## KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Bank of America lowered its price target on Ares Management (ARES) to $156 from $160, a $4 reduction, while maintaining a Buy rating on the stock.
- The target cut reflects BofA's adjustment to estimates for alternative and traditional asset managers ahead of third-quarter earnings results.
- Ares Management reported assets under management of $1.05 trillion as of June 30, 2026, establishing a key operating benchmark for upcoming earnings assessment.
- The stock closed at $115.35 on October 5, 2026, trading $37.94 below its 52-week high of $153.29, with a market capitalization of $66.4 billion.
- The company is scheduled to release third-quarter earnings on November 3, 2026, before market open, with a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET.
## DETAILED SUMMARY
BofA Securities, led by analyst Craig Siegenthaler, trimmed its price target on Ares Management to $156 from $160 on October 5, 2026, while reiterating a Buy rating on the alternative asset manager. The $4 downward revision came as part of a broader adjustment to BofA's estimates across the alternative and traditional asset management sector ahead of third-quarter earnings announcements.
Ares Management, which combines investment management with retirement services through its Athene platform, reported $1.05 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2026. This scale positions the company as a significant player in alternative asset management, with operations spanning credit, private equity, and retirement solutions. The firm's upcoming third-quarter earnings release on November 3, 2026, will provide investors with key metrics on fee generation and capital deployment across these business segments, making the AUM figure a critical operational benchmark for assessing company performance.
At the time of the target reduction, Ares Management stock traded at $115.35 on the New York Stock Exchange, representing a substantial decline from its 52-week high of $153.29. The stock's market capitalization stood at $66.4 billion, with the 52-week trading range spanning $99.56 to $153.29. Despite the price target reduction, BofA's continued Buy rating suggests the firm maintains confidence in the company's longer-term prospects, even as near-term estimates face pressure. The timing of the target cut ahead of earnings provides investors with revised guidance for evaluating the company's third-quarter results and forward-looking capital deployment strategy.
