What trends in BLK's earnings surprises suggest for 2025?

BlackRock's (BLK) earnings trends for 2025 suggest a positive outlook with potential for growth, despite some cautious notes from analysts.

1. **Expected Earnings Growth**: Analysts anticipate a year-over-year increase in earnings for the quarter ended December 2024, with expectations of $11.38 per share, up from $9.66 per share in the year-ago period. This indicates a positive earnings trend heading into 2025.
2. **Revenue Expectations**: Alongside the earnings growth, BlackRock is also expected to report higher revenues, which could suggest a strong business performance and potential for further expansion.
3. **Analyst Optimism**: Despite a recent negative outlook from Zacks Research, which decreased Q1 2025 earnings per share estimates, the overall analyst sentiment appears positive. KBW and Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analysts have raised price targets and highlighted growth potential and initiatives, which could reflect confidence in BlackRock's performance in 2025.
4. **Margin Improvement**: BlackRock's expectation of mid-to-high single-digit G&A growth for 2025 and an 80bps margin improvement to 45.3% suggest a focus on profitability enhancement, which could positively impact earnings.

In conclusion, while there are some cautious notes from analysts, the overall trends in BLK's earnings surprises and analyst expectations suggest a positive outlook for BlackRock in 2025, with potential for earnings and revenue growth.