5 Insightful Analyst Questions From Equitable Holdings’s Q2 Earnings Call

Equitable Holdings’ second quarter was marked by strong adjusted earnings growth, resilient net flows across its core segments, and notable progress on its pending merger with Corebridge. While the company’s sales declined year over year and missed Wall Street’s revenue expectations, non-GAAP operating earnings per share came in ahead of consensus, reflecting disciplined expense management and healthy business fundamentals. CEO Mark Pearson highlighted that, in addition to positive net flows in Retirement, Wealth Management, and Asset Management, the company returned a substantial amount of capital to shareholders, stating, “We ended the quarter with record assets under management and administration of $1.2 trillion, up 10% year-over-year, driven by positive net flows and uplift from favorable equity markets.”

Is now the time to buy EQH? Find out in our full research report (it’s free for active Edge members).

While we enjoy listening to the management’s commentary, our favorite part of earnings calls is the analyst questions. Those are unscripted and can often highlight topics that management teams would rather avoid or topics where the answer is complicated. Here is what has caught our attention.

Our Top 5 Analyst Questions From Equitable Holdings’s Q2 Earnings Call

• Ryan Krueger (KBW) inquired about integration planning progress and distributor feedback. CEO Mark Pearson emphasized organizational structure advances and positive distributor engagement so far.
• Suneet Kamath (Jefferies) asked about the timeline for selling Corebridge products through Equitable Advisors. CFO Robin Raju clarified this would begin post-merger close, with planning underway for immediate execution.
• Tom Gallagher (Evercore ISI) questioned the source and fee rate of the $12 billion commercial mortgage loan transfer to AllianceBernstein. AB’s Onur Erzan explained the fee rate is lower than firm average, with revenue recognition beginning in Q4.
• Wesley Carmichael (Wells Fargo) asked about net interest margin trends and the impact of pre-2020 RILA runoff. Raju cited disciplined pricing and book maturity as factors for spread stabilization.
• Tracy Benguigui (Wolfe Research) pressed on AllianceBernstein’s competitive advantages and private credit sub-allocations. Management pointed to differentiated insurance asset management and diversification within private ABS and direct lending.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In future quarters, the StockStory team will be monitoring (1) the completion and integration milestones of the Corebridge merger, (2) sustained organic net flows in Retirement and Wealth Management, and (3) execution on expense and revenue synergy targets. Additional focus will be on the redeployment of capital from the Employee Benefits divestiture and improvements in alternative investment returns, which could influence overall profitability.

Equitable Holdings currently trades at $52.12, up from $48.25 just before the earnings. In the wake of this quarter, is it a buy or sell? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

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