T. Rowe Price reported mixed second-quarter results, beating earnings expectations with $2.24 per share versus forecasts of $2.13 but missing revenue targets at $1.72 billion, a 0.6% year-over-year decline. The asset manager faced persistent outflows of $14.9 billion, particularly in equity funds ($18.1 billion), though multi-asset strategies saw modest inflows ($0.9 billion). Despite net client withdrawals, assets under management rose 6.9% to $1.68 trillion, driven by $125.4 billion in market gains. However, rising costs (up 6.5% to $1.25 billion) squeezed operating income, which plummeted 15.3% to $478.3 million, while fee margins eroded from 41.1 to 39.6 basis points.
ETFs Offer Limited Relief
The ETF division emerged as a bright spot, attracting $6.7 billion in inflows and growing assets to $16.2 billion, with 11 funds surpassing $500 million. Yet, this segment remains too small to offset broader challenges. Only 35% of U.S. funds outperformed peers over one year, and just 22% beat passive strategies. The stock dipped 0.44% premarket, reflecting investor skepticism about the firm’s ability to counter industry fee pressures and shifting client preferences.
