The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who didn’t). Let’s take a look at how custody bank stocks fared in Q2, starting with Cohen & Steers (NYSE: CNS).
Custody banks safeguard financial assets and provide services like settlement, accounting, and regulatory compliance for institutional investors. Growth opportunities stem from increasing global assets under custody, demand for data analytics, and blockchain technology adoption for settlement efficiency. Challenges include fee pressure from large clients, substantial technology investment requirements, and competition from both traditional players and fintech firms entering the space.
The 16 custody bank stocks we track reported a strong Q2. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 3.2%.
In light of this news, share prices of the companies have held steady. On average, they are relatively unchanged since the latest earnings results.
Cohen & Steers (NYSE: CNS)
Founded in 1986 as a pioneer in real estate investment trusts (REITs), Cohen & Steers (NYSE: CNS) is an investment manager specializing in real estate securities, infrastructure, real assets, and preferred securities for institutional and individual investors.
Cohen & Steers reported revenues of $152.7 million, up 12.2% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.1%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company.
The market seems disappointed with the results as the stock is down 8.2% since reporting and currently trades at $74.41.
Is now the time to buy Cohen & Steers? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Best Q2: Hamilton Lane (NASDAQ: HLNE)
With over $100 billion in assets under management and supervision, Hamilton Lane (NASDAQ: HLNE) is an investment management firm that specializes in private markets, offering advisory services and fund solutions to institutional and private wealth investors.
Hamilton Lane reported revenues of $275.3 million, up 56.5% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 21%. The business had an incredible quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and AUM estimates.
Hamilton Lane delivered the biggest analyst estimate beat among its peers. Although it had a fine quarter compared to its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 6.8% since reporting. It currently trades at $88.42.
Is now the time to buy Hamilton Lane? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q2: StepStone Group (NASDAQ: STEP)
Operating as both an advisor and asset manager with over $100 billion in assets under management, StepStone Group (NASDAQ: STEP) is an investment firm that provides clients with access to private market investments across private equity, real estate, private debt, and infrastructure.
StepStone Group reported revenues of $300.6 million, up 26.6% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 3.9%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA and AUM estimates.
StepStone Group delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. As expected, the stock is down 5.8% since the results and currently trades at $47.39.
Read our full analysis of StepStone Group’s results here.
Invesco (NYSE: IVZ)
With roots dating back to 1935 when it pioneered the first mutual fund with an objective of capital growth, Invesco (NYSE: IVZ) is a global asset management firm that offers investment solutions across equities, fixed income, alternatives, and multi-asset strategies.
Invesco reported revenues of $1.33 billion, up 20.3% year on year. This print met analysts’ expectations. It was a satisfactory quarter as it also produced a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.
The stock is up 4.2% since reporting and currently trades at $31.39.
Read our full, actionable report on Invesco here, it’s free.
SEI Investments (NASDAQ: SEIC)
Founded in 1968 as Simulated Environments Inc. to train bank loan officers using computer simulations, SEI Investments (NASDAQ: SEIC) provides technology platforms, investment management, and operational solutions for financial institutions, wealth managers, and investors.
SEI Investments reported revenues of $641.6 million, up 14.7% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 0.7%. It was a very strong quarter as it also put up a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and AUM in line with analysts’ estimates.
The stock is up 7.1% since reporting and currently trades at $105.75.
Read our full, actionable report on SEI Investments here, it’s free.
Market Update
Over the past year, investors have been forced to repeatedly answer the same question: what is the market’s biggest risk? The answer has changed several times, and each shift has reshaped market leadership.
Late in 2025 and early 2026, artificial intelligence became the market’s primary uncertainty. Investors questioned whether AI would erode software pricing power and weaken competitive moats as AI made it easier to replicate once-differentiated products.
By the spring, technology took a back seat to geopolitics. The U.S. conflict with Iran briefly became the market’s dominant narrative, raising concerns about oil prices, inflation, and global growth. But as energy markets remained orderly and fears of a prolonged supply disruption faded, investors quickly turned their focus back to fundamentals.
Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.
