Brookfield Asset Management Announces Strong First Quarter Results

Rhea-AI Summary

Brookfield Asset Management announced strong first-quarter results, with $20 billion raised in capital and $106 billion in dry powder for investments. Notable deals include a $50 billion asset management mandate with AEL and acquiring a majority stake in Castlelake. Fee-related earnings were $552 million, distributable earnings were $547 million. Fee-bearing capital reached $459 billion. $11 billion was deployed in investments, and recent strategic initiatives include acquiring AEL and Castlelake. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share.

Positive

• Strong first-quarter results with significant capital raised and dry powder for investments.

• Successful deals with AEL and Castlelake, expanding insurance and private credit capabilities.

• Healthy fee-related earnings and distributable earnings at $552 million and $547 million, respectively.

• Raised $20 billion in the first quarter, including significant amounts across various strategies.

• Deployed $11 billion in investments, showcasing active deployment of capital.

Negative

• Lower transaction fees and fees from permanent capital vehicles partially offset growth in fee revenues.

• Uncalled fund commitments of $106 billion may not be earning fees until deployed, impacting revenue.

• Decrease in distributable earnings from $563 million to $547 million compared to the prior year.

Insights

Financial Analyst

Brookfield Asset Management's first-quarter results indicate robust performance with key financial metrics such as fee-related earnings and distributable earnings showing marginal growth. The company's strategic acquisitions and capital raised suggest an aggressive expansion strategy, particularly in the insurance and private credit sector, reflecting confidence in their long-term growth trajectory. However, investors should be cautious about the potential pressure on transaction fees and the effects of increased competition in the asset management space.

The declaration of a regular dividend aligns with the company's history of shareholder value distribution, but investors should consider the company's ability to sustain such dividends in the face of market volatility or unexpected shifts in the investment landscape. The $106 billion of dry powder, while a significant war chest, comes with the responsibility to deploy capital effectively to avoid drag on returns. The acquisition of Castlelake and the increased stake in Oaktree could provide diversification benefits but must be managed to achieve synergistic value.

Market Research Analyst

The year-over-year increase in fee-bearing capital suggests Brookfield Asset Management's products continue to be attractive to institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals. The first close of the flagship global transition fund and opportunistic real estate fund are indicators of market confidence. Nevertheless, the industry is witnessing a shift towards environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing and Brookfield's response to this trend could significantly affect future capital inflows.

From a market perspective, the company's diverse global footprint and broad mix of business segments provide a hedge against regional economic downturns. However, given the cyclical nature of real estate and infrastructure investments, investors should remain alert to economic indicators that may signal a downturn, potentially impacting Brookfield's asset valuations and performance. The recent strategic initiatives, while indicative of growth, must be evaluated concerning how they integrate within the broader portfolio and generate returns without disproportionate risk exposure.

Insurance Flows and Castlelake Add $75 Billion of AUM Since Quarter End

$106 Billion of Dry Powder Available to Invest

BROOKFIELD, NEWS, May 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (NYSE: BAM, TSX: BAM) today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2024.

Connor Teskey, President of Brookfield Asset Management stated, “We are off to a strong start in 2024 and are seeing accelerating momentum across our business as transaction activity picks up. We raised $20 billion of capital during the first quarter ($10 billion since our last earnings release), and with more than $100 billion of dry powder to invest, both the diversity of our business mix and our global footprint mean that we remain very well-positioned to capture investment opportunities.”

He continued, “We recently completed a $50 billion asset management mandate with American Equity Investment Life (AEL) and announced our intention to acquire a majority stake in Castlelake, a leader in asset- backed finance. With these, we are excited to grow both our insurance and private credit capabilities, bolstering our ability to serve our clients in more ways over the long-term.”

Operating Results

Brookfield Asset Management Ltd.

Net income for Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (BAM), the publicly traded entity, totaled $102 million for the quarter. BAM owns a 25% interest in our asset management business with the other 75% owned by Brookfield Corporation. In order to provide meaningful comparative information, the discussion that follows relates to the financial results on a 100% basis for our asset management business (Brookfield Asset Management).

Brookfield Asset Management¹

For the periods ended March 31 (US$ millions, except per share amounts)	Three Months Ended								Twelve Months Ended
		2024				2023				2024				2023
Fee-Related Earnings2	$	552			$	547			$	2,246			$	2,162
Add back: equity-based compensation costs and other3		48				53				194				119
Less: cash taxes		(53	)			(37	)			(212	)			(114	)
Distributable Earnings2	$	547			$	563			$	2,228			$	2,167
Fee-related earnings per share	$	0.34			$	0.33			$	1.37			$	1.32
Distributable earnings per share	$	0.34			$	0.34			$	1.36			$	1.33
Net income attributable to Brookfield Asset Management	$	441			$	516			$	1,764			$	2,083
See endnotes

Operating Highlights

Financial Results

Brookfield Asset Management’s fee-related earnings were $552 million for the quarter and $2.2 billion over the last twelve months, versus $547 million and $2.2 billion for the same periods in the prior year, respectively.

Distributable earnings were $547 million for the quarter and $2.2 billion over the last twelve months, versus $563 million and $2.2 billion for the same periods in the prior year, respectively.

These results represent 15% growth in fee revenues from our flagship, private credit and insurance strategies over the last twelve months, on the back of over 15% growth in related fee-bearing capital over the same period, partially offset by lower transaction fees and lower fees associated with our permanent capital vehicles.

Fundraising

We raised $20 billion in the first quarter of 2024, $10 billion of which was raised since our last earnings release. Notable fundraising updates during the first quarter include:

• We finalized the first close of the second vintage of our flagship global transition fund strategy at $10 billion, including $1.2 billion of fund capital raised in the first quarter. We anticipate holding a final close in the second half of 2024.

• We finalized the first close of the fifth vintage of our flagship opportunistic real estate fund strategy, bringing the total to over $8.0 billion, including $2.2 billion of capital in the first quarter.

• We raised over $3.0 billion of capital within our infrastructure business, including $1.9 billion of capital raised within our supercore infrastructure fund as part of a follow-on acquisition of FirstEnergy, for $3.5 billion.

• We raised nearly $10 billion of capital across more than a dozen credit strategies this quarter. This includes raising nearly $6.0 billion across our Oaktree franchise, including $1.0 billion within our sponsor credit business and nearly $1.0 billion within the twelfth vintage of our opportunistic credit fund, bringing the total raised for this fund to nearly $9.0 billion.

• Within insurance solutions, we raised $2.0 billion, bringing our total insurance-related fee-bearing capital to $36 billion at the end of the quarter. Inclusive of the close of AEL, our insurance fee-bearing capital stands at nearly $90 billion today.

Fee-Bearing Capital

Fee-bearing capital was $459 billion at the end of the first quarter, up $27 billion or 6% over the past year and up $2 billion from the prior quarter.

• The above year-over-year increase in fee-bearing capital contributed to growth in fee-related earnings to $2.2 billion over the last twelve months, representing a 4% increase over the prior year period.

Deployment

In the first quarter, we deployed $11 billion of capital into investments across a number of large-scale, high-quality businesses and assets. Notable deployments in the quarter include:

• Deployed $2.8 billion of capital across our infrastructure platform, including $2.0 billion out of our supercore infrastructure fund.

• Deployed $6.2 billion of capital across credit funds, including $2.0 billion out of our opportunistic credit platform, $970 million out of our strategic credit fund, $400 million out of our power opportunities platform, and $360 million out of our sponsor fund credit business. We also deployed $400 million out of the third vintage of our infrastructure debt fund.

Dry Powder Capital

As of March 31, 2024, we had a total of $106 billion of uncalled fund commitments.

• We hold $2.6 billion of cash and equivalents on our balance sheet.

• Uncalled fund commitments include $50 billion which is not currently earning fees, but which will earn approximately $500 million of fees annually once deployed.

Recent Strategic Initiatives

We announced several strategic transactions subsequent to the end of the quarter which will bolster our long- term growth.

Brookfield Reinsurance successfully completed its acquisition of AEL. On behalf of Brookfield Reinsurance, we are now managing AEL's $50 billion of capital, bringing our total insurance fee-bearing capital to nearly $90 billion.

We have finalized an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Castlelake, an asset-backed private credit manager with $22 billion of assets under management. Castlelake’s core competencies in aviation and other forms of specialty finance will further broaden our private credit capabilities for our clients, while allowing us to partner with a best-in-class manager to support its growth over the long term.

We acquired an additional 5% interest in Oaktree, which brings our ownership stake to 73%.

Regular Dividend Declaration

The board of directors of Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share, payable on June 28, 2024, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 31, 2024.

End Notes

1. Reflects full period results unless otherwise noted on a 100% basis for Brookfield Asset Management, being Brookfield Asset Management ULC and its subsidiaries, including its share of the asset management activities of partly owned subsidiaries.
2. See Reconciliation of Net Income to Fee-Related Earnings and Distributable Earnings on page 6 and Non-GAAP and Performance Measures section on page 8.
3. Equity-based compensation costs and other income includes Brookfield Asset Management's portion of partly owned subsidiaries investment income, realized carried interest, and other items.

Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. Statement of Financial Position
Unaudited As at (US$ millions)	March 31, 2024				December 31, 2023
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	9			$	9
Investment in Brookfield Asset Management		2,314				2,270
Due from affiliates		805				886
Other assets		77				40
Total Assets	$	3,205			$	3,205
Liabilities
Accounts payable and other	$	710			$	859
Due to affiliates		268				261
Total Liabilities		978				1,120
Equity
Total Equity		2,227				2,085
Total Liabilities and Equity	$	3,205			$	3,205

Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. Statement of Operating Results
Unaudited For the periods ended March 31 (US$ millions, except per share amounts)	Three Months Ended
		2024				2023
Equity accounted income	$	110			$	129
Compensation and other expenses		(8	)			(4	)
Net Income	$	102			$	125
Net income per share of common stock
Diluted	$	0.25			$	0.31
Basic	$	0.26			$	0.31

Brookfield Asset Management Statement of Financial Position
Unaudited As at (US$ millions)		March 31, 2024				December 31, 2023
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$	2,594			$	2,667
Accounts receivable and other		548				588
Investments		7,359				7,522
Due from affiliates		2,378				2,504
Deferred income tax assets and other assets		1,046				1,009
Total Assets	$	13,925			$	14,290
Liabilities
Accounts payable and other	$	1,555			$	1,799
Due to affiliates		1,039				986
Deferred income tax liabilities and other		2,316				2,206
		4,910				4,991
Equity		9,015				9,299
Total Liabilities and Equity	$	13,925			$	14,290

Brookfield Asset Management Statement of Operating Results
Unaudited For the periods ended March 31 (US$ millions, except per share amounts)	Three Months Ended
		2024				2023
Revenues
Incentive distribution and management fee revenues	$	786			$	791
Carried interest income net of amounts attributable to Corporation		38				44
Other revenue		60				219
Total Revenues		884				1,054
Expenses
Compensation, operating, and general and administrative expenses		(360	)			(376	)
Interest expense		(4	)			(2	)
Total Expenses		(364	)			(378	)
Other expenses		(156	)			(110	)
Share of income from equity accounted investments		80				43
Income Before Taxes		444				609
Income tax expense		(71	)			(93	)
Net Income	$	373			$	516
Net income (loss) attributable to:
Brookfield Asset Management	$	441			$	516
Brookfield Corporation		(68	)			—
	$	373			$	516
Net income per share
Diluted	$	0.27			$	0.32
Basic	$	0.27			$	0.32

SELECT FINANCIAL INFORMATION

RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO FEE-RELATED EARNINGS AND DISTRIBUTABLE EARNINGS

Brookfield Asset Management

Unaudited For the periods ended March 31 (US$ millions)	Three Months Ended
		2024				2023
Net income	$	373			$	516
Add or subtract the following:
Provision for taxes1		71				93
Depreciation and amortization2		4				4
Carried interest allocations3		123				(59	)
Carried interest allocation compensation3		84				88
Other income and expenses4		72				22
Interest expense paid to related parties5		4				—
Interest and dividend revenue5		(47	)			(43	)
Other revenues6		(172	)			(161	)
Share of income from equity accounted investments7		(80	)			(43	)
Fee-related earnings of partly owned subsidiaries at our share7		71				56
Compensation costs recovered from affiliates8		44				74
Fee Revenues from BSREP III & other9		5				—
Fee-Related Earnings		552				547
Cash taxes10		(53	)			(37	)
Add back: equity-based compensation costs and other11		48				53
Distributable Earnings	$	547			$	563

1. This adjustment removes the impact of income tax provisions on the basis that we do not believe this item reflects the present value of the actual tax obligations that we expect to incur over the long-term due to the substantial deferred tax assets of Brookfield Asset Management.
2. This adjustment removes the depreciation and amortization on property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, which are non-cash in nature and therefore excluded from Fee-Related Earnings.
3. These adjustments remove unrealized carried interest allocations and the associated compensation expense, which are excluded from Fee- Related Earnings as these items are unrealized in nature.
4. This adjustment removes other income and expenses associated with non-cash fair value changes.
5. This adjustment removes interest and charges paid or received involving related party loans.
6. This adjustment adds back other revenues earned that are non-cash in nature.
7. These adjustments remove our share of partly owned subsidiaries’ earnings, including items 1) to 6) above and include its share of partly owned subsidiaries’ Fee-Related Earnings.
8. This item adds back compensation costs that will be borne by affiliates and are non-cash in nature.
9. This adjustment adds back base management fees earned from funds that are eliminated upon consolidation and other items.
10. Represents the impact of cash taxes paid by the business.
11. This adjustment adds back equity-based compensation and other income associated with Brookfield Asset Management’s portion of partly owned subsidiaries’ investment income, realized carried interest and other items.

Additional Information

The Letter to Shareholders and the Supplemental Information for the three months and twelve months ended March 31, 2024 contain further information on the company’s strategy, operations and financial results. Shareholders are encouraged to read these documents, which are available on BAM’s website.

The statements contained herein are based primarily on information that has been extracted from our financial statements for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, which have been prepared using U.S. GAAP. The amounts have not been audited by BAM’s external auditor.

BAM’s board of directors has reviewed and approved this document, including the summarized unaudited consolidated financial statements, prior to its release.

Information on our dividends can be found on our website under Stock & Distributions - Distribution History section at bam.brookfield.com.

Quarterly Earnings Call Details

Investors, analysts and other interested parties can access BAM’s First Quarter 2024 Results, as well as the Letter to Shareholders and Supplemental Information, on its website under the Reports & Filings section at bam.brookfield.com.

To participate in the Conference Call today at 11:00 a.m. ET, please preregister at https://register.vevent.com/register/BIc6f8169c26b54bd08c368c2ce6fe8cf9. Upon registering, you will be emailed a dial-in number, and unique PIN.

The Conference Call will also be webcast live at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/7jzhjj76. For those unable to participate in the Conference Call, the telephone replay will be archived and available until May 8, 2025, or available on our website at bam.brookfield.com.

About Brookfield Asset Management

Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (NYSE: BAM, TSX: BAM) is a leading global alternative asset manager with over $925 billion of assets under management across renewable power and transition, infrastructure, private equity, real estate, and credit. We invest client capital for the long-term with a focus on real assets and essential service businesses that form the backbone of the global economy. We offer a range of alternative investment products to investors around the world — including public and private pension plans, endowments and foundations, sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions, insurance companies and private wealth investors. We draw on Brookfield’s heritage as an owner and operator to invest for value and generate strong returns for our clients, across economic cycles.

Please note that Brookfield Asset Management Ltd.’s previous audited annual and unaudited quarterly reports have been filed on EDGAR and SEDAR+ and can also be found in the investor section of its website at bam.brookfield.com. Hard copies of the annual and quarterly reports can be obtained free of charge upon request.

For more information, please visit our website at bam.brookfield.com or contact:

Media: Kerrie McHugh Hayes Tel: (212) 618-3469 Email: kerrie.mchugh@brookfield.com	Investor Relations: Jason Fooks Tel: (866) 989-0311 Email: jason.fooks@brookfield.com

Non-GAAP and Performance Measures

This news release and accompanying financial information are based on generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

We make reference to Distributable Earnings (“DE”), which is referring to the sum of its fee-related earnings, realized carried interest, realized principal investments, interest expense, and general and administrative expenses; excluding equity-based compensation costs and depreciation and amortization. The most directly comparable measure disclosed in the primary financial statements of Brookfield Asset Management for DE is net income. This provides insight into earnings received by the company that are available for distribution to common shareholders or to be reinvested into the business.

We use Fee-Related Earnings (“FRE”) and DE to assess our operating results and the value of Brookfield’s business and believe that many shareholders and analysts also find these measures of value to them.

We disclose a number of financial measures in this news release that are calculated and presented using methodologies other than in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These financial measures, which include FRE and DE, should not be considered as the sole measure of our performance and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, similar financial measures calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We caution readers that these non-GAAP financial measures or other financial metrics are not standardized under
U.S. GAAP and may differ from the financial measures or other financial metrics disclosed by other businesses and, as a result, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers and entities.

We provide additional information on key terms and non-GAAP measures in our filings available at bam.brookfield.com.

Notice to Readers

BAM is not making any offer or invitation of any kind by communication of this news release and under no circumstance is it to be construed as a prospectus or an advertisement.

This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and in any applicable Canadian securities regulations (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Forward- looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future results, events or conditions, and include, but are not limited to, statements which reflect management’s current estimates, beliefs and assumptions regarding the operations, business, financial condition, expected financial results, performance, prospects, opportunities, priorities, targets, goals, ongoing objectives, strategies, capital management and outlook of BAM, Brookfield Asset Management and its subsidiaries, as well as the outlook for North American and international economies for the current fiscal year and subsequent periods, and which are in turn based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. The estimates, beliefs and assumptions of BAM are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and other uncertainties and contingencies regarding future events and as such, are subject to change. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as “target”, “project”, “forecast”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “foresee”, “could”, “estimate”, “goal”, “intend”, “plan”, “seek”, “strive”, “will”, “may” and “should” and similar expressions. In particular, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release include statements referring to future results, performance, achievements, prospects or opportunities of BAM, Brookfield Asset Management or the Canadian, U.S. or international markets.

Although BAM believes that such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable estimates, beliefs and assumptions, actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) our lack of independent means of generating revenue; (ii) our material assets consisting solely of our interest in Brookfield Asset Management; (iii) challenges relating to maintaining our relationship with Brookfield Corporation and potential conflicts of interest; (iv) BAM being a newly formed company; (v) our liability for our asset management business; (vi) our ability to maintain BAM’s excepted status as a “foreign private issuer” under U.S. federal securities laws; (vii) the impact on growth in fee-bearing capital of poor product development or marketing efforts; (viii) our ability to maintain our global reputation; (ix) volatility in the trading price of our class A limited voting shares; (x) being subjected to numerous laws, rules and regulatory requirements, and the potential ineffectiveness of our policies to prevent violations thereof; (xi) meeting our financial obligations due to our cash flow from our asset management business; (xii) foreign currency risk and exchange rate fluctuations; (xiii) requirement of temporary investments and backstop commitments to support our asset management business; (xiv) rising interest rates; (xv) revenues impacted by a decline in the size or pace of investments made by our managed assets; (xvi) the variability of our earnings growth, which may affect our dividend and the trading price of our class A limited voting shares; (xvii) exposed risk due to increased amount and type of investment products in our managed assets; (xviii) difficulty in maintaining our culture or managing our human capital; (xix) political instability or changes in government; (xx) unfavorable economic conditions or changes in the industries in which we operate; (xxi) catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or pandemics/epidemics; (xxii) deficiencies in public company financial reporting and disclosures; (xxiii) ineffective management of environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations, and inadequate or ineffective health and safety programs; (xxiv) the failure of our information and technology systems; (xxv) us and our managed assets becoming involved in legal disputes; (xxvi) losses not covered by insurance; (xxvii) inability to collect on amounts owing to us; (xxviii) information barriers that may give rise to conflicts and risks; (xxix) risks related to our renewable power and transition, infrastructure, private equity, real estate, and other alternatives, including credit strategies; (xxx) risks relating to Canadian and United States taxation laws; and (xxxi) other factors described from time to time in our documents filed with the securities regulators in Canada and the United States.

We caution that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect future results. Readers are urged to consider these risks, as well as other uncertainties, factors and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based only on information available to us as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, BAM undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Past performance is not indicative nor a guarantee of future results. There can be no assurance that comparable results will be achieved in the future, that future investments will be similar to historic investments discussed herein, that targeted returns, growth objectives, diversification or asset allocations will be met or that an investment strategy or investment objectives will be achieved (because of economic conditions, the availability of appropriate opportunities or otherwise).

Target returns and growth objectives set forth in this news release are for illustrative and informational purposes only and have been presented based on various assumptions made by BAM in relation to the investment strategies being pursued, any of which may prove to be incorrect. There can be no assurance that targeted returns or growth objectives will be achieved. Due to various risks, uncertainties and changes (including changes in economic, operational, political or other circumstances) beyond BAM’s control, the actual performance of the business could differ materially from the target returns and growth objectives set forth herein. In addition, industry experts may disagree with the assumptions used in presenting the target returns and growth objectives. No assurance, representation or warranty is made by any person that the target returns or growth objectives will be achieved, and undue reliance should not be put on them. Prior performance is not indicative of future results and there can be no guarantee that BAM will achieve the target returns or growth objectives or be able to avoid losses.

Certain of the information contained herein is based on or derived from information provided by independent third-party sources. While BAM believes that such information is accurate as of the date it was produced and that the sources from which such information has been obtained are reliable, BAM makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, with respect to the accuracy, reasonableness or completeness of any of the information or the assumptions on which such information is based, contained herein, including but not limited to, information obtained from third parties.

FAQ

What were Brookfield Asset Management's fee-related earnings for the quarter?

Brookfield Asset Management's fee-related earnings were $552 million for the quarter.

How much capital did Brookfield Asset Management raise in the first quarter?

Brookfield Asset Management raised $20 billion in the first quarter.

What was the total dry powder available for investments as of March 31, 2024?

Brookfield Asset Management had $106 billion of dry powder available for investments as of March 31, 2024.

What strategic transactions did Brookfield Asset Management announce after the quarter ended?

Brookfield Asset Management announced acquiring AEL and Castlelake after the quarter ended.

What was the quarterly dividend declared by Brookfield Asset Management?

Brookfield Asset Management declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share.