Invesco's September AUM fell 0.9% to $2.54 trillion, driven by $1.1 billion in long-term outflows, $5.7 billion in money-market outflows, and $16 billion in unfavorable market returns. However, the flagship QQQ ETF showed strength with 2% AUM growth to $498.9 billion. Peers Franklin Templeton and T. Rowe Price also faced sequential AUM declines in September, though Franklin Templeton recorded positive long-term net inflows for Q3.

T. Rowe Price (TROW) is highlighted as a stock with strong potential to beat upcoming earnings estimates. The company has demonstrated a consistent track record of beating earnings expectations, with an average surprise of 4.16% over the last two quarters. With a positive Earnings ESP of +2.93% and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), the stock shows indicators suggesting another earnings beat may be forthcoming.

Zacks identifies two finance stocks with positive Earnings Surprise Prediction (ESP) metrics that could beat quarterly earnings expectations. T. Rowe Price (TROW) has a +2.93% ESP with a Most Accurate Estimate of $2.69 per share ahead of its October 30, 2026 earnings release. Ares Management (ARES) shows a +0.47% ESP with a Most Accurate Estimate of $1.33 per share before its November 2, 2026 earnings report. Both stocks hold a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) rating.

T. Rowe Price offers a strong 4.93% dividend yield with 40 consecutive years of increases, but the stock has underperformed peers with only 5% annualized returns over 10 years. However, reinvesting dividends significantly improves returns to approximately 9% over 10 years and 7.5% over 20 years, making it competitive with other asset managers.

The article recommends three high-yield financial stocks positioned to maintain strong dividends even as interest rates rise: Realty Income (a REIT with 5.4% yield and 31 years of consecutive dividend increases), Brookfield Asset Management (4.2% yield with over $1 trillion in assets under management), and T. Rowe Price (4.8% yield with 39 years of consecutive dividend increases). These companies are better insulated from rising rate environments due to their scale, financial strength, and business models that don't directly depend on interest rate levels.

T. Rowe Price (TROW) declined 1.48% on September 15, 2026, outpacing the S&P 500's 0.45% loss. The stock has fallen 4.22% over the past month, underperforming the Finance sector. The company is expected to report lower EPS of $2.62 (down 6.76% YoY) but revenue growth of $1.97 billion (up 3.87% YoY). TROW holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) with a Forward P/E of 10.41, trading at a discount to its industry average.

Active ETFs are experiencing explosive growth, capturing 42% of ETF inflows in 2026 compared to 26% in 2024. Asset managers like BlackRock, JPMorgan Chase, T. Rowe Price, and Franklin Templeton are capitalizing on this trend by offering actively managed ETFs. Companies that fail to adapt their mutual fund businesses to the ETF format risk being left behind, while those successfully pivoting to active ETFs are seeing strong stock performance.

T. Rowe Price has launched the T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF (TKNZ), the first actively managed multi-cryptocurrency spot ETF. Unlike existing crypto ETFs that focus on single coins, this fund holds eight cryptocurrencies with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Binance Coin comprising about 70.6% of the portfolio. The fund charges 0.75% annually and is backed by experienced management, potentially appealing to investors seeking diversified crypto exposure without individual coin selection.

The article compares KKR & Co., a private equity and alternative assets manager, against T. Rowe Price Group, an active management firm specializing in retirement accounts. While KKR has higher AUM growth (17% YoY to $744B), it faces risks from market sensitivity and client redemptions if performance lags. T. Rowe Price offers more stable, recurring revenue from retirement assets (67% of AUM) with robust 28.5% net margins and trades at a lower valuation (11.2x Forward P/E vs. sector average 16.6x). The author recommends T. Rowe Price as the better 2026 buy due to its reliable business model, competitive advantages in ETFs and separately managed accounts, and attractive valuation.

Markets face headwinds from rising inflation (3.8% YoY), elevated bond yields (10-year Treasury at 4.631%), ongoing Iran conflict, and upcoming NVIDIA earnings. The article recommends high-dividend stocks with 5%+ yields and 20%+ upside potential as defensive positions, highlighting Columbia Banking System and T. Rowe Price Group as examples of financially resilient companies with strong dividend histories.

The article recommends three dividend stocks for investors seeking passive income: Vici Properties (a casino REIT with 6.19% yield and 100% occupancy), PepsiCo (4.1% yield with strong Q1 2026 earnings growth), and T. Rowe Price Group (4.9% yield approaching Dividend King status with solid financials and low debt).

T. Rowe Price Group announced a quarterly dividend of $1.30 per share payable June 29, 2026. At its annual meeting, stockholders elected 13 directors, approved executive compensation through advisory vote, and ratified KPMG LLP as the independent auditor for 2026.