DB fell nearly 7% yesterday as the company disclosed that its private credit portfolio increased to €25.9 billion (nearly $30 billion) in 2025, underscoring growing investor concern about risks accumulating in the rapidly expanding sector. According to the bank’s 2025 annual report, Deutsche Bank’s private credit portfolio exposure reflects a 6% year-on-year expansion, positioning the German lender among the banks with some of the largest links to the booming private credit industry.
Deutsche Bank said its underwriting remains conservative and emphasized that it does not currently face “significant direct risks.” Still, the bank acknowledged that it could experience indirect credit risks through interconnected portfolios and counterparties in the wider private credit ecosystem.
Another area of growing exposure is the technology sector, particularly loans linked to software companies. The bank’s loan exposure to the technology sector, including software, reached €15.8 billion ($18.2 billion) at amortized cost in 2025, up from €11.7 billion ($13.5 billion) in the previous year.
Private credit has grown into a nearly $2 trillionglobal market attracting institutional investors seeking higher yields. However, concerns about private credit intensified due to concerns about weak underwriting standards, lack of transparency, and rising borrower leverage. Some private credit funds have faced redemption pressures, while certain lenders have reported loan markdowns and credit quality concerns.
This week, JPMorgan JPM decided to mark down some private-credit loans. JPM has reduced the value of certain loans held as collateral by private-credit groups, particularly software-related exposures, and is accordingly limiting how much it will lend against those assets. The move underscores how banks are becoming more cautious about the quality and liquidity of private loans as pressure rises on sectors seen as vulnerable to artificial-intelligence (AI) disruption and weaker economic conditions.
Strains are also emerging across the broader alternative-asset industry, including companies like BlackRock BLK and Blackstone BX. Recently, BlackRock limited withdrawals from a flagship private-credit fund after redemptions surged. On the other hand, Blackstone announced a rise in its redemption cap from 5% to 7% after facing a jump in investor requests. This highlights how quickly confidence can be tested when investors want cash back at the same time.
To conclude, the disclosure of Deutsche Bank’s sizable private-credit exposure shows that sentiment around the fast-growing asset class can shift at any time. Despite flagging the risks related to private credit, Deutsche Bank said it plans to expand its business within the sector, aiming to broaden distribution through selective regional growth and by developing new investment products and digital solutions alongside its private bank.
DB Price Performance & Zacks Rank
Over the past year, shares of Deutsche Bank have gained 21.5% on the NYSE compared with the industry’s growth of 38.1%.
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Currently, DB carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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DB Stock Falls 7% After Revealing Nearly $30B Private Credit Exposure

Key Points
After sliding in value for months, Bitcoin has reversed course as a result of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Just one year ago, Bitcoin was widely viewed as a potential safe asset.
If the performance gap between gold and Bitcoin narrows, Bitcoin could regain its status.
Market sentiment in the crypto market can turn on a dime. The latest example of that involves Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC). Just five months ago, the price of Bitcoin was soaring, but it's now down to about $70,000, a decline of almost 45% from its record high in October.
That's a remarkable reversal of fortune for the world's top cryptocurrency. In the minds of many investors, Bitcoin was as far from a safe asset as possible. So after recovering some lost ground, is Bitcoin on the way back?
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The search for safe haven status
Heading into 2025, the conventional wisdom was that Bitcoin was a long-term store of value, and one of the best ways to preserve wealth amid macroeconomic headwinds and geopolitical tensions. In fact, some hedge fund investors and Bitcoin advocates were banging the table for the crypto as a digital version of gold.
But by the end of last year, that argument had pretty much fallen apart. While gold is up nearly 75% d the past 12 months, Bitcoin is still far away from its all-time high of $126,000. For the past five months, the two assets have been trading in opposite directions.
However, the behavior of financial markets in the aftermath of the Iran strikes has been, well, strange. Yes, the price of oil is up, and that's not so strange. But why are U.S. government bond yields trending up? And why has the reaction of the U.S. stock market been, in the words of Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Solomon, so "benign"?
Bitcoin's performance during the first week of the Iran war has been interesting, to say the least. It initially tanked in value as soon as missiles began to fly. But now it's been climbing, and is up about to $70,000 (as of March 10). Some think this mini-rally could propel Bitcoin higher, perhaps all the way to the $80,000 price level.
A bull trap for Bitcoin investors?
Just keep in mind: This could also be a bull trap for Bitcoin traders. In other words, the price of Bitcoin will rise just high enough to lure in new investors, at which point the trap will suddenly spring shut. At that point, the price of Bitcoin will once again decline, and investors who bought into all the hype about Bitcoin being back will be trapped.
But I don't think so. According to research from asset management giant BlackRock (NYSE: BLK), what's happening now in the aftermath of the Iran conflict is the same pattern that has emerged after other financial shocks. The knee-jerk reaction is always to move money into gold. But once the initial panic subsides, money moves into Bitcoin.
An investment in Bitcoin is never going to be safe, of course. But Bitcoin is once again showing signs of emerging as a safe-haven asset for investors looking for shelter from the geopolitical storm. At a price of just $70,000, Bitcoin could be hugely undervalued.
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Dominic Basulto has positions in Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin and Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool recommends BlackRock. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Is Bitcoin Now a Safe-Haven Asset? If So, Then It Could Be Hugely Undervalued at Just $70,000

Key Points
Bitcoin champions argue that holding the digital asset outright is the way to go.
There are a lot of investors who only care for accessibility and convenience, something the iShares Bitcoin Trust provides.
Based on your level of conviction and the amount of effort you’re willing to put in, the best choice should be obvious.
Given its extraordinary long-term price appreciation, you've decided that perhaps it's time to consider adding exposure to Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) in your portfolio. The smartest investors are looking at ways to upgrade performance. Now might be as good a time as any, since the leading digital asset is 44% off its all-time high from October 2025 (as of March 10).
There are different ways to play the game. You can choose to buy Bitcoin directly. Or maybe it's worth taking a closer look at the iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT), the biggest spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) with assets of $57 billion.
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What is the better investment choice in 2026 and beyond?
Investing in Bitcoin in the purest way
Bitcoin's biggest supporters believe owning the asset directly is the best course of action, as it plays to this being a digital bearer asset that should have zero counterparty risk and that lives outside of the traditional financial system. In the same way that a physical dollar bill is yours if it's in your possession, Bitcoin is handled the same way.
Unlike with having dollars bills in your pocket, there is a learning curve for holding Bitcoin. You must be comfortable managing a crypto wallet and self-custody, like a cold storage solution not accessible to anyone else. In this way, you act as your own personal banker. That doesn't appeal to everybody. But remember that if you lose your private keys, then there is no way to recover the Bitcoin.
But the Bitcoin can be spent and traded. It can earn yield. And it can be pledged as collateral for a loan. When it comes time to pay taxes, though, things can get complicated. It will be important to maintain records that keep track of your cost basis and transaction fees, which can require more effort.
Some investors only want price exposure
The iShares Bitcoin Trust, along with other similar ETFs, was approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2024 in what was a breakthrough moment for Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency had finally arrived on Wall Street. And it was accepted by regulators.
This has been an extremely successful product launch in the world of financial markets, which clearly indicates the amount of pent-up demand for a compliance-friendly investment vehicle that owns and tracks the price movement of Bitcoin and that trades on a regular stock exchange. There could be investors who control large pensions or endowments, for example, that have strict mandates forbidding them from holding Bitcoin directly.
BlackRock doesn't offer all of this for free. To benefit from this convenience, the iShares Bitcoin Trust carries an annual expense ratio of 0.25%. A hypothetical $10,000 investment would result in $25 in fees. Over time, this can add up. Direct Bitcoin owners avoid this.
Conviction and effort
The better investment opportunity between these two depends on your situation. If you're extremely bullish on Bitcoin becoming a global reserve currency one day, achieving and evolving from a store of value to a widely accepted medium of exchange, then you will want to own the crypto directly. This way, you can actually use it. You can't spend shares in an ETF to buy a cup of coffee.
To add fuel to the argument that owning Bitcoin directly is the best path, think about when President Franklin D. Roosevelt forced people to surrender their private gold holdings to the government to stabilize the economy in 1933. Confiscation is much harder to enforce when you hold the private keys of a purely digital asset yourself, instead of relying on a large financial institution that might be forced to comply with possible government overreach if macro conditions deteriorate to that point.
That type of scenario, while possible, is hard to predict from today's vantage point. So, there are some market participants who simply want price exposure. It's hard to argue with the iShares Bitcoin Trust in this instance.
Should you buy stock in Bitcoin right now?
Before you buy stock in Bitcoin, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Bitcoin wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
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Neil Patel has positions in iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin and iShares Bitcoin Trust. The Motley Fool recommends BlackRock. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Bitcoin vs. iShares Bitcoin Trust: What Is the Better Investment for 2026 and Beyond?

Citizens (CIA) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.11 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.08 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.07 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +37.50%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this insurance company would post earnings of $0.06 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.07, delivering a surprise of +16.67%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Citizens, which belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Life Insurance industry, posted revenues of $70.19 million for the quarter ended December 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.39%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $67.64 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Citizens shares have added about 5.8% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's decline of 1%.
What's Next for Citizens?
While Citizens has outperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Citizens was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.05 on $61.17 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $0.30 on $260.26 million in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Insurance - Life Insurance is currently in the top 36% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
One other stock from the broader Zacks Finance sector, BlackRock (BLK), is yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026.
This investment firm is expected to post quarterly earnings of $12.36 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +9.4%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.5% lower over the last 30 days to the current level.
BlackRock's revenues are expected to be $6.6 billion, up 25% from the year-ago quarter.
Should You Invest in Citizens, Inc. (CIA)?
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Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Citizens (CIA) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates

JPMorgan’s JPM decision to mark down some private-credit loans is sharpening a market debate that had already been building: whether the fast-growing asset class is finally being forced into more realistic price discovery.
The latest development concerning private credit markets was first reported by the Financial Times. JPMorgan has reduced the value of certain loans held as collateral by private-credit groups, particularly software-related exposures, and is accordingly limiting how much it will lend against those assets. The move underscores how banks are becoming more cautious about the quality and liquidity of private loans as pressure mounts on sectors seen as vulnerable to artificial-intelligence (AI) disruption and weaker economic conditions.
For years, private credit has attracted investors with promises of stable valuations, steady income and insulation from the volatility of public markets. But recent events are reviving an old concern: valuations in private markets can look smoother largely because assets are not marked continuously. When a major bank like JPMorgan trims collateral values, it suggests that at least some loan books may not be worth what managers had implied only months earlier.
The pressure is already spreading across the alternative-asset spectrum. BlackRock BLK recently limited withdrawals from a flagship private-credit fund after redemptions surged. Blackstone BX announced a rise in its redemption cap from 5% to 7% after facing a jump in investor requests. This highlights how quickly confidence can be tested when investors want cash back at the same time.
Publicly traded firms tied to the theme, including Blue Owl Capital OWL and Apollo Global Management APO, have also been caught in the downdraft. Last month, Blue Owl Capital moved to restrict investor withdrawals from one of its retail-focused funds amid mounting scrutiny of software-heavy loan exposure, while Apollo Global is moving to value some private-credit holdings daily, a sign that transparency has become a competitive issue as skepticism grows. Blackstone and BlackRock, meanwhile, remain in the spotlight because their scale makes them key barometers of investor confidence in the sector.
JPMorgan’s markdowns do not prove private credit is headed for a full-blown crisis. But they do signal that the era of easy assumptions around valuation, liquidity and underwriting may be ending. Hence, the bank’s move is not just a one-off adjustment, but a warning for the whole industry.
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JPMorgan's Markdowns Signal a Reality Check for Private Credit

BlackRock (BLK) ended the recent trading session at $967.36, demonstrating a +1.01% change from the preceding day's closing price. The stock's change was more than the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.21%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.07%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 0.01%.
The stock of investment firm has fallen by 11.32% in the past month, lagging the Finance sector's loss of 5.83% and the S&P 500's loss of 2.26%.
Analysts and investors alike will be keeping a close eye on the performance of BlackRock in its upcoming earnings disclosure. On that day, BlackRock is projected to report earnings of $12.42 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 9.91%. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $6.64 billion, up 25.76% from the year-ago period.
Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $53.64 per share and revenue of $27.79 billion, indicating changes of +11.54% and +14.75%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
Investors should also take note of any recent adjustments to analyst estimates for BlackRock. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, upbeat changes in estimates indicate analysts' favorable outlook on the business health and profitability.
Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.
The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed an unchanged state. As of now, BlackRock holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).
From a valuation perspective, BlackRock is currently exchanging hands at a Forward P/E ratio of 17.85. This represents a premium compared to its industry average Forward P/E of 10.12.
It is also worth noting that BLK currently has a PEG ratio of 1.2. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Financial - Investment Management industry held an average PEG ratio of 0.82.
The Financial - Investment Management industry is part of the Finance sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 176, placing it within the bottom 29% of over 250 industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Don't forget to use Zacks.com to keep track of all these stock-moving metrics, and others, in the upcoming trading sessions.
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BlackRock (BLK) Rises As Market Takes a Dip: Key Facts

As rising concerns about the private credit market, fund outflows and macroeconomic pressures affect alternative asset managers, shares of Blackstone Inc. BX have lost 28.2% in the past three months compared with the industry’s 21.4% decline.
Investor sentiment weakened after the firm’s flagship $82-billion private credit fund (BCRED) saw unusually high redemption requests, with investors withdrawing billions of dollars and redemption levels exceeding typical quarterly limits, raising worries about liquidity and the stability of private credit funds. Earlier this month, Blackstone announced a rise in its redemption cap from 5% to 7%.
Primarily, the withdrawals were triggered by the recent high-profile corporate bankruptcies and credit stress in sectors such as auto suppliers and subprime lenders, which raised concerns about potential loan defaults within private credit portfolios. Also, investors became worried about exposure to software and technology borrowers, which face uncertainty due to artificial intelligence (AI)-led disruption and slowing growth.
Higher bond yields and interest-rate uncertainty have also reduced the attractiveness of leveraged buyouts and real estate investments, two key areas for Blackstone, contributing to the sharp decline in the stock.
The private credit market headwinds have been weighing on other alternative asset managers, such as BlackRock BLK, Apollo Global APO and Blue Owl Capital Inc. OWL as well. Shares of these companies have also faced bearish investor sentiments, with all trading in the red. In the past three months, shares of BlackRock, Apollo Global and Blue Owl Capital have lost 13.1%, 28.1% and 39.1%, respectively.
3-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Last month, Blue Owl Capital moved to restrict investor withdrawals from one of its retail-focused funds. Apollo Global’s CEO, Marc Rowan, warned that a shakeout is coming for private credit firms as the industry faces concerns about rising defaults on loans to software companies. BlackRock has restricted withdrawals from its private credit fund, HPS Corporate Lending Fund, following a jump in redemption requests.
Against the tough operating backdrop for alternative asset managers, investors must consider whether it is worth holding on to the stock or better to exit. But, before making any investment decision, it is important to examine BX’s fundamentals and growth prospects to assess whether the stock still offers meaningful upside potential.
Blackstone’s Fundamental Strength
Robust Assets Under Management (AUM) Balance: Blackstone has a solid AUM balance. Its total AUM and fee-earning AUM have seen compound annual growth rates (CAGR) of 15.6% and 14.4%, respectively, over the last five years (2020-2025). At the end of 2025, the total AUM balance reached a record $1.27 trillion.
Blackstone’s AUM growth has been driven by continued solid capital inflows, the company’s strategic investments in high-growth infrastructure and technology sectors, and a broad fundraising momentum. The company’s investments in secular growth areas like digital infrastructure, AI infrastructure, energy transition and life sciences are major tailwinds.
While Blackstone’s expansion into private wealth channels and insurance platforms has helped in diversifying its revenue sources, new products like perpetual vehicles allow tapping demand from different kinds of investors.
The company’s diversified product base, solid revenue mix and superior position in the alternative investments space are expected to continue supporting AUM growth.
Strong Fundraising Ability: Despite a challenging fundraising environment for asset managers, Blackstone has been raising money. Fundraising for the global private equity and real estate funds resulted in Blackstone’s ‘dry powder’ or the available capital of $198.3 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025.
In 2024 and 2025, the company deployed $133.9 billion and $138.2 billion of capital, respectively. With substantial investable capital, Blackstone is well-positioned to take advantage of market dislocations. Accelerating growth in India and Japan offers attractive opportunities, supporting a strategic deployment of capital.
In April 2025, Wellington, Vanguard and Blackstone announced the formation of an alliance to develop simplified multi-asset investment solutions combining public and private markets. Aiming to broaden investor access to institutional-quality portfolios, the collaboration leverages each firm’s strengths to address long-term diversification and return challenges in wealth and asset management.
Blackstone’s Valuation Analysis
On a valuation basis, shares of Blackstone appear to be trading at a premium relative to the industry.
The company’s forward 12-month price/earnings (P/E) ratio of 16.58 is above the industry average of 9.76.
P/E (F12M) Ratio
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
How to Approach Blackstone Stock Now?
A premium valuation compared with the industry makes us apprehensive about the company’s prospects. Tighter credit markets of late, relatively high interest rates, slower deal activity in private equity and real estate, reduced realizations and concerns about exit opportunities are expected to hamper Blackstone’s near-term prospects.
Rather than immediate credit losses, the concerns in the private credit market will continue to weigh on Blackstone for some time now, mainly through investor sentiment, potential redemptions and slower fundraising. Caution among retail and wealth-channel investors toward semi-liquid credit vehicles is likely to lead to continued outflows or slower inflows, which may slightly pressure AUM and fee-related earnings in the near term.
If we look at Blackstone’s estimate revisions, it is clear that analysts are not optimistic regarding the company’s earnings growth prospects. While the company’s earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 reflect year-over-year growth rates of 14% and 26.8%, respectively, estimates for both years have been revised lower over the past 30 days.
Earnings Estimate Revision
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Nevertheless, since Blackstone manages assets across private equity, real estate, credit, infrastructure and hedge fund solutions, the diversification enables it to generate multiple revenue streams, including management and performance fees. Being the largest alternative asset manager in the United States, its strong brand and deep relationships with institutional investors are expected to continue to drive fund inflows, supporting growth in AUM and fee-related earnings in the long run.
Thus, while valuation-aware and more conservative investors should stay away from the BX stock at present, those who already own the stock can hold onto it as the company is less likely to disappoint in the long run. Investors should closely monitor how private credit-related risks evolve and assess Blackstone’s strategic response before making fresh investment decisions.
Currently, Blackstone carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Beyond Nvidia: AI's Second Wave Is Here
The AI revolution has already minted millionaires. But the stocks everyone knows about aren't likely to keep delivering the biggest profits. Little-known AI firms tackling the world's biggest problems may be more lucrative in the coming months and years.
See
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Is it Time to Sell Blackstone Stock Amid Rising Private Credit Woes?

Key Points
Vertiv is a leader in data center cooling infrastructure with rapidly growing sales and earnings.
Institutions like BlackRock, State Street, and JPMorgan Chase have been loading up on shares since Q3 2025.
Despite its incredible run over the last year, valuation metrics point to Vertiv potentially being a bargain even at these prices.
One of the more overlooked infrastructure problems with data centers is cooling.
Running advanced artificial intelligence (AI) programs, even on bleeding-edge hardware with loads of computing horsepower, generates a lot of heat. The small fan that's in your laptop or desktop doesn't cut it at that level.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
No, you need advanced cooling systems, beefy industrial air conditioners, and liquid cooling to run a modern data center. A data center is an incredibly expensive investment, and the last thing you want is all your top-notch chips cooking themselves with the heat they generate from running.
Most of the headlines you'll see about AI-related infrastructure shortages have to do with chip hardware, like the current memory shortage, or the gluttonous appetite data centers have for electricity.
Both of those are serious problems, but cooling, which is just as serious an infrastructure concern, doesn't get anywhere near as much attention. Well, not from the media at least. Wall Street is paying close attention, and institutional investors have been pouring money into Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) to profit from the cooling needs of the tech industry and the data centers it's building all over the place.
The surge of investment has seen Vertiv shoot up 199% in the past 12 months. And, based on the latest moves of some of the biggest institutional investors out there, Wall Street seems to think Vertiv's bull run is far from over.
After a look at the company's latest results, I'm inclined to agree with them.
What's Fonzie like?
He's cool. And so is Vertiv. Or, rather, it helps data centers stay cool with an extensive catalog of air- and water-cooling systems for data centers. It also offers server racks, power management hardware, and monitoring systems for data center operation.
It's an end-to-end data center infrastructure company. But the big opportunity here is cooling, which Vertiv offers an extensive list of products to assist with, including in-rack cooling units, evaporative free cooling systems that offer higher power efficiency than conventional HVAC systems, and even custom cooling systems for individual customer needs.
So, who's been buying shares?
Since Sept. 30, 2025, 920 institutional investors have opened new or expanded existing positions in Vertiv.. The biggest names among those investors that have increased their positions are likely BlackRock and State Street, which both increased their positions in Vertiv by 2.38% and 2.29%, respectively, as of Sept. 30, 2025. BlackRock is now Vertiv's second-largest shareholder with 9.43% of all shares now under its control.
JPMorgan Chase had one of the largest purchases, expanding its position by 4.2 million shares of 101.68% as of Sept. 30, 2025.
Still, those are some major votes of confidence from some very serious players on Wall Street. What has them pouring money into Vertiv? Well, the company has been going absolutely ballistic in terms of its financial results.
Cool money
For the whole of 2025, Vertiv saw its net sales hit $10.23 billion, up 26% over 2024 and $30 million above its guidance levels. Its adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) saw even better growth, up 47% over 2024 and $0.10 over guidance.
Q4 2024
Q4 2025
year-over-year change (%)
Net Sales
$2.3 billion
$2.8 billion
19%
Diluted EPS
$0.99
$1.36
37%
Operating Profit
$504 million
$668 million
33%
As you can see from the table, Q4's growth alone was impressive, and the company is only projecting its growth streak to continue over 2026. Net sales are expected to climb 28% this year and adjusted operating profits expected to grow 45%.
Vertiv runs a net profit margin of 13%, and it has a fairly healthy balance sheet with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82.
Now, Vertiv is trading at a fairly high price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 73.24 at present, but that's actually lower than where it was in 2024 at 75.74, even after the company's nearly 200% bull run over the same period.
And, when you factor in earnings growth expected in the future to get Vertiv's price-to-earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio, it's 0.80, which is below 1, hinting the company is undervalued even at these prices.
The consensus EPS forecast for Vertiv by the end of 2026, per Nasdaq, is $6.15, which is expected to further increase to $8.10 by the end of 2027 and $9.38 by the end of 2028. That's a pretty impressive EPS growth rate of 48.9% for 2026 alone. Keep in mind, Vertiv has beaten annual EPS estimates every year since 2023, which is when much of the AI spending spree began.
In fact, between the end of 2022 (ChatGPT launched in November of that year) and the end of 2023, Vertiv saw its EPS jump 233.9% from $0.53 to $1.77.
And clearly, Wall Street seems to think there's a lot more money to be made by keeping cool. Give Vertiv a look if you want to be cool.
Should you buy stock in Vertiv right now?
Before you buy stock in Vertiv, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vertiv wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $534,008!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,090,073!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 949% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 190% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 9, 2026.
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. James Hires has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase, T. Rowe Price Group, and Vertiv. The Motley Fool recommends BlackRock. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock That Institutional Investors Are Quietly Loading Up on for 2026

Among the underlying components of the Russell 3000 index, we saw noteworthy options trading volume today in Groupon Inc (Symbol: GRPN), where a total of 5,715 contracts have traded so far, representing approximately 571,500 underlying shares. That amounts to about 61.3% of GRPN's average daily trading volume over the past month of 931,680 shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $15 strike call option expiring April 17, 2026, with 2,144 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 214,400 underlying shares of GRPN. Below is a chart showing GRPN's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $15 strike highlighted in orange:
Blackrock Inc (Symbol: BLK) saw options trading volume of 5,329 contracts, representing approximately 532,900 underlying shares or approximately 60.9% of BLK's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 875,080 shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $1000 strike call option expiring March 20, 2026, with 1,015 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 101,500 underlying shares of BLK. Below is a chart showing BLK's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $1000 strike highlighted in orange:
And Pagaya Technologies Ltd. - Class A Ordinary Shares (Symbol: PGY) saw options trading volume of 33,816 contracts, representing approximately 3.4 million underlying shares or approximately 60.7% of PGY's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 5.6 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $8 strike put option expiring August 21, 2026, with 15,760 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.6 million underlying shares of PGY. Below is a chart showing PGY's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $8 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for GRPN options, BLK options, or PGY options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
Funds Holding DAKP
CINF market cap history
SURE Average Annual Return
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy Monday Option Activity: GRPN, BLK, PGY

Key Points
Sold 36,512 shares of NewMarket; estimated transaction value of $27.88 million based on quarterly average price.
Quarter-end NEU stake value fell by $99.71 million, reflecting valuation change from both trading and stock-price movement.
Transaction represented a 0.16% shift in 13F reportable assets under management (AUM).
Held 492,820 shares worth $338.71 million after the trade.
Position now represents 1.95% of fund AUM, placing it outside the fund's top five holdings.
On February 17, 2026, London Co of Virginia disclosed a sale of 36,512 shares of NewMarket (NYSE:NEU), an estimated $27.88 million trade based on quarterly average pricing.
What happened
According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated February 17, 2026, London Co of Virginia reduced its holdings in NewMarket by 36,512 shares. The estimated transaction value, based on the average closing price during the fourth quarter of 2025, was $27.88 million. At quarter end, the fund reported holding 492,820 shares valued at $338.71 million, with the position’s quarter-end value reflecting a $99.71 million decrease due to both trading and price changes.
What else to know
The fund continued to trim its NEU holding, which now accounts for 1.95% of its 13F reportable AUM.
Top holdings after the filing:
NASDAQ: AAPL: $656.77 million (3.8% of AUM)
NYSE: NSC: $522.8 million (3.0% of AUM)
NYSE: GLW: $509.9 million (2.9% of AUM)
NYSE: BRK-B: $500.85 million (2.9% of AUM)
NYSE: BLK: $451.6 million (2.6% of AUM)
As of February 13, 2026, NEU shares were priced at $592.80, up 10.1% over one year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 1.68 percentage points.
Company overview
Price (as of market close February 13, 2026)
$592.80
Market capitalization
$5.56 billion
Revenue (TTM)
$2.73 billion
Net income (TTM)
$418.75 million
Company snapshot
Offers petroleum additives, lubricant additives, fuel additives, and antiknock compounds for automotive, industrial, and marine applications
Generates revenue primarily through the sale of specialty chemical additives used in lubricants and fuels, with additional income from contracted manufacturing and property management
Serves a diversified customer base including oil refiners, original equipment manufacturers, government entities, and industrial clients worldwide
NewMarket operates in the specialty chemicals sector, focusing on petroleum additives that enhance the performance and longevity of lubricants and fuels. Founded in 1887, it operates internationally in North America, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India, serving the automotive, industrial, and energy markets. The company reported trailing twelve-month net income of $418.75 million and offers a diversified product portfolio including lubricant additives, fuel additives, and antiknock compounds across several regions.
What this transaction means for investors
London Co of Virginia trimmed most of its portfolio this quarter, cutting positions across the board rather than singling out specific stocks. This looks more like portfolio rebalancing or managing client redemptions than making specific calls on individual companies.
NewMarket makes petroleum additives through its Afton Chemical subsidiary. In 2025, the company earned $419 million on $2.7 billion in revenue, but both declined from record 2024 levels. The stock nearly matched the S&P 500’s return over the past year, and the company raised its dividend despite falling earnings thanks to strong cash flow and low debt.
NewMarket is a good fit for investors comfortable with cyclical industrial exposure who value dividend income and aren't chasing rapid growth. The business won't suddenly double, but it generates consistent cash even when volumes dip. The risk is that petroleum additives face long-term headwinds as electric vehicles gain share and regulations push for cleaner fuels. If you're betting on continued internal combustion engine demand globally, NewMarket offers a steady play. If electric vehicles take off faster than expected, these volume drops could become permanent.
Should you buy stock in NewMarket right now?
Before you buy stock in NewMarket, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and NewMarket wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $534,008!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,090,073!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 949% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 190% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 9, 2026.
Sara Appino has positions in Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple and Corning and is short shares of Apple. The Motley Fool recommends BlackRock. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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