Ares Management Plummets to 341st in Trading Activity as Institutional Buyers Surge 128.7% Holdings Amid Mixed Earnings and $54M Share Sale Plan

On August 20, 2025, Ares Management (ARES) closed at $178.90, down 0.92%, with a trading volume of 0.31 billion, marking a 30.73% decline from the previous day. The stock ranked 341st in trading activity across the market. Recent developments include a significant institutional stake increase by Quantbot Technologies, which boosted its holdings by 128.7% to 48,523 shares, valued at $7.1 million. This move followed Ares’ Q2 2025 earnings report, where the firm missed EPS estimates by $0.12 but exceeded revenue forecasts with $1.35 billion in quarterly revenue.

A Form 144 filing revealed a planned sale of 300,000 shares through Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, with an aggregate market value of $54.18 million. The shares, acquired as founders’ shares in 2014, represent a notable block that could influence short-term liquidity. The filing also noted no prior sales by the seller in the past three months, though the absence of a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan details leaves uncertainty about the execution timeline. Analysts remain divided, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and a $178.19 average target price, reflecting cautious optimism amid mixed earnings performance and structural share movements.

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