As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q1. Today, we are looking at custody bank stocks, starting with Cohen & Steers (NYSE: CNS).

Custody banks safeguard financial assets and provide services like settlement, accounting, and regulatory compliance for institutional investors. Growth opportunities stem from increasing global assets under custody, demand for data analytics, and blockchain technology adoption for settlement efficiency. Challenges include fee pressure from large clients, substantial technology investment requirements, and competition from both traditional players and fintech firms entering the space.

The 16 custody bank stocks we track reported a strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.5%.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 8% on average since the latest earnings results.

Cohen & Steers (NYSE: CNS)

Founded in 1986 as a pioneer in real estate investment trusts (REITs), Cohen & Steers (NYSE: CNS) is an investment manager specializing in real estate securities, infrastructure, real assets, and preferred securities for institutional and individual investors.

Cohen & Steers reported revenues of $145.6 million, up 8.3% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.6%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company.

Interestingly, the stock is up 15.2% since reporting and currently trades at $74.48.

Is now the time to buy Cohen & Steers? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q1: Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN)

Operating under the widely recognized Franklin Templeton brand since 1947, Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN) is a global investment management organization that offers financial services and solutions to individuals, institutions, and wealth advisors worldwide.

Franklin Resources reported revenues of $2.29 billion, up 8.7% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 11.8%. The business had an incredible quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and AUM estimates.

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 21.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $33.46.

Is now the time to buy Franklin Resources? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Slowest Q1: Hamilton Lane (NASDAQ: HLNE)

With over $100 billion in assets under management and supervision, Hamilton Lane (NASDAQ: HLNE) is an investment management firm that specializes in private markets, offering advisory services and fund solutions to institutional and private wealth investors.

Hamilton Lane reported revenues of $193.6 million, down 2.2% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 3.4%. It was a slower quarter, leaving some shareholders looking for more.

Hamilton Lane delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 4% since the results and currently trades at $81.73.

Read our full analysis of Hamilton Lane’s results here.

BNY (NYSE: BNY)

Tracing its roots back to 1784 when it was founded by Alexander Hamilton, BNY (NYSE: BNY) is a global financial institution that provides asset servicing, wealth management, and investment services to institutions, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals.

BNY reported revenues of $5.41 billion, up 13.8% year on year. This result beat analysts’ expectations by 4.3%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter as it also put up a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is up 10.3% since reporting and currently trades at $145.50.

Read our full, actionable report on BNY here, it’s free.

Affiliated Managers Group (NYSE: AMG)

Using a partnership approach that preserves entrepreneurial culture at its portfolio companies, Affiliated Managers Group (NYSE: AMG) is an investment firm that acquires stakes in boutique asset management companies while allowing them to maintain operational independence.

Affiliated Managers Group reported revenues of $544.9 million, up 9.7% year on year. This print missed analysts’ expectations by 1.8%. Overall, it was a slower quarter for the company.

The stock is up 20.7% since reporting and currently trades at $355.69.

Read our full, actionable report on Affiliated Managers Group here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Strong Momentum Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.