KKR & Co.'s Q2 Earnings Coming Up: Here's What You Should Know

The company boasts an impressive earnings surprise history. Its earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average beat being 3.82%.

Earnings & Sales Estimates for KKR

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings for the second quarter of 2026 is pegged at $1.42 per share, which has been revised upward over the past week. The figure indicates marginal growth from the year-ago quarter's reported figure.

The consensus estimate for sales for the second quarter of 2026 is pegged at $1.52 billion, reflecting a 18.5% year-over-year increase.

KKR & Co.'s Recent Developments

In May 2026, KKR completed its previously announced acquisition of Arctos Partners, expanding its presence in sports franchise investing and enhancing its GP solutions and secondaries capabilities. The transaction aligns with KKR's long-term strategy to scale its asset management platform and achieve at least $1 trillion in AUM by 2030.

The acquisition strengthens KKR's sourcing capabilities across private markets and expands its relationships with sports industry participants. It is also expected to enhance its wealth and institutional distribution capabilities, with perpetual and long-dated capital projected to account for nearly 53% of its $759 billion AUM.

Now, let us discuss the factors that are likely to have influenced KKR's second-quarter performance.

Key Factors & Estimates for KKR in Q2

KKR has been witnessing growth in fee-earning AUM and total AUM, supported by its diversified product and revenue mix, strong position in the alternative investments space and steady net inflows. With client activity remaining robust during the second quarter, the company is expected to have recorded further growth in AUM, driven by stronger inflows.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AUM is pegged at $782.4 billion, suggesting a rise of 14.1% from the prior-year quarter. Likewise, the consensus estimate for fee-paying AUM is pegged at $636.4 billion, indicating a 14.4% year-over-year increase.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for management fees (segment revenues) for the to-be-reported quarter is pegged at $1.17 billion, suggesting growth of 17.6% from the prior-year quarter. The consensus estimate for fee-related performance revenues (segment revenues) of $98.17 million implies an increase of 82.7% on a year-over-year basis.

Additionally, KKR is expected to have generated profits from deal exits during the to-be-reported quarter. Based on the company's preliminary estimate for the period between March 31 and June 24, 2026, total realized performance income and net realized investment income are expected to exceed $900 million, up from $475 million in the prior-year quarter.

Talking about expenses, KKR is likely to have reported elevated expenses in the to-be-reported quarter, due to higher employee compensation, commission and reinsurance expenses. The company anticipates expenses to remain elevated as placement fees increase with continued fundraising activity.

What Our Model Predicts for KKR

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for KKR this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy), or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is not the case here, as you can see below.

You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Earnings ESP: The Earnings ESP for KKR is -2.53%.

Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Performance of KKR's Peers

BlackRock’s BLK second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $13.91 per share handily surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $12.72. The figure reflects a 15% rise from the year-ago quarter.

BLK’s results benefited from a rise in revenues. The AUM balance witnessed robust year-over-year growth, driven by net inflows, to record levels. However, higher expenses created a headwind.

Blackstone’s BX second-quarter 2026 distributable earnings of $1.52 per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.33. The figure soared 26% from the prior-year quarter.

BX’s results benefited from a rise in AUM and higher revenues. An increase in GAAP expenses was the undermining factor.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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