Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN) and the best and worst performers in the custody bank industry.

Custody banks safeguard financial assets and provide services like settlement, accounting, and regulatory compliance for institutional investors. Growth opportunities stem from increasing global assets under custody, demand for data analytics, and blockchain technology adoption for settlement efficiency. Challenges include fee pressure from large clients, substantial technology investment requirements, and competition from both traditional players and fintech firms entering the space.

The 16 custody bank stocks we track reported a strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.5%.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 7% on average since the latest earnings results.

Best Q1: Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN)

Operating under the widely recognized Franklin Templeton brand since 1947, Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN) is a global investment management organization that offers financial services and solutions to individuals, institutions, and wealth advisors worldwide.

Franklin Resources reported revenues of $2.29 billion, up 8.7% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 11.8%. Overall, it was an incredible quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS and revenue estimates.

“Franklin Templeton delivered another strong quarter, with $17 billion in long-term net inflows across public and private markets, reflecting the strength of our diversified global platform,” said Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Resources, Inc.

Interestingly, the stock is up 17.5% since reporting and currently trades at $32.40.

Is now the time to buy Franklin Resources? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Voya Financial (NYSE: VOYA)

Originally spun off from Dutch financial giant ING in 2013 and rebranded with a name suggesting "voyage," Voya Financial (NYSE: VOYA) provides workplace benefits and savings solutions to U.S. employers, helping their employees achieve better financial outcomes through retirement plans and insurance products.

Voya Financial reported revenues of $1.93 billion, up 2.3% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 15.4%. The business had a stunning quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ revenue and EPS estimates.

Voya Financial delivered the biggest analyst estimate beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 10.1% since reporting. It currently trades at $91.51.

Is now the time to buy Voya Financial? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Slowest Q1: Hamilton Lane (NASDAQ: HLNE)

With over $100 billion in assets under management and supervision, Hamilton Lane (NASDAQ: HLNE) is an investment management firm that specializes in private markets, offering advisory services and fund solutions to institutional and private wealth investors.

Hamilton Lane reported revenues of $193.6 million, down 2.2% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 3.4%. It was a slower quarter as it posted a miss of analysts’ revenue estimates.

Hamilton Lane delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 6% since the results and currently trades at $80.

Read our full analysis of Hamilton Lane’s results here.

Federated Hermes (NYSE: FHI)

With roots dating back to 1955 and a pioneering role in money market funds, Federated Hermes (NYSE: FHI) is an investment management firm that offers a wide range of funds and strategies for institutional and individual investors.

Federated Hermes reported revenues of $479 million, up 13.1% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1.2%. It was a strong quarter as it also produced a beat of analysts’ EPS and revenue estimates.

The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $58.26.

Read our full, actionable report on Federated Hermes here, it’s free.

T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ: TROW)

Founded in 1937 by Thomas Rowe Price Jr., who pioneered the growth stock investing approach, T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ: TROW) is an investment management firm that offers mutual funds, advisory services, and retirement planning solutions to individuals and institutions.

T. Rowe Price reported revenues of $1.86 billion, up 4.8% year on year. This print lagged analysts’ expectations by 1%. Taking a step back, it was a mixed quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but a slight miss of analysts’ AUM estimates.

The stock is up 9.3% since reporting and currently trades at $109.77.

Read our full, actionable report on T. Rowe Price here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.