BLK 10-K Analysis: Private Markets Revenue Triples as Free Cash Flow Collapses
BlackRock reported record $14 trillion in AUM, record $698 billion in net inflows, and tripled its private markets revenue to $653 million quarterly after the HPS acquisition. But the same 10-K reveals GAAP EPS fell 16% to $35.31, free cash flow dropped 24% to $3.55 billion, and dividends now consume 91% of remaining cash. A 5-component decomposition of the $12.78-per-share GAAP-adjusted gap reveals that only $3 is genuinely temporary — the other $10 represents real, recurring costs hidden behind management's preferred metric.