3. Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 61
Julian Robertson’s Tiger Management’s Holdings: $26,137,000
Percentage of Julian Robertson’s Tiger Management’s Portfolio: 11.51%
Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) is a New York-based investment management company with an asset under management (AUM) of over $940 billion as of Q2 2022.
On August 12, Brian Bedell at Deutsche Bank increased the target price for Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) from $147 to $153 and reiterated a Buy rating on the stock following changes in EPS estimates. The analyst revised his financial model to incorporate the impact of changes in macroeconomic assumptions and the recovery in the equity markets since the lows of mid-June 2022. Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) is expected to be a beneficiary of the strong rebound in the stocks, given its diverse portfolio.
Aristotle Capital Management shared its stance on Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) in its Q1 2022 investor letter. Here’s what it said:
“Founded by its current CEO Stephen Schwarzman and Pete Peterson in 1985, Blackstone is one of the largest alternative asset managers in the world, with more than $880 billion of assets under management (AUM). The firm creates and manages investment vehicles that span asset classes globally and serve both institutional clients as well as high-net-worth individuals. Its core business segments include Real Estate (34% of fee-earning AUM), Credit and Insurance (31%), Private Equity (24%), and Hedge Fund Solutions (11%).
Blackstone has leveraged its broad product portfolio and enviable investment performance to not only raise substantial amounts of capital but also maintain its reputation as a one-stop shop for investors looking to gain exposure to alternative assets. In contrast to traditional asset managers that rely on investor inaction to keep redemption rates low, the products offered by alternative asset managers typically have lockup periods that prevent redemptions for a substantial amount of time (often 10+ years).
High-Quality Business
Some of the quality characteristics we have identified for Blackstone include:
-Reputable management team that has produced an admirable track record of investment performance and demonstrated its ability to raise capital (the firm is now 9x larger since its 2007 IPO);
-Stable client base and sticky asset base with 73% of its capital locked up for over 10 years; and
-Significant scale and strong brand that provides a myriad of advantages, including for distribution and new product launches.
Attractive Valuation
Based on our estimates of normalized earnings, we believe shares of Blackstone are offered at a discount relative to our estimate of intrinsic value. It is our view that current valuation does not appropriately reflect our estimated future levels of fee-based revenue.
Compelling Catalysts
Catalysts we have identified for Blackstone, which we believe will cause its stock price to appreciate over our three- to five- year investment horizon, include:
-Increased fee-based revenue as dry powder committed capital that has yet to be invested is deployed. As of the fourth quarter of 2021, there was a total of $136 billion in dry powder across the firm;
-Given its scale and sustained investment prowess, Blackstone is uniquely positioned to benefit from the secular shift in investor allocation away from traditional managers and toward less liquid and higher expected return strategies in the alternative asset management sector; and
-Further penetration in the retail and private wealth channel, a segment of investors that has historically been excluded from participating in alternative assets. Blackstone has a first-mover advantage in providing institutional-quality products across its expanding distribution teams that focus on financial advisors.”
