Moelis & Company’s MC second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of 63 cents per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. The bottom line increased 18.9% from the prior-year quarter.
Results benefited from a rise in revenues. These were partially offset by an increase in expenses and lower other income. Also, the company had a solid liquidity position in the quarter.
Net income (GAAP basis) was $55.1 million compared with $46.8 million in the prior-year quarter. Our estimate for the metric was $40.4 million.
MC’s Revenues Improve, Expenses Rise
Total revenues (GAAP basis) in the quarter grew 12% year over year to $409.4 million. The top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $391.6 million. The increase was attributable to higher average fees earned per completed transaction.
Total quarterly operating expenses (GAAP basis) were $336.6 million, up 10.4% year over year. The rise was due to an increase in compensation and benefits and non-compensation expenses. Our estimate for total operating expenses was $323.8 million.
Other income (GAAP basis) was $2.5 million, down 30.1% from the prior-year quarter. We projected the metric to be $6.7 million.
As of June 30, 2026, the company had cash and liquid investments of $481.1 million, with no funded debt.
MC’s Share Repurchase Update
In the reported quarter, the company repurchased 0.3 million shares on the open market at an average price of $64.43 per share.
Our View on Moelis & Company
MC’s continued expansion of its advisory capabilities, strong client engagement and momentum in transaction activity bode well. The company also continues to execute its growth strategy. However, lower other income and rising expenses remain concerns.
Moelis & Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Moelis & Company price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Moelis & Company Quote
Currently, Moelis & Company has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Performance of MC’s Peers
Jefferies Financial Group’s JEF second-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended May 31) adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations of $1.03 missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.09. However, the bottom line increased significantly from the prior-year quarter.
Results were primarily aided by record investment banking advisory and underwriting net revenues, as well as record equities net revenues. However, a rise in expenses hurt Jefferies’ results to an extent.
Lazard Inc.’s LAZ second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of 12 cents missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 42 cents. This compared unfavorably with earnings of 52 cents in the year-ago quarter.
Lazard’s results were affected by lower revenues in the Financial Advisory segment and an increase in operating expenses. However, growth in the Asset Management segment and higher assets under management offered some support.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).