Strategic Wealth Investment Group LLC Sells 16,674 Shares of Blackstone Inc. $BX

Key Points

• Strategic Wealth Investment Group LLC reduced its Blackstone stake by 20.9% in the fourth quarter, selling 16,674 shares and leaving it with 63,070 shares valued at about $9.7 million.
• Blackstone recently beat quarterly earnings estimates, reporting $1.36 per share versus the $1.34 consensus, while revenue rose 10% year over year to $3.43 billion.
• The firm also paid a $1.16 quarterly dividend and currently yields about 4.0%, but its payout ratio is high at 118.67%, and investor sentiment has been pressured by concerns over redemptions in its private credit fund.

Strategic Wealth Investment Group LLC lessened its holdings in Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX - Free Report) by 20.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 63,070 shares of the asset manager's stock after selling 16,674 shares during the quarter. Strategic Wealth Investment Group LLC's holdings in Blackstone were worth $9,722,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of BX. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in Blackstone by 34.6% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 7,917 shares of the asset manager's stock worth $1,365,000 after acquiring an additional 2,035 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in Blackstone by 9.3% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,076 shares of the asset manager's stock worth $310,000 after acquiring an additional 177 shares during the last quarter. United Bank boosted its stake in Blackstone by 14.7% during the 2nd quarter. United Bank now owns 13,528 shares of the asset manager's stock worth $2,024,000 after acquiring an additional 1,729 shares during the last quarter. Nebula Research & Development LLC bought a new position in Blackstone during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,124,000. Finally, Sei Investments Co. boosted its stake in Blackstone by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 452,619 shares of the asset manager's stock worth $67,703,000 after acquiring an additional 8,655 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 70.00% of the company's stock.

Blackstone Price Performance

Shares of BX opened at $115.40 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $85.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.51, a PEG ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 1.59. Blackstone Inc. has a 1-year low of $101.73 and a 1-year high of $190.09. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $119.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $131.72. The company has a current ratio of 0.76, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66.

Blackstone (NYSE:BX - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 23rd. The asset manager reported $1.36 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $3.43 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.45 billion. Blackstone had a net margin of 20.67% and a return on equity of 22.86%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.11 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Blackstone Inc. will post 5.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Blackstone Cuts Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 11th. Investors of record on Monday, May 4th were issued a dividend of $1.16 per share. This represents a $4.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.0%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 4th. Blackstone's payout ratio is presently 118.67%.

Key Stories Impacting Blackstone

Here are the key news stories impacting Blackstone this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Blackstone-backed AirTrunk plans to invest $30 billion in India digital infrastructure, highlighting continued growth opportunities in Blackstone’s portfolio and exposure to AI/data-center demand. Blackstone-backed AirTrunk to invest $30B in India digital infrastructure
• Positive Sentiment: Blackstone also remains active on the capital-deployment side, with a new partnership with Nippon Life and the successful IPO of Liftoff Mobile adding to the firm’s deal-making momentum. Blackstone’s Liftoff IPO And Nippon Life Deal Reshape BX Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: The stock also appeared to rebound sharply after an earlier selloff, as some investors viewed the withdrawal cap as a sign of private-credit demand pressures rather than a direct fundamental hit to earnings. Why is Blackstone stock gaining despite a withdrawal cap on its flagship fund?
• Neutral Sentiment: Peer-related headlines from other alternative-asset managers and broader private-credit redemption concerns are adding sector-wide volatility, but they do not directly change Blackstone’s reported quarterly earnings outlook. Alternative Managers Shares Slip as Cliffwater Redemption Fears Mount
• Negative Sentiment: Blackstone’s decision to limit redemptions at Blackstone Private Credit Fund is the main overhang, as it signals heavier-than-expected withdrawal demand and raises questions about liquidity across private markets. Investors Seek to Pull 10% from Blackstone's Giant Private-Credit Fund
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple reports that redemption requests surged and that Blackstone capped withdrawals reinforced investor concern about private-credit and private-equity fund liquidity, which has weighed on BX sentiment. Redemption requests rise at Blackstone, Partners Group as private markets strain

Insider Buying and Selling at Blackstone

In other news, major shareholder Treasury Holdings I. Blackstone bought 9,486,795 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 15th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $20.00 per share, for a total transaction of $189,735,900.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider owned 9,111,800 shares in the company, valued at approximately $182,236,000. This represents a -2,529.85% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Holdings Iv Gp Mana Blackstone acquired 2,868,069 shares of Blackstone stock in a transaction on Friday, March 20th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $26.15 per share, with a total value of $75,000,004.35. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 18,628,295 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $487,129,914.25. This trade represents a 18.20% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders acquired 12,355,303 shares of company stock valued at $264,789,896 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.00% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on BX shares. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Blackstone from $143.00 to $152.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Blackstone from $171.00 to $137.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Argus cut their price target on shares of Blackstone from $163.00 to $146.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 28th. TD Cowen cut their price target on shares of Blackstone from $140.00 to $133.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 18th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of Blackstone from $122.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $151.05.

About Blackstone

Blackstone Inc NYSE: BX is a global investment firm focused on alternative asset management. Founded in 1985 by Stephen A. Schwarzman and Peter G. Peterson and headquartered in New York City, the firm organizes and manages investment vehicles that acquire and operate businesses, real estate and credit investments, as well as provide hedge fund solutions and other alternative strategies for institutional and individual investors.

Blackstone's business is organized around several principal investment platforms.

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