KKR Leadership Buys $35M in Stock After Dip
KKR's co-CEOs led a $35 million insider buying spree after the firm's shares fell 18% in recent weeks. The significant purchase is seen as a strong vote of confidence from senior leadership in the private equity firm's long-term strategy and current valuation. This action signals an alignment between management and limited partners regarding the firm's future prospects.
- The share purchases occurred on February 17, 2026, with Co-CEO Joseph Y. Bae and Co-CEO Scott C. Nuttall each acquiring 125,000 shares. Bae's purchase was valued at approximately $12.77 million, while Nuttall's totaled around $12.83 million. - Other insiders also participated in the buying, including Director Matt Cohler, who acquired 43,872 shares for about $4.5 million, and Director Timothy R. Barakett, who bought 50,000 shares for roughly $5.25 million. - The stock dip preceding the purchases followed KKR's fourth-quarter 2025 earnings report on February 5, 2026, where the firm announced an adjusted earnings per share of $1.12, missing analyst consensus estimates of $1.14. - Despite the earnings miss, KKR reported a record fundraising year in 2025, raising $129 billion in new capital, and maintained $118.4 billion in uncalled commitments, often referred to as "dry powder". - The firm's assets under management (AUM) grew to $744 billion by the end of Q4 2025, a 17% increase year-over-year. - In the weeks surrounding the stock dip and insider buying, KKR announced several major transactions, including the acquisition of sports-focused private equity firm Arctos Partners for $1.4 billion and leading a consortium to acquire ST Telemedia Global Data Centres. - Following the earnings report, some analysts adjusted their outlook; for instance, Barclays lowered its price target from $159 to $136, while Oppenheimer maintained an "Outperform" rating but slightly reduced its target from $190 to $187. - KKR is also reportedly exploring a sale of its IT services provider, BMC Helix, for as much as $1.5 billion, a move that would test the market for software deals.
