Cuộc họp công bố kết quả kinh doanh Quý 3/2026 của Acadian Asset Management (AAMI): AUM kỷ lục và biên lợi nhuận ENI đạt 42,6%

Những điểm chính

• Tổng tài sản quản lý đạt mức kỷ lục 239,6 tỷ USD tính đến ngày 30 tháng 9 năm 2026, tăng 44% so với cùng kỳ năm ngoái, nhờ sự tăng giá của thị trường và dòng vốn tích cực từ khách hàng.
• Dòng vốn vào ròng trong quý 3 đạt 2,6 tỷ USD, tương đương với tốc độ tăng trưởng tự thân quy năm 4%. Dòng vốn vào ròng từ đầu năm đến nay đạt 28,3 tỷ USD, tương đương mức tăng trưởng tự thân quy năm 21%, đánh dấu 11 quý liên tiếp ghi nhận dòng vốn tích cực.
• Doanh thu ENI tăng 39% so với cùng kỳ năm ngoái lên 189 triệu USD, trong khi phí quản lý thường xuyên tăng 38% lên mức kỷ lục 188 triệu USD.
• ENI tăng 78% lên 48,3 triệu USD và EPS pha loãng ENI tăng 79% lên mức kỷ lục 1,36 USD. Biên lợi nhuận hoạt động ENI mở rộng lên 42,6% từ mức 33,2% của một năm trước đó.
• Hiệu suất đầu tư tiếp tục duy trì đà tăng trưởng mạnh mẽ: 96% các chiến lược tính theo trọng số doanh thu vượt trội so với chỉ số tham chiếu trong các giai đoạn 3 năm, 5 năm và 10 năm. Con số này cho giai đoạn một năm đã cải thiện lên 95% từ mức 73% của một năm trước.
• Ban lãnh đạo nhấn mạnh nhu cầu tiếp tục tăng đối với các chiến lược Cổ phiếu Nâng cao (Enhanced Equity) và Mở rộng (Extension). AUM của chiến lược Mở rộng đã vượt 13 tỷ USD, tăng từ mức khoảng 5 tỷ USD của một năm trước đó.

Dữ liệu tài chính cốt lõi

Kết quả kinh doanh và hoạt động

Chiến lược Cổ phiếu Nâng cao chiếm hơn 30% AUM và tiếp tục là nguồn cầu chính từ phía khách hàng. Các chiến lược Mở rộng chiếm khoảng 5% AUM, tương đương hơn 13 tỷ USD, so với khoảng 5 tỷ USD của một năm trước đó. Ban lãnh đạo cho biết các chiến lược này mang lại hiệu quả phí hấp dẫn và còn dư địa công suất đáng kể để tiếp tục tăng trưởng.

Tổng dòng vốn vào được đa dạng hóa trên nhiều sản phẩm và nhóm khách hàng, dẫn đầu là các chiến lược Nâng cao và Mở rộng. Ban lãnh đạo cũng báo cáo nhu cầu đối với Cổ phiếu Toàn cầu, Cổ phiếu Thị trường Mới nổi, Cổ phiếu Ngoài Mỹ và các chiến lược quốc tế. Danh mục hợp đồng tiềm năng về tín dụng định lượng (systematic credit) đã cải thiện trong quý.

Tỷ suất sinh lời vượt trội quy năm trong 5 năm tính theo trọng số doanh thu của Acadian đạt 4,8%, trong khi tỷ suất sinh lời vượt trội quy năm trong 5 năm tính theo trọng số tài sản đạt 3,9%. Ít nhất 94% các chiến lược tính theo trọng số tài sản vượt trội so với chỉ số tham chiếu trong các giai đoạn 3 năm, 5 năm và 10 năm.

Công ty đang mở rộng thông qua các chiến lược tín dụng định lượng, Tối ưu Thuế (Tax-Aware) và hợp tác quản lý tài sản. Ban lãnh đạo dự kiến dòng vốn định chế bên ngoài đầu tiên cho tín dụng định lượng sẽ giải ngân vào cuối năm 2026. Chiến lược Tối ưu Thuế, ra mắt vào tháng 5, đã nhận được nguồn vốn ban đầu từ khách hàng.

Acadian cũng được chọn vào Chương trình Quỹ Truy cập Quản lý Độc quyền (Exclusive Manager Access Fund Program) của UBS Global Wealth Management tại Châu Á. Ban lãnh đạo cho biết việc cấp vốn thông qua đối tác UBS đã bắt đầu. Công ty có kế hoạch tận dụng các mối quan hệ đối tác và năng lực định chế hiện có thay vì tự xây dựng một nền tảng phân phối bán lẻ trực tiếp.

Định hướng của Ban lãnh đạo

Ban lãnh đạo dự kiến tỷ lệ thù lao biến đổi cho cả năm 2026 sẽ nằm trong khoảng từ 34% đến 38%. Mức thực tế cuối cùng sẽ phụ thuộc một phần vào quy mô và thời điểm ghi nhận phí hiệu quả hoạt động cũng như thù lao hoãn lại.

Tại diễn đàn nhà đầu tư tháng 5, công ty đã đặt mục tiêu biên lợi nhuận hoạt động ENI kỳ vọng trong ngắn hạn là 38% đến 40%. Ban lãnh đạo cho biết Acadian đang ở vị thế thuận lợi để đạt được khoảng này, hoặc có khả năng vượt định mức cho cả năm 2026 nếu điều kiện hiện tại duy trì, nhưng nhấn mạnh rằng phí hiệu quả hoạt động và thời điểm chi trả thù lao có thể tạo ra biến động theo từng quý.

Các ưu tiên phân bổ vốn vẫn là tăng trưởng tự thân, tính linh hoạt của bảng cân đối kế toán và việc hoàn trả vốn thặng dư thông qua cổ tức và mua lại cổ phiếu. Hội đồng quản trị đã công bố mức cổ tức tạm ứng 0,10 USD trên mỗi cổ phiếu, chi trả vào ngày 23 tháng 12 năm 2026 cho các cổ đông trong danh sách chốt ngày 11 tháng 12. Không có cổ phiếu nào được mua lại trong Quý 3.

Rủi ro và các lĩnh vực cần theo dõi

• Việc cấp vốn cho các ủy thác định chế do khách hàng kiểm soát, khiến thời điểm và quy mô của dòng vốn theo quý mang tính biến động.
• Dòng vốn ròng trong Quý 3 hạ nhiệt một phần do một số khách hàng tái cơ cấu danh mục đầu tư sau khi thị trường cổ phiếu tăng giá.
• Tỷ lệ phí bình quân kết hợp có thể biến động theo cơ cấu sản phẩm, điều kiện thị trường và tỷ lệ phí tương quan giữa dòng vốn vào và dòng vốn ra.
• Phí hiệu quả hoạt động và việc ghi nhận thù lao hoãn lại có thể tạo ra sự biến động trong tỷ lệ thù lao biến đổi và biên lợi nhuận hoạt động.
• Chi phí hoạt động tăng 18% so với cùng kỳ năm ngoái do đầu tư vào công nghệ và hạ tầng, chi phí dịch vụ liên quan đến AUM và chi phí thù lao cao hơn.

Những điểm nổi bật trong phần Q&A với chuyên gia phân tích

Danh mục hợp đồng tiềm năng định chế: Ban lãnh đạo mô tả danh mục tiềm năng rất mạnh mẽ trên khắp các chiến lược và khu vực địa lý, với các ủy thác đã được trao thầu đang chờ giải ngân. Các chiến lược Mở rộng là nguồn động lực đặc biệt, trong khi nhu cầu cũng duy trì khả quan đối với Cổ phiếu Nâng cao và các sản phẩm cổ phiếu cốt lõi.

Triển vọng tỷ lệ phí: Tỷ lệ phí bình quân kết hợp ổn định so với quý trước. Ban lãnh đạo cho biết tỷ lệ phí của dòng vốn vào trong Quý 3 cao hơn so với dòng vốn ra, phần lớn là nhờ các chiến lược Mở rộng. Tuy nhiên, tỷ lệ này vẫn nhạy cảm với cơ cấu sản phẩm và khách hàng theo từng quý.

Hoàn trả vốn: Mua lại cổ phiếu vẫn là một phần của khung phân bổ vốn, nhưng ban lãnh đạo không đưa ra thời điểm cụ thể. Công ty kết thúc quý với 150 triệu USD tiền mặt, 113 triệu USD khoản đầu tư mầm (seed investments) và 200 triệu USD dư nợ khoản vay có thời hạn. Nợ gộp trên EBITDA điều chỉnh là 0,7 lần, và nợ ròng trên EBITDA điều chỉnh là 0,2 lần.

Tính bền vững của biên lợi nhuận: Ban lãnh đạo cho biết hoạt động kinh doanh tiếp tục mở rộng quy mô mà không làm tăng đột biến chi phí. Đầu tư vẫn tập trung vào nhân tài, công nghệ, dữ liệu và phân phối, trong khi AUM cao hơn cũng làm tăng chi phí dịch vụ và chi phí liên quan đến bán hàng.

Toàn văn cuộc họp công bố kết quả kinh doanh

Toàn văn cuộc gọi công bố kết quả kinh doanh

Phần trình bày của ban lãnh đạo

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by, and welcome to the Acadian Asset Management Inc. Earnings Conference Call and Webcast for the Third Quarter 2026. [Operator Instructions] Please note that this call is being recorded today, Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. I would now like to turn the meeting over to Melody Huang, Senior Vice President, Director of Finance and Investor Relations. Please go ahead, Melody.

Melody Huang

Good morning, and welcome to Acadian Asset Management, Inc.'s conference call to discuss our results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026. Before we begin the presentation, please note that we may make forward-looking statements about our business and financial performance. Each forward-looking statement is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected.

Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties appears in our SEC filings, including the Form 8-K filed today containing the earnings release, our 2025 Form 10-K and our Form 10-Q for the first and second quarter of 2026. Any forward-looking statements that we make on this call are based on assumptions as of today, and we undertake no obligation to update them as a result of new information or future events. We may also reference certain non-GAAP financial measures. Information about any non-GAAP measures referenced, including a reconciliation of those measures to GAAP measures, can be found on our website, along with the slides that we will use as part of today's discussion.

Finally, nothing herein shall be deemed as an offer or solicitation to buy any investment products. Kelly Young, our President and Chief Executive Officer, will lead the call. And now, I'm pleased to turn the call over to Kelly.

Kelly Ann Young

Thanks, Melody. Good morning, everyone, and thanks for joining us today. I'm pleased to report another strong quarter for Acadian with outstanding investment performance, continued positive client flows, record assets under management and record profitability. As we mark Acadian's 40th anniversary, our business continues to build significant momentum. Assets under management have more than doubled since the end of 2024, and we're seeing the benefits of that growth translate into our financial results.

Before turning to the quarter, I'd like to offer some broader perspective on the progress we're making across the business. First, on client flows. We've now delivered 11 consecutive quarters of positive net client flows. Following organic growth of more than 20% in 2025, we've generated $28.3 billion of net inflows in the first 9 months of 2026, representing 21% annualized organic growth. These are exceptional levels of growth and reflect sustained demand for our investment capabilities. Institutional funding will naturally vary from quarter-to-quarter, but our pipeline continues to replenish, and we're encouraged by the level of client activity and the opportunities ahead of us.

Enhanced equity remains an important growth engine, now representing more than 30% of our assets under management. Our extension strategies also continue to attract strong institutional interest and now represent approximately 5% of AUM. Second, our investment performance remains exceptional. Across the firm, 96% of our revenue-weighted strategies are outperforming their benchmarks over 3-, 5- and 10-year periods. And our shorter-term performance has strengthened considerably with a proportion of revenue represented by outperforming strategies over the trailing 1-year period increasing to 95% from 73% a year ago.

We believe this combination of strong long-term track records and improving recent performance reinforces our competitive position and provides a solid foundation for continued client demand. Third, we're making progress in expanding our growth opportunities. In systematic credit, we expect to receive our first external institutional funding later this year from a prominent U.S. asset owner, an important milestone. We're also seeing encouraging early traction in our Tax-Aware strategy, which launched in May and has received initial client funding. And we're continuing to expand our reach in the wealth channel.

During the quarter, Acadian was selected as an inaugural investment manager for UBS Global Wealth Management's new Exclusive Manager Access Fund Program in Asia, creating another opportunity to bring our institutional investment capabilities to wealth clients. These initiatives are still at different stages of development, but they represent additional avenues for growth alongside our established strategies.

Finally, the growth in our business is translating into strong financial performance. Recurring management fees increased 38% year-over-year, while our ENI operating margin expanded to 42.6%, reflecting the operating leverage in our business model. Taken together, I believe these results demonstrate the strength of our investment franchise, the consistency of client demand and the opportunities we have to continue growing the business. With that context, let me turn to our third quarter results.

As seen on Slide 2, we continue to deliver outstanding results across key metrics in the third quarter. Our U.S. GAAP net income attributable to controlling interests was up 135% and EPS was up 138% compared to the prior year, driven by increased management fees and partially offset by noncash expenses, representing changes in the value of Acadian LLC equity and profit interest. ENI up 78% to $48.3 million, and our ENI diluted EPS of $1.36 was up 79%, driven by revenue growth, the highest ever EPS in the firm's history.

Our adjusted EBITDA was up 67%. We realized $2.6 billion of positive net client cash flows in Q3 2026, representing a 4% annualized organic growth rate driven by Enhanced and Extension strategies. And finally, AUM grew 44% from Q3 2025 to $239.6 billion as of September 30, 2026, marking another record high for Acadian.

Turning to Slide 3. Acadian's investment performance track record remains strong. Five major implementations comprise the majority of our assets. As of September 30, 2026, Global Equity, Emerging Markets Equity, Non-U.S. Equity, Small-Cap Equity and Enhanced Equity have 100% of assets outperforming benchmarks across 3-, 5- and 10-year periods. Global equity markets advanced modestly in Q3 2026. Impacts from resilient economic growth and continued AI-driven investment more than offset elevated geopolitical tensions as well as higher energy prices. Developed markets outperformed emerging markets, while value and quality significantly outperformed growth and momentum factors in general.

AAMI generated strong alpha in the third quarter across most major strategies, driven primarily by the strength of Acadian's factor model with particularly strong contributions from EM, Small-Cap and extension strategies. Our short-term performance continued to post meaningful improvement in the quarter. 95% of assets outperformed over the trailing 1-year period. We believe these exceptional performance results reinforce the consistency and resilience of our disciplined systematic investment process, which has been built and refined over Acadian's 40-year history.

Slide 4 details how our investment process has generated meaningful long-term alpha for our clients. Our revenue-weighted 5-year annualized return in excess of benchmark was 4.8% as of the end of Q3 2026 on a consolidated firm-wide basis. Our asset-weighted 5-year annualized return in excess of benchmark was 3.9% as of the end of Q3 2026. By revenue weight, 96% of Acadian strategies outperformed their respective benchmarks across 3-, 5- and 10-year periods as of September 30, 2026. And by asset weight, at least 94% of Acadian strategies outperformed their respective benchmarks across 3-, 5- and 10-year periods.

Turning to net flows. We continue to see positive momentum across the business. We generated $2.6 billion of net inflows in Q3 2026, representing a 4% annualized organic growth rate and bringing year-to-date net inflows to $28.3 billion or 21% annualized organic growth. This marks our 11th consecutive quarter of positive net flows. Gross inflows remained healthy and diversified across products and client types, led by our enhanced and extension strategies.

Our extension strategies, which provide clients with a higher conviction approach to systematic investing, now represent approximately $13 billion of AUM, reflecting continued strong demand. While net flows moderated this quarter, this largely reflected certain clients rebalancing portfolios following strong equity market appreciation.

And with that, I'll turn it over to Scott to review our financial results and capital allocation priorities.

Scott Hynes

Thanks, Kelly. Turning to Slide 7. Our key GAAP and ENI performance metrics are summarized here on a quarterly basis. As previously noted, we manage the business using ENI metrics, which better reflect our underlying operating performance. You can find complete GAAP to ENI reconciliations in the appendix. Let me now turn to our core business results. Starting on Slide 8. Total ENI revenue of $189 million increased 39% year-over-year, primarily driven by growth in recurring management fees. Management fees of $188 million increased 38% year-over-year, reflecting higher average AUM, driven by market appreciation and continued positive net client cash flows.

Moving to Slide 9. E&I operating expenses increased 18%, primarily driven by higher G&A expenses, including continued investment in technology and infrastructure, AUM-driven servicing costs and higher compensation expenses. Variable compensation increased 21% year-over-year, primarily driven by higher profit before variable compensation. Our ENI operating margin expanded nearly 9 percentage points to 42.6%, primarily driven by higher recurring management fees, while our operating expense ratio fell 6 percentage points year-over-year to 37.1%, reflecting improved operating leverage.

The variable compensation ratio decreased approximately 9 percentage points year-over-year to 32.6%. The full year 2026 variable compensation ratio is now expected to be approximately 34% to 38%, with the realized ratio informed by the level and timing of performance fees and deferred compensation.

Turning to Slide 10 on capital resources and our strong balance sheet. As of September 30, 2026, we had $150 million of cash and $113 million of seed investments on the balance sheet with a $200 million balance on our term loan credit facility and no outstanding balance on our revolving credit facility. As of September 30, 2026 period end, our gross debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio was 0.7x, and our net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio was 0.2x. Note that our leverage ratios have improved from year-end 2025, supported by greater last 12 months adjusted EBITDA and our gross leverage now well below the 1.5x through-the-cycle target detailed at our May investor forum.

Moving to Slide 11. We have a track record of creating significant value through share buybacks in recent years. Outstanding diluted shares have decreased 59% from 86 million in Q4 '19 to 35.6 million shares in Q3 '26. Over the same period, $1.5 billion in excess capital has been returned to stockholders through share buybacks and dividends. AAMI's Board has declared an interim dividend of $0.10 per share to be paid on December 23, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 11, 2026. There were no share repurchases in Q3 '26. Going forward, we expect to continue generating strong free cash flow, prioritizing organic growth and balance sheet flexibility and then returning excess capital through dividends and share repurchases. I'll now turn the call back over to Kelly.

Kelly Ann Young

Before moving to Q&A, let me recap some key points on Slide 12. Acadian is competitively positioned as the only pure-play publicly traded systematic manager with a 40-year track record and competitive edge in systematic investing. Our investment performance track record remains strong this quarter with more than 96% of strategies by revenue outperforming over 3-, 5- and 10-year periods. Business momentum continued at pace in Q3 '26 with net inflows of $2.6 billion for Q3, a 4% annualized organic growth rate and reflecting 11 consecutive quarters of positive net flows and achieving AUM of $239.6 billion, up 44% from Q3 of 2025, the highest in the firm's history.

Q3 '26 financial results included record management fees of $188 million, up 38% from Q3 '25. ENI EPS of $1.36, up 79% from Q3 of '25 and operating margin expansion to 42.6%, up 9 percentage points from 33.2% in Q3 of '25. Finally, capital management remained a focus in the quarter as we strengthened our balance sheet with conservative leverage ratios and continue to invest in organic growth and return excess capital to shareholders. Pleased with our third quarter results, we remain focused on disciplined execution going forward. And this concludes my prepared remarks.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] Your first question comes from Kenneth Lee with RBC Capital Markets.

Phần hỏi đáp

Kenneth Lee

Just curious whether you could talk a little bit more about your institutional pipeline, what you're seeing within their composition and any color around that?

Kelly Ann Young

Of course, Ken, nice to talk to you again. The pipeline remains very robust across strategies and client geographies. We've continued to replenish it after following some very sizable mandate fundings in recent quarters. I'd say demand for enhanced equity remains strong, and we're seeing particularly good momentum in our extension strategies. And I think extensions is an area that I'd highlight. Assets have grown there from approximately $5 billion a year ago to over $13 billion today, so an increase of nearly 170%.

Those strategies are offering clients higher conviction in implementations of our approach. I think, as you know, we offer those in 130/30 and 160/60 flavors. And that growth, I think, has really been supported by very strong investment performance. So we continue to see real significant interest coming through in the pipeline there. I think importantly, we have meaningful capacity to support further growth and attractive fee economics make extensions particularly interesting for our business.

The Tax-Aware capability is also building on those established extension capabilities. And again, I think that's providing another avenue for growth for us. Beyond enhanced and extension, we're seeing some really healthy demand across our core equity strategies as well, and that has been quite diverse in nature, but particularly global emerging markets and a number of our non-U.S. and international strategies. So very encouraged to see that as well as an uptick in our systematic credit pipeline over the past quarter.

I think importantly, we're continuing to convert opportunities into mandate wins. We have a meaningful amount of awarded business that's awaiting funding, again, across those extension and enhanced dimensions and several of the core strategies that I mentioned. The timing of institutional fundings is obviously ultimately client driven, but I remain very encouraged by the breadth of those opportunities and by the mandates we're winning and the continued strength of investment performance, which is supporting that pipeline growth.

Kenneth Lee

Very helpful there. And just one follow-up, if I may, just in terms of capital management. You didn't repurchase any shares in the quarter, but just wondering if there's any kind of updated outlook around capital returns, more specifically repurchases.

Scott Hynes

Yes, Ken, it's Scott, and thanks for your time this morning. No real update, particularly since the May investor forum, which I know you joined with us, the priorities remain unchanged in this regard and that we're primarily focused on organic growth, maintaining a strong balance sheet and then returning excess capital from there. So buybacks continue to be an important piece of that framework. And I've used the word athletic before. I use it again. We just want to remain athletic, look for particular opportunities when there's real efficiencies in buying back, and that continues to be the posture today.

So looking forward, no changes. I would say that on the balance sheet, we're conservatively levered. But for all intents and purposes, like Kelly and I inherited some senior debt, which has now been refinanced into the term loan. I think we could still have an opportunity to chip away at that in an accretive way to EPS, but no urgency there and particularly given that we're conservatively levered today.

So no real change in the priorities. Like I said, we literally look at it every day and actively manage it, and it continues to be a priority going forward. It's just balanced again, like I said, against organic growth and maintaining a robust balance sheet, which again, we have today. Hopefully, that will help.

Operator

Your next question comes from John Dunn with Evercore.

John Dunn

It was good to see the fee rate stable quarter-over-quarter. Maybe beyond extension equities, could you go through some of the puts and takes there and maybe the outlook for the next stretch?

Scott Hynes

Yes, John, it's Scott, and I'll start. In all candor, I think it's completely in sympathy with what Kelly just said on the first question there. I think extensions was an important driver. I've continued to be impressed and you see it in the fee rate. We talked with you about this before that it is very dynamic that we did have a bit of a step change or reset, if you will, as we saw those very large institutional-driven enhanced wins. Those have pulled through the very large chunky ones. But make no mistake, the AUM mix from enhanced, as you know, has grown substantially in the last 2 years, up to now about 30% of AUM.

So that's important. But again, I think that's pulled through and why it continues to be a source of growth going forward. It is dynamic each quarter. And as Kelly said, there are other strategies or other products that are top of mind and increasingly so from our clients and extensions is there. I would note, and that was obviously a large driver of the stability in the fee rate we saw quarter-on-quarter was that the basis point fee rate all in on our inflows this quarter was higher than the outflows. That's not something we had seen in all candor when inflows was predominantly weighted on enhanced, which, as you know, typically would come in on a blended basis in that 30, mid-30-ish, lower 30s blended basis.

We've been running often lower than that given the size and their intentions. But as we said, each quarter is dynamic, and it's not just one way. And I think in this quarter, as I said, you had the dynamic go the other way, driven by extensions. And I would also add in that regard that extensions with that also helps inform performance fees going forward. The relative amount of our performance fee eligible AUM remains roughly unchanged, call it around 12% but within that, it's populated more and more by extensions. So that's a nice opportunity there.

So long story short, it is a dynamic situation. That blended fee rate we print every quarter is subject to market conditions and various puts and takes and inflows and outflows that we're not completely in control of. But like I said, we are heartened to see the stability of the blended rate quarter-on-quarter. And like I said, it can go in various ways, and it did this quarter, like I said, the inflows fee rate being higher than the outflows, again, largely driven by the very good news from extensions, and we continue to see demand there.

So we'll wait and see. But like I said, it's not a one-sided story in regards to the direction of the travel of the fee rate per se. It is dynamic. And again, that's why I think we saw it hold in the way that it did flattish this quarter.

John Dunn

Got it. And then on the lowered range for variable expenses, is there something kind of one-time in nature about that for the fourth quarter? Or has something changed and that could be more of a sustainable range going forward?

Scott Hynes

John, if I heard you right, I think you talked about the variable compensation ratio. That was the question?

John Dunn

Yes.

Scott Hynes

Yes. So it is noisy. Look, I think stepping back, our compensation structure, I think, as you know, is largely formulaic. However, having said that, in any given quarter, you also see that ratio being informed by not only the relative level of earnings before the variable compensation, that, of course, includes management fees and performance fees, but also some deferral dynamics, right, incurred in regards to prior deferral awards, particularly from prior performance fees and awards associated with those performance fees.

So there is some recognition timing that comes through in any given quarter. Now we do look ahead and try to provide a steer for our investors on where we think that ratio lands on a full-year basis. And I would remind people again that there is, for all intents and purposes, some real noise given those deferral dynamics I suggested or referenced earlier in any given quarter. So I think the full year is the right way to look about it. There is some seasonality there, particularly given where performance fees land.

So that is the ratio we've provided that range of 34% to 38%, in part informed by an outlook on performance fees. But to be clear, we feel very well positioned today. I think you may have noticed and we referenced it in our prepared remarks that the trailing 1-year percentage of our strategies outperforming benchmarks increased materially year-over-year from something like mid-70s a year ago, outperforming to closer to 95% trailing 12 months as of this most recent past quarter.

So we feel like standing where we are here at the end of October, we're well positioned for a solid performance this year. All else equal, that would push, if you will, the variable compensation ratio down. But it's very dynamic in any given year. So short answer to your question is I would not necessarily at all pencil in 34% to 38% range necessarily going forward for each and every year. It is where we think we land right now, recognizing there is a lot of variability for 2 months to go in the performance fee picture, but we feel good about it, but it's our best estimate of where we land for this particular year. Hopefully, that's of help.

Operator

Your next question comes from Joe Tumillo with Morgan Stanley.

Joseph Tumillo

Joe Tumillo on for Mike Cyprys. I just want to talk about the private wealth opportunity and the scope to extend your IP to distribute more to the wealth channel, especially in light of the UBS partnership you just listed. I guess, first, when should we start seeing or start to expect kind of the flow dynamics to be impacted by that partnership? And then secondly, is there any scope for other organic or inorganic partnerships to kind of help accelerate more penetration to that channel? And then can you also talk about kind of the resources you have in place to capture that opportunity?

Kelly Ann Young

Sure. Joe, nice to speak to you again. Thanks for the question. Yes, global wealth is an important growth opportunity for us. It's an area that we see us continuing to expand our presence. I think as you know, we already have established business in the channel. And so we see considerable opportunity to really build on that foundation over time. The approach is very much to leverage existing investment capabilities and the infrastructure that we already have developed for institutional clients versus going direct to retail, for example, and making them available to a broader investment base through partnerships.

In recent quarters, we've obviously announced the partnership with St. James's Place. As you noted, I referenced the partnership with UBS Global Wealth Management. That has already -- we've already seen funding starting to come in from that partnership. We're really excited about the dynamics there. And again, it's the opportunity to bring our extension capabilities to private wealth clients. So again, another channel for extensions, again, where we -- as you know, we have long-standing track records there, but opening that new avenue of growth.

We're also expanding access through our UCITS platform. That's been established for well over 20 years at this point. But particularly in international markets, we're seeing real interest there and again, continuing to build out that range and then obviously, Tax-Aware, which is addressing sort of specific needs of U.S. wealth clients.

So our focus is very much continuing on establishing either working with established relationships, whether that be St. James's, UBS, establishing new relationships so that we can reach more clients through our partners. But again, it isn't about building out kind of a new distribution infrastructure. So it's an attractive opportunity in large part because we see a way of increasing our client base, but also because we think we need kind of fairly limited additional resourcing versus where we are today.

Again, that may change over the next 12, 18, 24 months as some of these partnerships develop. But again, we feel very comfortable with the distribution team and the sales team we have today, certainly with the investment capabilities that we have today and some of those very deep kind of institutional-quality partnerships that we've been able to establish.

Joseph Tumillo

Okay. Great. And as for my follow-up, I mean, you guys delivered a really strong operating margin for the quarter, over 42%. I think this is a little bit above the kind of the aspirational guide you guys laid out in your investor forum. I guess how should we think about the margin profile going forward? Is there -- is this kind of result repeatable on a more sustained basis? I guess if you can unpack some of the more of the moving pieces here.

Scott Hynes

Yes. Joe, it's Scott. Thank you for that. Look, we feel good. But in sympathy with what I said in a different way about the variable compensation ratio, I think it's important that we gear ourselves around full year results. But again, I think we feel very good. As you rightly point out in May, we identified a near-term aspirational target of 38% to 40%. Standing here at the end of October, we feel like we're really well positioned, knock on wood, literally, to realize that perhaps a little earlier than expected for the full year if things go as we're looking at today.

Now if that happens, might we revisit the aspirations? We might, because the business continues to scale awfully well. Again, there is some noise and puts and takes about compensation. And obviously, it is important in this regard, again, where we land on performance fees and reading that across for any year. But again, I think we're very well positioned this year for the full year. I know we printed just a little bit above 42% for the quarter. So that feels good. But now the onus is on us to realize it for the full year within or above that target range.

Again, I think we're well positioned to do so. I think unpacking a little bit, like I said, earlier in regards to the variable compensation ratio, that's largely a formulaic dynamic and the puts and takes are laid out in our quarterly filings. So it's largely symmetrical with earnings and sharing with the employees in an appropriate way. In regards to OpEx, it's behaving in a good way. As you'd expect, we continue to see some growth that effectively scales with our higher levels of AUM. So those fund servicing costs, including also sales-related costs, you've seen those come up, but that's as expected and in no way surprising given really a step change in size of the AUM just in the last 12 to 18 months.

And then alongside of that, we continue to invest, but it's in a disciplined way, and it's in the areas that you might expect. So where are we seeing growth in expenses? It's not only talent, which obviously continues to be very, very important. But as a systematic manager, as you would expect, technology, data and obviously ongoing, like I said, on the distribution side and people in that regard. So we continue to invest there, but feel like we're well positioned to do so. And none of that adds up to a step change in our expenses.

So again, feel good for the year to realize that full year aspirational target of 38% to 40% and then we'll take it from there. But I think we remain optimistic as a management team as I'm looking at my CEO here that we can continue to invest, deliver what we need to, to our clients and invest in the business and continue to realize some ongoing margin expansion because it feels very good right now. And again, hopefully, if we have the opportunity to revisit that target, we'll do so, but let's print the full year first. But again, it feels good right now. Hopefully, that's of help.

Operator

This concludes our question-and-answer session. I'd like to turn the conference call back to Kelly Young.

Kelly Ann Young

Thank you, everyone, for joining us today, and I wish you all a great day.