Quest for Growth Valuation Multiples

Morgan Stanley is a massive global financial services firm, with offices in 42 countries and more than 82,000 employees as of year-end 2025. The firm cut its teeth in investment banking and institutional trading, where it maintains a strong presence today, but generates the lion share of its income from wealth and asset management franchises, where it boasted $9.3 trillion in client assets at the end of its most recent fiscal year. After reincorporation as a bank holding company in the wake of the global financial crisis, Morgan Stanley also boasts a top 10 banking franchise by deposits, with more than $400 billion in customer deposits, predominately attributable to cash sweeps from its wealth management and brokerage businesses.

Goldman Sachs is a storied financial institution, founded in 1869 and best known for its role as a leading global investment bank. The firm has a sprawling reach across global financial centers and has been the leading provider of global merger and acquisition advisory services, by revenue, for the past 20 years. Since the global financial crisis, Goldman has expanded its offerings into more stable fee-based businesses like asset and wealth management, which comprised roughly 30% of post-provision revenue at the end of 2025. The bank holding company generates revenue from investment banking, global market making and trading, lending, asset management, wealth management, and a small and declining portfolio of consumer credit card loans.

SoftBank is a Japan-based telecom and e-commerce conglomerate that has expanded mainly through acquisitions, and its key assets include a 40%-owned mobile and fixed broadband telecom operator business in Japan. It also owns 90% of semiconductor chip designer Arm Holdings following the 2023 IPO of this business, and has a vast portfolio of mainly internet- and e-commerce-focused early-stage investments. It is also a general partner of the USD 100 billion SoftBank Vision Fund 1 and sole investor in SoftBank Vision Fund 2, both of which primarily invest in pre-IPO internet and AI companies. Recently, it has begun investing in OpenAI.

BlackRock is the largest asset manager in the world, with $14.041 trillion in assets under management at the end of December 2025. Its product mix is diverse, with 55% of managed assets in equity strategies, 23% in fixed income, 9% in multi-asset classes, 6% in money market funds, and 5% in alternatives. Passive strategies account for more than two-thirds of long-term AUM, with the company's ETF platform maintaining a leading market share domestically and on a global basis. Product distribution is weighted more toward institutional clients, which, by our calculations, account for around 80% of AUM. BlackRock is geographically diverse, with clients in more than 100 countries and more than one-third of managed assets coming from investors domiciled outside the US and Canada.

Investor AB is an industrial holding company with a long-term, active investment portfolio plan. The operations are divided into three business areas: Listed Companies, Patricia Industries, and Investments in EQT. Geographically, the company operates in Sweden, Europe, U.S, and Other countries.

Blackstone is the world's largest alternative-asset manager with $1.242 trillion in total asset under management, including $906.2 billion in fee-earning assets under management, at the end of September 2025. The company operates with scale in each of its major product lines: private equity (26% of fee-earning AUM and 33% of base management fees), real estate/real assets (31% and 35%), private credit (34% and 25%), and other alternatives (9% and 7%). While the firm primarily serves institutional investors (84% of AUM), it also caters to clients in the high-net-worth channel (16%). Blackstone operates through 25 offices in the Americas (8), Europe and the Middle East (9), and the Asia-Pacific region (8).

KKR is one of the world's largest alternative asset managers, with $723.2 billion in total managed assets, including $585.0 billion in fee-earning AUM, at the end of September 2025. The company has two core segments: asset management (which includes private markets—private equity, credit, infrastructure, energy, and real estate—and public markets—primarily credit and hedge/investment fund platforms) and insurance (following the firm's initial investment in, and then ultimate purchase of, Global Atlantic Financial Group, which is engaged in retirement/annuity and life insurance lines as well as reinsurance).

Brookfield Corp is an investment firm focused on building long-term wealth for institutions and individuals. It has seven operating segments: Asset Management, Wealth Solutions, Renewable Power and Transition, Infrastructure, Private Equity, Real Estate and Corporate Activities. It invests in real assets that form the backbone of the economy to deliver risk-adjusted returns to stakeholders. The company generates the majority of its revenue from Asset Management. It has a geographic presence in the UK, the United States, Australia, Canada, Brazil, India, Colombia, Germany, Other Europe, Other Asia, and other countries.

Brookfield Asset Management is one of the world's largest alternative-asset managers, with USD 1.151 trillion in total managed assets, including USD 580.7 billion in fee-earning AUM, at the end of September 2025. The company has three main business segments: private credit (USD 349.0 billion in total AUM and USD 262.8 billion in fee-earning AUM), private equity (USD 151.0 billion/USD 46.3 billion), and real estate/real assets (USD 651.0 billion/USD 271.6 billion). The firm primarily serves institutional investors (90% of AUM) and high-net-worth individuals (10%), and is diversified globally, with 67% of revenue from the Americas, 20% from EMEA, and 13% from Asia-Pacific. Canadian-based Brookfield Corporation owns 73% of Brookfield's outstanding Class A shares.

Apollo is one of the world's largest alternative asset managers, with $908.4 billion in total assets under management, or AUM, including $685.0 billion in fee-earning assets, at the end of September 2025. The company has two core operating segments: asset management and retirement services. Apollo operates with scale in each of its major product lines-private equity (with $125.6 billion in total AUM and $71.7 billion in fee-earning AUM), real estate/real assets ($59.6 billion/$27.1 billion), and private credit ($723.2 billion/$586.2 billion). Apollo has a distribution profile that is likely not too far off from the industry averages-with 84% of its assets held by institutional investors and 16% by high-net-worth clients.

Macquarie Group began trading in 1969 as Hill Samuel Australia, obtained its bank licence in 1985, and listed in 1996. It's Australia's only sizable listed investment bank, now internationally diversified, operating in asset management, banking and wealth, risk and capital solutions, and advisory.

State Street is a leading provider of financial services, including investment servicing, investment management, and investment research and trading. With approximately $54 trillion in assets under custody and administration, and $5.7 trillion in assets under management, as of Dec. 31, 2025, State Street operates globally in more than 100 geographic markets and employs about 51,500 worldwide.

Strategy Inc is a bitcoin treasury company and a provider of business intelligence services. It is designed to provide investors varying degrees of economic exposure to Bitcoin by offering a range of securities, including equity and fixed-income instruments. The company also provides industry AI-powered enterprise analytics software. It has one reportable operating segment: the Software Business, which is engaged in the design, development, marketing, and sales of the company's enterprise analytics software platform through cloud subscriptions and licensing arrangements and related services (i.e., product support, consulting, and education). Geographically, the company operates in EMEA, U.S. and Other Regions, of which maximum revenue is derived from U.S..

Ameriprise Financial has evolved into a diversified financial services provider that generates roughly 65% of its operating income from advice and wealth management. With nearly $1.2 trillion in segment assets under management and advisory at year-end 2025, and with roughly 10,600 affiliated and employee advisors, Ameriprise is one of the larger US-based wealth managers. It also boasts a reasonably large asset management franchise in Columbia Threadneedle, which boasted $678 billion in assets under management at year-end 2025. The firm's third key segment is its retirement and protection services business, which sells insurance products to the firm’s advisory clients. After eliminations, Ameriprise had $1.69 trillion in assets under management and advisory across segments at year-end 2025.

Sun Life Financial is one of the Big Three Canadian life insurers. The Canadian business contributed around 38% of adjusted earnings. In that segment, the firm provides health, life insurance, and annuity products to individual and group customers. Its US business is mostly group health and contributed about 20% of the firm's adjusted earnings in 2024. Sun Life also offers life insurance and wealth products in several Asian markets with a strong presence in Hong Kong and the Philippines. The Asia segment contributed around 18% of adjusted 2024 earnings. Its asset management business had around CAD 1.1 trillion total assets under management or administration at the end of 2024 and represents around 34% of the firm's earnings.

ORIX Corp is a diversified financial services company with operations in Corporate Financial Services, Maintenance Leasing, Real Estate, PE Investment and Concession, Environment and Energy, Insurance, Banking and Credit, Aircraft and Ships, ORIX USA, ORIX Europe, Asia, and Australia and engages in various other fee businesses by providing products and services aligned with customer needs to its core customer base of domestic small and medium-sized enterprises. Orix's numerous divisions finance leases of large-ticket items like ships, airplanes, and technology equipment. The company generates the majority of its revenue from Corporate Financial Services and Maintenance Leasing operations and Real Estate operations.

Power Corp. of Canada is a holding company with controlling interests in Great-West Lifeco (one of the big three Canadian life insurers), IGM Financial (Canada's largest nonbank asset manager), and other alternative asset management platforms (Sagard and Power Sustainable). The company also has minority interests in Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, a holding company with interests in European firms.

Swedish conglomerate Investor AB set up EQT as its private equity division in 1994. In its early days, EQT focused primarily on private equity investments in Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia. Today, EQT is one of the largest global private-market investors, with funds that focus on private equity, real estate, and infrastructure globally. Investor AB retains a minority stake.

Prudential Financial is one of the largest US life insurers, offering annuities, life insurance, and asset-management products. The United States and Japan are its two largest markets. Its US business contributed about 50% of adjusted 2024 earnings and includes institutional retirement (mostly pension risk transfer), individual retirement (annuities), group insurance, and individual life insurance. Its international business represented about 40% of adjusted earnings, with a strong market position in Japan, and the firm also has a presence in emerging markets like Brazil. The company's investment management business, PGIM, contributed approximately 10% of its 2024 adjusted earnings. PGIM had around $1.4 trillion in assets under management at the end of third-quarter 2025.

3i Group PLC is a closed-ended investment fund. It is an international investor engaged in private equity, infrastructure, and debt management. Its business segments are Private Equity, Infrastructure, and Scandlines. The private equity segment invests in business services, consumer, healthcare, and industrial sectors. Its infrastructure segment invests in utilities, transportation, and social infrastructure.

Banco BTG Pactual S.A. is a Brazil-based banking firm. It offers financial products and services regarding commercial, investments, credit, financing, capital leases, insurance, and foreign exchange portfolios, among others, in the country and several locations abroad.

Northern Trust is a leading provider of wealth management, asset servicing, asset management, and banking to corporations, institutions, affluent families, and individuals. Founded in Chicago in 1889, Northern Trust has offices in 20 states and Washington, D.C. as well as 23 locations in Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. As of December 2025, Northern Trust had assets under custody or administration of $18.7 trillion and assets under management of $1.8 trillion.

Raymond James Financial is a diversified financial services firm that provides wealth management, investment banking, asset management, and capital markets services to individuals, corporations, and municipalities. The firm maintains an extensive catalogue of products and services across its business lines. However, the wealth management franchise generates the bulk of its revenues and earnings through a vast network of more than 8,900 independent and employee-affiliated advisors, who collectively managed over $1.7 trillion in client assets as of fiscal year-end 2025. While Raymond James maintains a global footprint, the company derives over 90% of its revenue, and an even larger percentage of its operating income, from the United States.

Swiss Life is predominantly a life and long-term savings company that generates the main share of its revenue and earnings from its domestic market of Switzerland. The company also operates in France, Germany, and a few smaller but wealthy European countries. The company has an asset manager as well. Swiss Life has three main sources of income that vary in significance by geography. Savings income relates to spread-based earnings, the risk result relates to an insurance margin, and the fee result relates to asset management and financial advisory. The fee result has been growing in importance over recent years as a result of advice, asset management, and unit-linked sales.

Ares Management is one of the world's largest alternative-asset managers, with $595.7 billion in total assets under management, or AUM, including $367.6 billion in fee-earning AUM, at the end of September 2025. The company has four main business segments: private credit ($391.5 billion in total AUM and $240.2 billion in fee-earning AUM), private equity, ($25.1 billion/$11.8 billion), real estate/real assets ($132.4 billion/$80.5 billion), and other alternatives ($46.7 billion/$35.1 billion). The firm primarily serves institutional investors (80% of AUM) and high-net-worth individuals (20%). Ares operates through more than 35 offices in over 15 countries around the globe.

Nomura Holdings Inc is a financial services group in Japan and operates offices in countries and regions world-wide, including Japan, the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ("Hong Kong") through its subsidiaries. The company's clients include individuals, corporations, financial institutions, governments, and governmental agencies. The company's business consists of Wealth Management*, Investment Management, and Wholesale. The company generates the majority of its revenue from the wholesale segment. The Wholesale Division consists of two businesses, Global Markets, which is mainly engaged in the trading, sales, and structuring of financial products, and Investment Banking, which is engaged in advisory, financing, and solutions businesses.

Yuanta Financial Holdings Co Ltd is engages in the business of a financial holding company and its operations are limited to investing and investment management.

Itausa Investimentos ITAU SA is a Brazilian investment holding company. It has equity interests in the companies engaged in the financial, consumer goods, construction materials, sanitation, energy, and infrastructure sectors. Its portfolio consists of brands such as Itau Unibanco, Dexco, Alpargatas, CCR, Aegea Saneamento, Copa Energia and Nova Transportadora do Sudeste (NTS). The majority of the revenue for the company is generated from Itau Unibanco which is a banking institution that offers, directly or using its subsidiaries, a broad range of credit products and other financial services to a diversified individual and corporate client base in Brazil and abroad.

Industrivarden AB is a holding company that invests in and works long-term to develop and create value in its portfolio companies. Active ownership is exercised through sizable ownership stakes in a selection of listed companies with firm market positions, good cash flows, financial strength, and clear development capacity. Its stock offers exposure to a portfolio of companies with validated business models, a wide breadth of underlying business areas, and good value potential.

GF Securities Co Ltd is principally engaged in securities business, the proxy sale of securities investment funds, the provision of futures intermediary services for futures companies, securities investment fund custodian, fund raising, fund sales, asset management, project and investment management, commodity futures brokerage, financial futures brokerage and futures investment advisory, etc. It operates through the following segments: Investment banking, Wealth management, Trading & Institutions, and Investment management.

Principal Financial Group Inc is a financial services provider. It offers various financial products and services including retirement, asset management, and workplace benefits and protection solutions to individuals and institutional clients. The company, along with its subsidiaries, operates in the following reportable segments; Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal Asset Management, and Benefits and Protection. Maximum revenue is generated from the Retirement and Income Solutions segment which provides workplace savings and retirement solutions, banking, trust and custodial services, individual variable annuities (including RILAs), pension risk transfer, and investment services to businesses, their employees, and other individuals.

T. Rowe Price provides asset management services for individual and institutional investors. It offers a broad range of no-load US and international stock, hybrid, bond, and money market funds. At the end of September, the firm had $1.767 trillion in managed assets, composed of equity (50%), balanced (35%), fixed-income and money market (12%), and alternative (3%) offerings. Approximately two-thirds of managed assets are held in retirement-based accounts, which provides T. Rowe Price with a somewhat stickier client base than most of its peers. The firm also manages private accounts, provides retirement planning advice, and offers discount brokerage and trust services. The company is primarily a US-based asset manager, deriving less than 10% of its AUM from overseas.

China Merchants Securities Asset Management Co.,Ltd formerly China Merchants Securities Co Ltd is a financial service provider. The company provides services like, investment banking, financial advisory, equity underwriting, assets management, investment advisory, and trading equity securities among others. Its business is divided into four segments: Wealth management and institutional business; Investment banking; Investment management; and Investment and trading. The Wealth management and institutional business segment which generates key revenue engages in the trading of stocks and futures contracts on behalf of clients and includes margin financing, securities lending, and selling financial and other wealth management products.

Mega Financial Holding Co Ltd is a financial services holding company operating mostly in Taiwan but with exposure internationally. The activities of the company includes banking, underwriting securities, brokerage and proprietary business of bills and bonds, insurance, asset management, venture capital, business operations, and others.

Amundi resulted from the merger of the asset manager businesses of French banks Credit Agricole and Societe Generale in 2010. In 2017, it expanded into Italy, Germany, and Austria by acquiring Pioneer Investments, which had previously been UniCredit's asset manager. France accounts for just under half of assets under management, while Italy and the rest of Europe contribute about 30% combined. Assets from Asia are growing rapidly and contribute just shy of 20%. Amundi is the largest European asset manager and a top 10 asset manager globally. Credit Agricole remains a controlling shareholder with a 70% stake.

Partners Group is a Swiss-based global alternative asset manager founded in 1996. It manages funds invested in private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure. Most of Partners Group's assets are invested in Europe and the Americas, with a smaller exposure to Asia and the Middle East. Partners Group operates a differentiated business model, offering bespoke client solutions through diversified portfolios tailored to each client individually, semiliquid open-ended funds, alongside traditional closed-end funds.

Legal & General Group PLC operates across five reportable segments, comprising Institutional Retirement, Asset Management, Insurance, Retail Retirement and Corporate Investments. Its revenue includes insurance revenue, fees from fund management and investment contracts and other operational income from contracts with customers. The company operates in United Kingdom, USA and Rest of World.

Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust PLC is an investment trust company. The company's objective is to maximize total return from a portfolio of long-term investments chosen on a global basis enabling the company to provide capital and dividend growth. It focuses on investment in quoted securities irrespective of any geographical, industry, and sector exposure. The portfolio also invests in fixed-income securities, convertible securities, funds, unquoted entities, and other assets.

China International Capital Corp Ltd is a capital market operations company based in China. Its business is carried out through investment banking, the equities segment, asset management, the FICC segment, wealth management, and private equity segments. The Others segment comprises other business departments, as well as middle and back offices. The company derives its earnings predominantly from China, with the remainder coming from overseas. It generates the majority of its revenue from the wealth management segment.

Two Point Zero Group PJSC is an investment firm involved in the energy and consumer sectors. Its portfolio incorporates AI-enabled and diversified assets designed to support operational efficiency and potential long-term returns. Its business operations are involved in: i) Energy & Infrastructure: renewable energy, infrastructure solutions, and regional mining across the energy value chain. ii) Consumer: media, mobility, retail, beauty, food, and packaging iii) Investments: institutions and fintech initiatives focused on long-term capital, synergies, and financial infrastructure development.

KGI Financial Holding Co Ltd is engages in financial holding, invests in and manages the businesses of finance-related institutions domestic and foreign approved by authorities and investees. It operates four segments: Commercial banking, Securities, Venture Capital and Insurance. Commercial banking engaged in consumer banking, corporate banking and market and financial institution. Securities engaged in wealth management business, trading business and investment banking business. Venture Capital engaged in investment business directly. Insurance department operates life insurance business based on the provisions of the insurance law. Key revenue is generated from Insurance segment.

Citibank established CVC Capital Partners in 1981 as its European venture capital business. Spun out as a wholly independent entity in 1993, CVC, in due course, transformed into a manager of private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure funds. CVC invests most of its funds in Europe and the United States, with a smaller exposure to Asia.

Until 2018, DWS was fully owned by Deutsche Bank, which retains a 79% interest in DWS. DWS' home German market remains important, contributing roughly 40% of assets under management. The Europe, Middle East, and Africa region in total accounts for 70% of AUM, and the Americas contributes nearly all of the balance, with a small Asian presence. Assets from institutional clients make up 55% of overall AUM.

Annaly Capital Management Inc is an American mortgage real estate investment trust. Its business objective is to generate net income for distribution to its stockholders and optimize its returns through prudent management of its diversified investment strategies. The company's reportable operating segments are: the Agency segment, which invests in Agency mortgage-backed securities collateralized by residential mortgages; the Residential Credit segment, which invests in non-Agency residential whole loans and securitized products within the residential and commercial markets; the Mortgage Servicing Rights segment; and Corporate & Other. Maximum revenue for the company is generated from its Agency segment.

ASR Nederland NV is an insurance company. The company offers a variety of insurance policies to its customers. The business segments are Non-life; Life; Banking, Asset Management; Distribution and Services and Holding and Other. The Non-life insurance entities offer Non-life insurance contracts. Its life insurance entities offer financial products such as life insurance contracts and life insurance contracts on behalf of policyholders. The Asset Management segment involves all activities related to asset management including investment property management. Its Distribution and Services segment includes activities related to the distribution of insurance contracts.

EXOR NV is a private equity investment firm based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The firm seeks to invest in the United States and Europe.

HAL Trust is an investment company. The company’s reportable segments include Unquoted, Quoted interests, Real estate and Liquid portfolio. It generates majority of its revenue from the Unquoted segment which relates to majority-owned companies as well as non-controlling minority interests in companies that offer various products and activities such as dredging, (maritime) construction and maintenance, building materials, computer gaming equipment, orthopedic devices, office furniture, greenhouse projects, staffing, shipping and other products and activities. Geographically, the company operates in Europe, USA & Canada, Asia, and Other.

Carlyle Group is one of the world's largest alternative-asset managers, with $474.1 billion in total AUM, including $332.0 billion in fee-earning AUM, at the end of September 2025. The company has three core business segments: global private equity, which includes its private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and natural resources offerings (with $163.5 billion in total AUM and $101.1 billion in fee-earning AUM), global credit ($208.5 billion/$167.2 billion), and investment/fund solutions, known as Carlyle AlphInvest ($102.1 billion/$63.7 billion). The firm primarily serves institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals. Carlyle operates through 29 offices across five continents, serving more than 3,100 active carry fund investors from 87 countries.