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24 August 2025

Blue Owl Capital Expands With Aviation Venture And Institutional Backing

A flurry of new partnerships, strong institutional support, and ambitious growth targets are reshaping the investment narrative for the fast-growing asset manager.

Blue Owl Capital, a major player in the asset management world, has been making headlines lately for its rapid expansion and bold moves across several financial sectors. In early August 2025, Crestone Air Partners announced the launch of Blue Crest Aviation Partners—a new joint venture backed by Blue Owl Capital that will focus on acquiring mid-life commercial jet aircraft leased to airlines around the globe. According to Simply Wall St, this partnership deepens Blue Owl’s involvement in aviation finance and extends its reach into alternative asset strategies, signaling a notable shift in how the firm is seeking to generate income and diversify its portfolio.

But what exactly does this mean for Blue Owl Capital’s growth outlook and the broader investment narrative around the company? Let’s take a closer look at the facts, the numbers, and the perspectives of both investors and analysts.

The formation of Blue Crest Aviation Partners isn’t Blue Owl’s only recent foray into new territory. In July 2025, the company also announced a partnership with Voya Financial to create private market offerings tailored for retirement plans. Both moves underscore management’s focus on expanding the platform into new asset classes and investor segments. As Simply Wall St notes, these initiatives are designed to bolster recurring management fee growth from permanent capital vehicles and alternative asset strategies—a core part of Blue Owl’s long-term plan.

However, with expansion comes risk. While the Blue Crest joint venture and the Voya Financial partnership are expected to introduce new income streams, they also bring operational and integration risks. If synergy expectations aren’t met, net margins could take a hit. This is a crucial point for investors to keep in mind, especially given Blue Owl’s ambitious financial projections. The company’s narrative projects $4.2 billion in revenue and $4.2 billion in earnings by 2028, which would require a hefty 17.2% annual revenue growth and a $4.12 billion increase in earnings from the current $75.4 million.

Despite these challenges, institutional investors have shown strong confidence in Blue Owl Capital. According to recent disclosures with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its position in Blue Owl by 18.0% in the first quarter of 2025, acquiring an additional 48,921 shares for a total of 320,413 shares valued at $6,421,000. Vanguard Group Inc., one of the world’s largest asset managers, also lifted its holdings by 13.5% in the same period, now owning over 60 million shares worth more than $1.2 billion.

Other institutional investors have followed suit. Cresset Asset Management LLC increased its position by a staggering 4,278% in the fourth quarter of 2024, while Voya Investment Management LLC boosted its holdings by 163.2%. Squarepoint Ops LLC and Raymond James Financial Inc. also reported significant increases. Altogether, institutional investors now own about 35.85% of Blue Owl Capital’s stock, underscoring a broad base of support from sophisticated market participants.

On the trading floor, Blue Owl Capital’s stock has shown resilience. As of August 22, 2025, the stock traded at $18.7950, with a market capitalization of $29.12 billion. The company’s price-to-earnings ratio stands at a lofty 208.86, and its beta—a measure of volatility relative to the market—sits at 1.16. Over the past year, the stock has ranged from a low of $14.55 to a high of $26.73, reflecting both investor optimism and the inherent risks of rapid expansion.

Financially, Blue Owl Capital’s recent performance has been solid, though not without its challenges. On July 31, 2025, the company reported quarterly earnings of $0.21 per share, matching analysts’ consensus estimates. Revenue for the quarter came in at $703.11 million, beating the analyst estimate of $642.13 million. The company reported a return on equity of 19.64% and a net margin of 2.88%. Analysts predict that Blue Owl will post $0.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Investors will also be pleased to hear about the company’s dividend. Blue Owl Capital recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.225 per share, to be paid on August 28, 2025, to investors of record as of August 14, 2025. This represents an annualized yield of 4.8%, a notable figure for income-focused shareholders. The current dividend payout ratio stands at an eye-catching 1,000%, signaling the firm’s commitment to returning capital to investors, though such a high ratio may prompt questions about sustainability if earnings don’t ramp up as projected.

Wall Street analysts have taken notice of Blue Owl’s aggressive growth strategy and recent results. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded the stock from “market perform” to “outperform” in May 2025, raising their price target from $20.00 to $23.00. Evercore ISI, UBS Group, Wells Fargo & Company, and Oppenheimer have all issued price targets ranging from $20.00 to $26.00, with most maintaining a “buy” or “outperform” rating. According to MarketBeat, the consensus rating is “Moderate Buy,” with an average price target of $24.02.

Still, there’s plenty of debate about Blue Owl’s true value. Fair value estimates from the Simply Wall St community range from as low as $0.61 to as high as $28 per share. This wide spread highlights ongoing concerns about execution and integration risk, which could limit earnings quality if not carefully managed. As Simply Wall St puts it, “Valuation is complex, but we’re here to simplify it. Discover if Blue Owl Capital might be undervalued or overvalued with our detailed analysis, featuring fair value estimates, potential risks, dividends, insider trades, and its financial condition.”

For those considering building their own investment narrative, Blue Owl Capital’s story offers both promise and caution. The company is clearly not content to rest on its laurels, pursuing new partnerships and asset classes in a bid to drive recurring revenue and long-term growth. Yet, as with any fast-growing firm, the risks of overextension and failed integration loom large. Investors must weigh the allure of a 4.8% yield and robust institutional support against the possibility that Blue Owl’s ambitious targets might prove difficult to achieve if the complex web of acquisitions and joint ventures doesn’t deliver as planned.

In the ever-evolving world of asset management, Blue Owl Capital stands out as a firm willing to take calculated risks in pursuit of growth. Whether these bets will pay off remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Blue Owl is determined to shape its own destiny in the rapidly changing landscape of global finance.