Blackstone Inc. Annual Report, Year Ended Dec 31, 2011

Blackstone Inc. (BX) in its 2011 10-K filing reported robust growth in Assets Under Management (AUM) reaching $166.2 billion^a, marking a significant 30% increase year-over-year.

This expansion was driven by strong capital inflows across its Private Equity, Real Estate, Hedge Fund Solutions, and Credit Businesses segments, demonstrating successful fundraising efforts despite a challenging market environment. The company highlighted the successful closing of its sixth private equity fund, Blackstone Capital Partners VI L.P. (BCP VI), which it believed to be the largest fund raised for a private equity fund since the global financial crisis.

Furthermore, Blackstone expanded its credit platform with the acquisition of Harbourmaster Capital, solidifying its position as a major leveraged loan investor in Europe and the U.S. Financially, Blackstone reported total revenues of $3.3 billion^b for 2011, a modest increase from the prior year, driven primarily by higher management and advisory fees. However, the company experienced a net loss of $168.3 million attributable to The Blackstone Group L.P. This loss was largely influenced by significant equity-based compensation charges and amortization of intangible assets, common for asset managers post-IPO.

The filing also detailed the company's diversification into various alternative asset classes and its commitment to delivering strong returns to its limited partners, which include major pension funds, underscoring the positive societal impact of its investments through job creation and capital deployment. Investors should note the company's continued focus on growth through strategic acquisitions and its robust business model, even amidst prevailing economic uncertainties.