Jan 14 (Reuters) - Italy's five listed asset gatherers reported combined net inflows of around 68 billion euros ($79 billion) for 2025, up by 46.8% from 46.3 billion euros the previous year.
In December alone, combined net inflows totalled 18.2 billion euros, recording a four-fold increase versus the same month of 2024 boosted by Azimut's acquisition of North Square Investments LLc, a U.S. multi-boutique asset management and distribution platform.
Net inflows into more lucrative managed assets rose by around 336% froms December 2024 to a combined 17 billion euros, data showed.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
The fund management industry is under pressure to protect margins as it grapples with growing technology spending and competition from passive products and other cheaper forms of investment.
European asset managers, which have so far struggled to join forces, face competition from U.S. rivals that are hoovering up a large share of the continent's savings.
A plan by Italy's biggest insurer Generali and French banking group BPCE to merge their asset management operations collapsed at the end of last year after meeting strong opposition from the Rome government and some key Generali shareholders.
BY THE NUMBERS
QUOTE
"In 2025, we deepened our presence in existing markets, while entering new ones, notably in Morocco and Saudi Arabia. At the same time, we strengthened our U.S. footprint and Brazilian franchise," Azimut CEO and CFO Alessandro Zambotti said.
"We are very proud of ... net inflows reaching and exceeding the targets we had set (for 2025) both in qualitative and quantitative terms despite the context marked by the banking consolidation wave," Banca Generali CEO Gian Maria Mossa said.
($1 = 0.8587 euros)
(Reporting by Mirko Miorelli; Editing by Valentina Za)
By Mirko Miorelli
