KKR & Co. Inc. (0Z1W.L)

PRivate equity just being kept down...

Such an underperformance.

Any buybacks ongoing?

KKR earnings surge 63% on strong capital market business

Private-equity firm KKR & Co Inc said on Tuesday its first-quarter after-tax distributable earnings surged 63% year-on-year, driven by growth in its capital markets business and public market holdings. After-tax distributable earnings (DE) – the cash used for paying dividends to shareholders – rose to $660.2 million from $406.3 million in the previous year. That translated to DE per share of 75 cents, which exceeded the average Wall Street analyst estimate of 63 cents, according to financial data provider Refinitiv. KKR and its peers have been selling assets for top dollar as the global economy bounces back from fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The majority of KKR's divestments came from sales of stakes in portfolio companies, including sporting goods retailer Academy Sports and Outdoors Inc, pharmaceutical firm BridgeBio Pharma Inc and sports-betting company FanDuel.

KKR said transaction fees from its capital markets business more than doubled to $112.2 million, up from $60.2 million in the previous year. Total realized investment income - which consists of proceeds from asset sales - rose 24% to reach $632.5 million during the quarter. Net income under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) rose to $1.64 billion from a loss a year earlier. Private-equity, opportunistic real estate and infrastructure portfolios climbed 19%, 6%, and 11%, respectively, KKR said, adding that its leveraged credit and alternative credit funds rose 2% and 7%, respectively.

Total assets under management rose to $367 billion from $252 billion in the previous quarter, due to strong fundraising and the closing of KKR's acquisition of annuities and life insurance provider Global Atlantic Financial Group Ltd.

KKR had $69 billion of unspent capital, as of the end of March, and declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.145 per share.

(KKR) reported Q3 after-tax distributable earnings were $1.05 per share, compared with $0.53 per share a year earlier.

Analysts polled by Capital IQ expected $0.95.

Attributable net income rose on the year to $1.80 from $1.79.

Fee-related earnings were up 63% from a year ago to $530 million.

Assets under management were $459.1 billion for the quarter, up from $233.8 billion a year ago.

KKR (KKR) reported Q4 after-tax distributable earnings of $1.59 per adjusted share, compared with $0.62 a year earlier.

Analysts polled by Capital IQ expected $1.21.

Net income attributable to the company for the December quarter was $0.82 per diluted share, down from $2.46 a year earlier.

Fee-related earnings rose to $606.5 million from $419.1 million, driven by management fees that increased to $592.6 million from $398.9 million.

The board maintained its quarterly dividend at $0.145 per share, payable March 4 to shareholders of record on Feb. 18.

Non-GAAP results ok.

But in this market, I don't think Wall st cares.

I wonder if KKR will increase the distribution a little more? Do benefit from buybacks.

Won't reap the rewards of holding this until another few years (get interest rate rises out of the way). Number of purchases and assets this company has under its belt is staggering.