Ares Management shares surge 7.09% after-hours on record AUM, $113B fundraising, and 20% dividend increase.

Ares Management (ARES) surged 7.09% in after-hours trading following its Q4 earnings call, which highlighted record assets under management (AUM) of $622 billion, a 29% YoY increase, and a 20% higher dividend of $1.35 per share. The firm reported $994 million in Q4 management fees and $528 million in fee-related earnings (FRE), with a 41.7% FRE margin, while projecting margin expansion in 2026 from GCP integration and data center contributions. Deutsche Bank’s upgrade to Buy and Goldman Sachs’ maintained Buy rating despite a reduced price target also supported the rally. The earnings results and strategic tailwinds, including fundraising and deployment records, directly aligned with the stock’s upward move.