BlackRock Inc.’s profits more than doubled in the fourth quarter, partially due to Merrill Lynch & Co.’s acquisition of 49.8 percent of the company.
The asset manager posted a net income of $169.4 million or $1.28 per share, compared with $72.9 million and $1.09 per share, in the same period in 2005.
The latest results published by BlackRock reflect the 25 cent per share one-time costs associated with joining Merrill Lynch, and the 8 cents per share charge for BlackRock’s long-term retention and inventive plans.
Adjusted earning equalled $211.7 million or $1.61 per share, up from $80.7 million and $1.21 per share the previous year. And revenue reached $1.02 billion from $369.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2005.
The acquisition between Merrill Lynch occurred in February 2006 when Merrill purchased a 49.8 percent stake in BlackRock in exchange for handing its asset management business to BlackRock.
At the end of the fourth quarter BlackRock’s assets under management total $1.125 trillion, up 13.4 percent.