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KKR & Co (KKR)
NYSE:KKR

KKR & Co (KKR) AI Stock Analysis

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KKR

KKR & Co

(NYSE:KKR)

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Neutral 57 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:57Neutral
Price Target:
$91.00
▲(0.50% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/28/26
The score is held back primarily by weaker/volatile cash-flow history, elevated leverage and balance-sheet data uncertainty, and a clearly bearish technical setup (price below all major moving averages with negative MACD). Offsetting these are a constructive earnings-call outlook (confidence in exceeding 2026 FRE/ANI targets alongside record fundraising and embedded gains), but valuation remains a headwind given the high P/E and low dividend yield.
Positive Factors
Arctos acquisition expands platform
The Arctos deal structurally expands KKR into sports, GP solutions and secondaries, adding long-duration capital and new fee-bearing capabilities. Integrating a $15B AUM specialist can diversify fee pools, create cross-sell opportunities, and scale a new growth vertical over multiple years.
Record fundraising and large dry powder
Exceptional fundraising and $118B of dry powder give KKR durable deployment optionality across cycles. Sustained capital-raising builds fee franchises, supports fee-related earnings growth, and allows opportunistic investing that can drive realized gains and long-term carried-interest generation.
Diversified recurring fee base & strong FRE margins
A balanced mix of management fees across PE, real assets and credit reduces reliance on any single market. Fee-related earnings with ~68–69% margins underpin predictable recurring income, improving cash flow resilience and supporting long-term investment in platform growth and client servicing.
Negative Factors
Elevated leverage and balance-sheet uncertainty
Historically high leverage amplifies downside risk in weak markets and constrains strategic flexibility. The 2025 balance-sheet discontinuity (zero debt/smaller assets) introduces data uncertainty that weakens confidence in leverage metrics and makes assessing long-term solvency and covenant risks more difficult for stakeholders.
Inconsistent and volatile cash generation
Multi-year swings in operating cash flow and a steep 2025 FCF decline signal low predictability of internal cash generation. This volatility limits reliable funding for distributions, reinvestment, and balance-sheet de-leveraging, and makes long-term planning and stress-testing of the business model more challenging.
Carried-interest repayment drag on reported earnings
Required carried-interest repayments materially reduce adjusted net income available to shareholders and introduce recurring reporting drag. Until carry repayment obligations abate and realizations accelerate, carried-interest mechanics will constrain distributable earnings and create persistent volatility in reported profitability.

KKR & Co (KKR) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

KKR & Co Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionKKR & Co. Inc. is a private equity and real estate investment firm specializing in direct and fund of fund investments. It specializes in acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, credit special situations, growth equity, mature, mezzanine, distressed, turnaround, lower middle market and middle market investments. The firm considers investments in all industries with a focus on software, security, semiconductors, consumer electronics, internet of things (iot), internet, information services, information technology infrastructure, financial technology, network and cyber security architecture, engineering and operations, content, technology and hardware, energy and infrastructure, real estate, services industry with a focus on business services, intelligence, industry-leading franchises and companies in natural resource, containers and packaging, agriculture, airports, ports, forestry, electric utilities, textiles, apparel and luxury goods, household durables, digital media, insurance, brokerage houses, non-durable goods distribution, supermarket retailing, grocery stores, food, beverage, and tobacco, hospitals, entertainment venues and production companies, publishing, printing services, capital goods, financial services, specialized finance, pipelines, and renewable energy. In energy and infrastructure, it focuses on the upstream oil and gas and equipment, minerals and royalties and services verticals. In real estate, the firm seeks to invest in private and public real estate securities including property-level equity, debt and special situations transactions and businesses with significant real estate holdings, and oil and natural gas properties. The firm also invests in asset services sector that encompasses a broad array of B2B, B2C and B2G services verticals including asset-based, transport, logistics, leisure/hospitality, resource and utility support, infra-like, mission-critical, and environmental services. Within Americas, the firm prefers to invest in consumer products; chemicals, metals and mining; energy and natural resources; financial services; healthcare; industrials; media and communications; retail; and technology. Within Europe, the firm invests in consumer and retail; energy; financial services; health care; industrials and chemicals; media and digital; and telecom and technologies. Within Asia, it invests in consumer products; energy and resources; financial services; healthcare; industrials; logistics; media and telecom; retail; real estate; and technology. It also seeks to make impact investments focused on identifying and investing behind businesses with positive social or environmental impact. The firm seeks to invest in mid to high-end residential developments, but can invest in other projects throughout Mainland China through outright ownership, joint ventures, and merger. It invests globally with a focus on Australia, emerging and developed Asia, Middle East and Africa, Nordic, Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific, Ireland, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, France, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Caribbean, Mexico, South America, North America, Brazil, Latin America, Korea with a focus on South Korea, and United States of America. In the United States and Europe, the firm focuses on buyouts of large, publicly traded companies. It seeks to invest $30 million to $717 million in companies with enterprise values between $500 million to $2389 million. The firm prefers to invest in a range of debt and public equity investing and may co-invest. It seeks a board seat in its portfolio companies and a controlling ownership of a company or a strategic minority positions. The firm may acquire majority and minority equity interests, particularly when making private equity investments in Asia or sponsoring investments as part of a large investor consortium. The firm typically holds its investment for a period of five to seven years and more and exits through initial public offerings, secondary offerings, and sales to strategic buyers. KKR & Co. Inc. was founded in 1976 and is based in New York, New York with additional offices across North America, Europe, Australia, Sweden and Asia.
How the Company Makes MoneyKKR generates revenue primarily through management fees and performance fees from its investment funds. Management fees are typically calculated as a percentage of assets under management (AUM) and provide a steady income stream. Performance fees, also known as carried interest, are earned when the firm achieves returns above a predetermined threshold, aligning its interests with those of its investors. Additionally, KKR earns income from its balance sheet investments and strategic partnerships, which can involve co-investment opportunities with other investors. The firm's diversified investment strategies and global reach enable it to capitalize on market opportunities, contributing significantly to its overall earnings.

KKR & Co Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Assets Under Management
Assets Under Management
Indicates the total value of assets managed, reflecting the firm's ability to attract and retain investor capital, a key driver of fee-based revenue.
Chart InsightsKKR's Assets Under Management have shown consistent growth, with Total AUM and Fee Paying AUM both reaching record highs by mid-2025. This growth is supported by strong fee-related earnings and successful fundraising efforts, as highlighted in the latest earnings call. The firm's strategic initiatives, including significant capital deployment and expansion in life sciences, are driving this momentum. Despite minor concerns about the insurance segment and deployment timing, KKR's robust performance and strategic positioning suggest continued upward trajectory in AUM.
Data provided by:The Fly

KKR & Co Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 05, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 05, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call presented a strong set of operational and financial highlights: robust fee growth and diversification, record fundraising ($129B in 2025), meaningful deployment momentum ($95B invested in 2025) and record embedded gains ($19B). FRE grew 15% YoY with healthy margins and the firm signaled confidence in exceeding 2026 FRE and fundraising targets. Insurance economics and strategic holdings show accelerating contribution, and the Arctos acquisition expands strategic M&A optionality. Key headwinds and uncertainties include the carried-interest repayment drag on ANI, lower realized investment income versus peak years, the timing effects of cash accounting for insurance returns (which understates near-term P&L), and market/AI/tariff-driven investor sentiment risk. Overall, positive fundamentals and multiple growth levers outweigh the near-term accounting and market‑sentiment headwinds.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Quarterly EPS and Adjusted Net Income
Fee-related earnings per share of $1.08 in Q4; total operating earnings per share of $1.42; adjusted net income (ANI) per share of $1.12 including the carried interest repayment obligation (ANI ex-repayment $1.30).
Management Fee Growth and Diversification
Management fees of $1.1 billion in Q4, up 24% year-over-year (22% ex catch-up fees); full-year 2025 management fees of $4.1 billion with private equity, real assets and credit each contributing roughly one-third of total fees.
Fee-Related Earnings and Margins
Fee-related earnings (FRE) were $972 million in Q4, up 15% year-over-year, with an FRE margin of ~68% for the quarter and just over 69% for full-year 2025.
Record Embedded Gains
Total embedded gains across carry and balance-sheet gains were a record $19 billion at December 31, up 19% versus one year ago and more than 50% versus two years ago.
All‑time High Fundraising
Raised $28 billion of new capital in the quarter and $129 billion in full-year 2025 (the highest fundraising year in KKR's history). Credit platform raised a record $68 billion in 2025; K Series private-wealth products raised $4.5 billion in Q4 and over $16 billion for the year (nearly 2x 2024).
Progress Toward 2024–2026 Fundraising Target
Firm has raised over $240 billion to date — roughly 80% of the $300+ billion fundraising target established for the 2024–2026 period.
Deployment and Dry Powder Positioning
Invested $32 billion in the quarter and $95 billion for full-year 2025 (up 13% versus 2024); record infrastructure investment of nearly $15 billion; credit deployments of $44 billion (up 14% YoY); dry powder of $118 billion providing significant capacity to deploy into opportunities.
Insurance Economics and Growth
Insurance segment operating earnings of $268 million in Q4; management reports total insurance economics (including GA-related asset-manager economics) of $1.9 billion for 2025, up 15% year-over-year. Management also notes an incremental ~$100 million of Q4 mark-related returns not captured under cash accounting (i.e., insurance operating earnings would have been ~ $320 million).
Monetizations, Realized Performance and Carry
Realized performance income of $528 million in Q4 (ex the carried-interest repayment obligation) and realized investment income of $27 million, with monetization activity north of $550 million in the quarter. Gross monetization activity in 2025 was ~$2 billion and gross realized carried interest increased ~30% year-over-year.
Strategic M&A and Capital Allocation — Arctos Acquisition
Announced acquisition of Arctos (AUM ~$15 billion) valued at $1.4 billion in equity and cash with up to $550 million in additional long-term vesting equity contingent on performance; expected to be immediately accretive and to form a new KKR Solutions vertical targeting $100+ billion AUM over time. Strategic holdings operating earnings doubled year-over-year and Q4 was $44 million; tracking toward $350M+ in 2026.
Capital Markets and Fee Income Streams
Capital markets fees of $225 million and transaction & monitoring fees of $269 million in the quarter; fee-related performance revenue of $34 million in Q4, highlighting multiple revenue drivers beyond base management fees.
Dividend Increase
Announced increase in annual dividend from $0.74 to $0.78 per share, marking the seventh consecutive year of dividend growth since the C Corp conversion.
Negative Updates
Carried‑Interest Repayment Drag on Adjusted Net Income
Adjusted net income per share was $1.12 including the carried interest repayment obligation; exclusion of the repayment yields $1.30 per share — the repayment materially reduced reported ANI in the quarter.
Realized Investment Income Below Peak Years
Realized investment income was only $27 million in Q4, materially lower than peak years (approximately $1.3 billion in 2021 and nearly $1.0 billion in 2022), indicating that balance-sheet realizations remain below historical highs even though management expects increases going forward.
Insurance Accounting Choice and Timing of Earnings Recognition
KKR's cash accounting for Global Atlantic excludes certain accrued/mark-to-market returns from P&L (management noted ~ $90–$100 million in Q4 of accruals not included). This approach understates near-term reported insurance operating earnings versus mark-to-market peers and may create timing-driven volatility in reported insurance results as accruals convert to cash.
Market Sentiment, Volatility and Thematic Risks
Investor concerns about AI, tariffs and broad market anxiety were prominent on the call; while management says software exposure is only ~7% of AUM and tariff exposure is low, sector volatility (stock moves of >20% in a month historically) and thematic uncertainty remain potential near-term headwinds to investor sentiment.
Potential Variability in GA Run Rate and Spreads
Analyst questions signaled possible compression in net-investment spread and variability in quarterly GA operating outcomes; management reiterated a target run‑rate of ~$250 million+ per quarter but noted accrued income could increase to $300–$350 million, highlighting near-term variability as GA transitions asset mix and accounting approach.
Execution and Timing Risks on Arctos Deal
Arctos acquisition expected to close in Q2; transaction includes up to $550 million of contingent long-term equity tied to KKR share price and Arctos performance — introducing execution, integration and contingent-payoff risk despite management's confidence in strategic fit and near-term accretion.
Company Guidance
KKR reiterated its 2026 guidance and said it is “highly confident” it can meaningfully exceed its FRE per‑share target (previously ~$4.50+) and achieve $7+ of adjusted net income (ANI) per share assuming constructive monetizations (with the caveat that weaker markets could push realizations into 2027); supporting metrics cited include Q4 FRE $1.08 and FRE of $972M (68% margin; ~69% FY), Q4 total operating earnings $1.42/sh and Q4 ANI $1.12/sh (or $1.30 ex the carried‑interest repayment), management fees of $1.1B in Q4 and $4.1B for FY2025 (up 24% YoY), record fundraising of $28B in Q4 and $129B in 2025 (over $240B raised toward a $300B+ 2024–26 target), $118B of dry powder, $32B invested in the quarter and $95B in 2025 (up 13% YoY), $2B of gross monetizations in 2025 (realized carry up ~30% YoY), record embedded gains of ~$19B (up 19% YoY), Insurance operating earnings ~ $268M in Q4 (total 2025 insurance economics $1.9B net of comp), Strategic Holdings guidance of $350M+ operating earnings in 2026, and an intended dividend increase to $0.78/share (from $0.74) payable with Q1 2026 results.

KKR & Co Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Income statement trends are positive on growth and profitability (revenue up strongly in 2025 and positive net income in 2023–2025), but net margins have compressed notably since 2023 and results appear cycle-sensitive (2022 loss). Balance sheet risk is elevated due to historically high leverage (debt-to-equity ~2.1–2.5) and the 2025 balance-sheet discontinuity (e.g., zero debt/smaller assets) reduces confidence. Cash flow is the weakest area, with multi-year negative operating cash flow through 2023 and a sharp 2025 free-cash-flow decline after a strong 2024 rebound.
Income Statement
74
Positive
Revenue growth has been positive in recent years (2025: +15.2%, 2024: +0.5%, 2023: +1.6%) following a down year in 2022 (-0.7%). Profitability is solid overall with positive net income in 2023–2025, but margins have been volatile: net margin fell from 26.1% (2023) to 14.2% (2024) and 12.3% (2025), indicating weaker earnings conversion despite growth. The 2022 loss highlights that results can swing materially, consistent with a more market-sensitive earnings profile.
Balance Sheet
58
Neutral
Leverage looks elevated in the historical balance sheet, with debt-to-equity around ~2.1–2.5 from 2020–2024, which can amplify returns but increases downside risk in weaker markets. Return on equity improved strongly from negative in 2022 to healthy levels in 2023–2024, then stepped down in 2025 (to ~3.1%), suggesting reduced profitability on the equity base in the most recent period. Notably, 2025 shows zero total debt and a much smaller total asset figure versus prior years, which reads like a data inconsistency or reporting change versus trend—this uncertainty reduces balance-sheet confidence.
Cash Flow
46
Neutral
Cash generation is inconsistent: operating cash flow was negative in 2020–2023, rebounded strongly in 2024, then dropped sharply in 2025 (operating cash flow $0.48B; free cash flow $0.32B; free cash flow growth -93.8%). While free cash flow covered a meaningful portion of net income in 2024–2025 (about ~98% in 2024 and ~66% in 2025), the large year-to-year swings and prior multi-year negative cash flow profile point to higher cash-flow volatility and less predictability.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue19.26B21.64B14.32B5.57B16.11B
Gross Profit8.06B3.84B4.86B2.01B6.90B
EBITDA7.13B9.17B9.50B1.35B14.98B
Net Income2.37B3.08B3.73B-521.66M4.73B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets410.14B360.10B317.29B275.35B264.29B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments6.16M112.56B108.57B12.82B10.09B
Total Debt54.77B50.82B49.39B44.07B39.59B
Total Liabilities328.51B298.11B258.92B219.98B206.15B
Stockholders Equity30.90B23.65B22.86B18.81B17.58B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow317.00M6.51B-1.60B-5.36B-7.28B
Operating Cash Flow477.76M6.65B-1.49B-5.28B-7.18B
Investing Cash Flow-13.06B-19.05B-3.88B-13.65B-9.61B
Financing Cash Flow5.01B7.08B12.77B22.06B20.36B

KKR & Co Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price90.55
Price Trends
50DMA
115.92
Negative
100DMA
119.37
Negative
200DMA
127.16
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-7.09
Positive
RSI
31.60
Neutral
STOCH
22.23
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For KKR, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 90.55 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 99.35, below the 50-day MA of 115.92, and below the 200-day MA of 127.16, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -7.09 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 31.60 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 22.23 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for KKR.

KKR & Co Risk Analysis

KKR & Co disclosed 74 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. KKR & Co reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

KKR & Co Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (68)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
71
Outperform
$171.74B29.9010.74%1.92%15.79%-3.85%
68
Neutral
$18.00B11.429.92%3.81%9.73%1.22%
67
Neutral
$42.75B13.0560.51%1.26%5.76%39.77%
65
Neutral
$135.57B39.8735.78%3.02%33.12%19.86%
64
Neutral
$37.12B66.6212.40%2.65%50.70%7.32%
60
Neutral
$18.66B26.2914.23%2.30%-24.62%437.16%
57
Neutral
$83.65B47.888.69%0.56%-33.80%-24.81%
* Financial Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
KKR
KKR & Co
90.55
-31.72
-25.94%
AMP
Ameriprise Financial
465.68
-36.87
-7.34%
BLK
BlackRock
1,052.59
103.90
10.95%
BX
Blackstone Group
110.92
-36.11
-24.56%
CG
Carlyle Group
51.66
6.69
14.87%
ARES
Ares Management
112.65
-45.97
-28.98%

KKR & Co Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyM&A Transactions
KKR & Co to Acquire Arctos Partners in Expansion
Positive
Feb 5, 2026

On February 4, 2026, KKR Summit Holdings L.P., an indirect subsidiary of KKR & Co. Inc., agreed to acquire 100% of Arctos Partners, a Dallas-based investment firm that provides strategic growth capital and liquidity solutions to professional sports franchises and alternative asset managers, in a strategic deal initially valued at $1.4 billion, comprising $300 million in cash and $1.1 billion in KKR equity subject to long-dated vesting, plus up to $550 million in additional performance- and share-price-linked equity. The acquisition, announced publicly on February 5, 2026, will make Arctos a fully integrated unit within KKR, create a new KKR Solutions platform focused on sports, GP solutions and secondaries, bring a $15 billion AUM market leader in sports franchise stakes and GP solutions into KKR’s ecosystem, and is expected to be immediately accretive per share while increasing the firm’s long-duration capital base and strengthening its positioning in the fast-growing sports, GP finance and private equity secondaries markets, pending regulatory and sports league approvals and customary closing conditions.

The most recent analyst rating on (KKR) stock is a Hold with a $123.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on KKR & Co stock, see the KKR Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyPrivate Placements and Financing
KKR’s Global Atlantic Unit Secures New $3 Billion Credit Facility
Positive
Jan 16, 2026

On January 16, 2026, Global Atlantic Limited (Delaware), Global Atlantic (Fin) Company and certain of their insurance subsidiaries entered into a new unsecured revolving credit agreement with a syndicate of lenders led by Wells Fargo Bank, providing a 364-day credit facility of $3.0 billion, expandable to $3.5 billion, to fund working capital, general corporate purposes and growth initiatives. The facility, maturing January 15, 2027 and extendable with lender consent, features SOFR- or base rate-linked interest with ratings-based margins, commitment fees on unused amounts, guarantees from the parent entities, and customary financial covenants and restrictions, which together bolster the group’s liquidity profile while imposing leverage and net worth requirements and standard default rights that are relevant for creditors and other stakeholders.

The most recent analyst rating on (KKR) stock is a Hold with a $142.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on KKR & Co stock, see the KKR Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board Changes
KKR & Co announces immediate chief operating officer departure
Negative
Jan 9, 2026

On January 8, 2026, KKR & Co. Inc., a global investment firm specializing in alternative asset management across private equity, credit, and real assets, announced a significant leadership change. The company disclosed that Ryan Stork would step down from his role as Chief Operating Officer with immediate effect, signaling a notable shift in KKR’s senior management structure that may influence its operational leadership and internal governance dynamics.

The most recent analyst rating on (KKR) stock is a Buy with a $159.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on KKR & Co stock, see the KKR Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 28, 2026