Finance

UK's Aberdeen signals improving momentum as flows and assets beat forecasts

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on January 21, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: January 21, 2026

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Jan 21 (Reuters) - British money manager Aberdeen reported 3.9 billion pounds ($5.24 billion) of net outflows of client cash in 2025 on Wednesday, as CEO Jason Windsor presses ahead with a turnaround

Aberdeen Reports Stronger Flows and Assets, Surpassing Expectations

Aberdeen's Financial Performance Overview

Jan 21 (Reuters) - British money manager Aberdeen reported better-than-expected flows and managed assets on Wednesday, helped by better market performance last year and mirroring trends seen across the sector.

Market Trends and Competitor Analysis

Active money managers have begun to signal an improvement in their financial health recently, after years of struggling to compete with the rising popularity of low-cost index tracking funds offered by U.S. giants such as BlackRock and Vanguard.

CEO Strategy and Company Outlook

Aberdeen shares were up 2.6% at 220.6 pence by 0837 GMT. The company's shares gained 46% last year, outperforming the wider FTSE 250 index.

Shares of rival Quilter, which has a large client base of high-net-worth customers, also rose 3.6% on Wednesday as it posted record quarterly inflows of 2.37 billion pounds for the fourth quarter, driven by its affluent division.

While Aberdeen reported outflows of 3.9 billion pounds ($5.24 billion) for 2025, which included a previously flagged large mandate withdrawal, the figure still came ahead of expectations, as per analysts at Jefferies and JP Morgan.

Investors have also largely warmed up to Aberdeen CEO Jason Windsor’s strategy focused on trimming costs, improving profit growth and expanding its wealth unit. Windsor also ditched the company’s widely-mocked truncated abrdn brand last year.

Meanwhile, money managers Schroders and Ashmore issued forecast-beating trading updates last week, lifted by rallying markets last year.

Aberdeen's managed-assets rose 9% year-on-year to 556 billion pounds, while Quilter's jumped 18% to 141.2 billion pounds in 2025.  

($1 = 0.7443 pounds)

(Reporting by Iain Withers in London, Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala, Rashmi Aich and Louise Heavens)

Key Takeaways

  • Aberdeen reported $5.24 billion in net outflows in 2025.
  • CEO Jason Windsor is leading a turnaround strategy.
  • The outflows are part of Aberdeen's financial challenges.
  • The report was released on January 21, 2025.
  • Aberdeen is a major UK money manager.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cash outflow?
Cash outflow refers to the money that exits a business or investment, typically used for expenses, investments, or distributions to shareholders.
What is a turnaround strategy?
A turnaround strategy is a plan implemented by a company to improve its financial performance and return to profitability after a period of decline.
What are net outflows?
Net outflows occur when the amount of money withdrawn from an investment or fund exceeds the amount of money deposited or invested.

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