Company: TROW
Filing Date: 2025-02-14
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001113169-25-000007
Chunk: 104

Company: PRICE T ROWE GROUP INC
Filing Date: 2025-02-14
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 7
Chunk 104
---
 investment performance, and net cash flows. As our average assets under management increase or decrease in a given period, the level of our investment advisory fees for that same period generally fluctuate in a similar manner. Our annualized effective fee rates can be impacted by market or cash flow related shifts among asset and share classes, shifts among vehicles, price changes in existing products, and asset level changes in products with tiered-fee structures.

Investment advisory fees earned in 2024 increased 12.1% compared to 2023 as average assets under management increased $199.6 billion, or 14.7%, to $1,561.9 billion. 

The average annualized effective fee rate, excluding performance-based advisory fees, earned on our assets under management was 41.0 basis points in 2024, compared to 41.9 basis points earned in 2023. Our effective fee rate has declined largely due to a mix shift in assets toward lower fee products and asset classes from client flows and transfers, partially offset by higher market returns. The average annualized fee rate, excluding performance-based fees, was 40.5 basis points for the fourth quarter of 2024.

Operating expenses were $4,760.3 million in 2024, an increase of 6.4% compared to 2023. The increase was primarily driven by higher compensation costs, distribution and servicing costs, and advertising and promotion costs. Additionally, 2023 included a $82.4 million reduction in operating expenses related to the remeasurement of the contingent consideration liability compared to a $13.4 million reduction in 2024.

Page 36

On a non-GAAP basis, operating expenses were $4,498.8 million, an increase of 5.6% compared to 2023. The increase in our non-GAAP operating expenses was primarily driven by higher costs across compensation and benefits, distribution and servicing, advertising, professional fees, and a non-recurring recovery of general and administrative costs recognized in 2023. These increases were partially offset by lower external research fees, lower accrued carried interest compensation, and higher capitalized labor. In 2024, the firm changed its approach to paying for external research, consistent with regulations and general industry practice.

We currently estimate our 2025 non-GAAP operating expenses, excluding non-GAAP accrued carried interest compensation, will grow in the range of 4%-6% from the 2024 amount of $4,456.3 million. We could