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Investing.com -- CVC Capital Partners’ shares rose more than 2% on Thursday, as investors reacted to better-than-expected 2024 earnings, even as the company issued a more cautious outlook for 2025.
Revenue, EBITDA, and net income all beat market expectations, driven by cost control, strong management fee earnings, and continued AUM growth.
While CVC warned that performance-related earnings in 2025 will likely be below historical levels, analysts noted that long-term growth targets remain intact, helping to lift the stock.
For 2024, adjusted revenue came in at €1.43 billion, 1% above consensus estimates, as management fees totaled €1.24 billion, meeting forecasts.
Performance-related earnings, including carried interest and investment income, exceeded expectations at €182 million, an 8% increase over consensus projections.
EBITDA reached €923 million, 5% ahead of forecasts, helped by lower-than-expected operating costs.
Personnel expenses were 2% below estimates, while general expenses were 7% lower, leading to an adjusted EBITDA margin of 65%, outperforming forecasts.
Net income surged 45% year-over-year, with adjusted net profit hitting €802 million. Earnings per share stood at €0.78, surpassing market forecasts of €0.69-0.72.
Assets under management expanded 50% year-over-year, reaching €147.3 billion by the end of 2024.
This growth was fueled by €50.6 billion in gross inflows, primarily from the activation of Europe/Americas Fund IX and Asia VI.
Acquisitions added €14.3 billion, while foreign exchange effects contributed another €2.2 billion. These gains were partially offset by €10.8 billion in exits and €7.1 billion in step-downs.
Despite the strong results, CVC’s 2025 guidance tempered expectations. The company projected performance-related earnings to remain "well below" the medium-term range of €400-700 million, with Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) forecasting €484-567 million.
Analysts at both Morgan Stanley and Barclays (LON:BARC) suggested that while short-term earnings pressure remains a concern, the company’s core management fee earnings remain solid.
CVC’s dividend for 2024 was set at €0.21 per share, slightly below market expectations.
Morgan Stanley rates CVC as "overweight", with a €25 price target, while Barclays maintains an "equal weight" rating, with a €22 price target. The stock last closed at €19.25, suggesting a potential upside.
Fundraising activity remained strong in 2024, with €1.5 billion raised through evergreen products like CVC-CRED and CVC-PE.
However, analysts warned that PFE (NYSE:PFE) growth in 2025 will depend on broader market conditions, capital availability, and the pace of exit activity.