Charles Schwab shares trimmed by Westpac as BlackRock posts strong earnings outlook

Westpac Banking Corp reduced its holdings in The Charles Schwab Corporation by 55.2% in the fourth quarter, selling 24,338 shares and ending the period with 19,790 shares valued at roughly $1.98 million. The trade was disclosed in Westpac’s latest SEC filing.

BlackRock reported a robust first‑quarter 2026 outlook, citing an adjusted operating margin of 44.5% and net inflows of $129.7 billion despite a 14.4% pullback in its stock price. The firm’s fee mix is shifting toward higher‑margin alternatives, now accounting for 16% of base fees after recent acquisitions of GIP, HPS and Preqin. BlackRock’s valuation remains attractive at about 18.7 times forward earnings, with analysts expecting revenue to climb from $27.9 billion in 2026 to $30.8 billion in 2027.