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what it is
Goldman Sachs helps big companies, governments, and wealthy clients move money, raise money, and manage money.
how it gets paid
Last year Goldman Sachs made $80.4B in revenue. Global Banking & Markets was the main engine at $52.3B, or 65% of sales.
why growth slowed
Revenue fell 1.3% last year. Revenue came in at $60.0B, against $80.4B for the full year.
what just happened
Goldman posted $14.01 in EPS, beating the $13.22 estimate by 5.98%.
At a glance
A+ balance sheet — rock-solid finances — built to survive anything
50/100 earnings predictability — expect surprises
17.8x trailing p/e — the market's not buying it — or you found a deal
1.9% dividend yield — cash in your pocket every quarter
5.5% return on capital — nothing to write home about
xvary composite: 89/100 — above average
What they do
Goldman Sachs helps big companies, governments, and wealthy clients move money, raise money, and manage money.
Goldman’s Global Banking & Markets segment made 65% of 2024 revenue. That means your money is tied to deal flow and trading, not a single product. It also oversees $3.13 trillion in assets under supervision, which means client money it watches for fees. Leaving is painful because clients are buying access, speed, and a firm that already knows the room.
How they make money
$80.4B
annual revenue · their business grew -1.3% last year
Global Banking & Markets
$52.3B
Asset & Wealth Management
$24.1B
Platform Solutions
$4.0B
The products that matter
trading and market-making
Global Markets
71.1% of revenue
it generates $41.5B from fixed income, equities, and commodities activity. that scale is why Goldman prints huge quarters when clients need liquidity.
71% of rev
asset and wealth management
Investment Management
28.6% of revenue
this line brings in $16.7B of annual fees. paired with $3.45T in client assets, it matters because recurring fees are calmer than trading revenue.
29% of rev
consumer and partner platforms
Platform Solutions
5.0% of revenue
it contributes $4.0B. small on revenue, large on headlines, because this is where Goldman learned that consumer finance can be expensive tuition.
5% of rev
Key numbers
$900
18-mo target
The stock is at $899, so the target gives you almost no cushion. The market already priced the near-term answer.
$3.13T
assets supervised
That is a giant pile of client money to oversee. More assets usually means more fee-bearing relationships to defend.
1.9%
dividend yield
You get paid 1.9% while you wait. That is income, not a reason to ignore a flat price target.
5.5%
return on capital
Goldman is earning 5.5% on the capital it uses. That is the business turning balance-sheet size into middling returns, not magic.
Financial health
A+
strength
- balance sheet grade A+ — near the highest rating possible
- risk rank 2 — safer than 80% of stocks
- price stability 70 / 100
- long-term debt $276.9B (51% of capital)
- net profit margin 15.0% — keeps 15 cents of every dollar in revenue
- return on equity 12% — $0.12 profit for every $1 investors have put in
A+ — balance sheet grade looks solid but long-term debt needs watching.
Total return vs. market
You invested $10,000 in GS 3 years ago → it's now worth $28,050.
The index would have given you $13,920.
source: institutional data · total return
What just happened
beat estimates
Goldman posted $14.01 in EPS, beating the $13.22 estimate by 5.98%.
Revenue came in at $60.0B, against $80.4B for the full year. Value Line says FY2025 EPS was $50.50, while Yahoo's trailing EPS is $49.0, so the tape is in the same neighborhood.
$60.0B
revenue
$14.01
eps
15.0%
net margin
the number that mattered
The $0.79 EPS beat mattered most. It shows Goldman can turn a $60.0B quarter into more profit than Wall Street expected.
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goldman sachs likely recorded strong profits in 2025.solid gains across its global banking & markets, asset & wealth management, and platform solutions segment bolstered totals over the past few months.
-
and goldman closed the september period with a record $3.45 trillion in assets under management (aus).indeed, the investment bank registered double-digit bottom-line gains over the first three quarters of the year.
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we expect earnings per share advanced 25% in 2025.
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revenues, which include interest income, probably came in flat last year.
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the investment bank is poised to do well this year, too.
source: company earnings report, 2026
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What could go wrong
the #1 visible risk is the EngageSmart-linked $4.0B lawsuit exposure, because it comes with an actual price tag instead of the usual bank-vague handwaving.
med
EngageSmart-linked legal hit
A February 2026 court ruling rejected Goldman’s defense in the EngageSmart case. The source feed points to potential damages of $4.0B tied to the payment-processing partnership.
$4.0B is the cleanest dollar risk anywhere on this page. That is why it matters.
med
board and oversight scrutiny
The Scott+Scott investigation is about whether directors failed their oversight duties around risk management and consumer-finance ventures. Legal process is one thing. Questions about controls are another.
The source risk feed ties that pressure to $12.1B–$20.1B of revenue exposure if scrutiny spills into regulators, partners, or client confidence.
med
trade-policy shock
Goldman’s own research warns tariffs and retaliation can hit internationally exposed names. For Goldman, the danger is not steel prices. It is slower deal flow, lower issuance, and less client risk-taking.
The source range is $8.0B–$12.1B of revenue exposure. That is scenario math, not a promise, but it is too large to ignore.
The visible legal hit is $4.0B. The broader risk stack reaches roughly $20.1B of revenue exposure in the source feed. If you own Goldman, watch whether legal problems stay contained to old platform bets or bleed into the core franchise.
source: institutional data · regulatory filings · risk analysis
Pay attention to
earnings
q1 2026 earnings release
April 13, 2026 before market open — analysts expect $16.14 EPS versus $14.01 last quarter. That is a high bar.
legal
EngageSmart case damages phase
The headline number is $4.0B. You want to know whether that stays a contained legal cost or turns into a broader conduct story.
capital
capital returns after the dividend reset
The move to $4.50 from $2.50 was large. If Goldman keeps returning cash at this pace, the market will keep taking the payout story more seriously.
trend
whether fee businesses keep closing the gap
Record $3.45T client assets and a seven-quarter record banking backlog both point to better mix. You want more of Goldman’s earnings to come from fees and less from one great trading quarter.
Analyst rankings
earnings predictability
50 / 100
in human-speak, analysts think the quarter can move around a lot because trading and deal activity do not arrive on a schedule.
source: institutional data
Institutional activity
institutions have been net buying for 3 consecutive quarters — 1,287 buyers vs. 1,020 sellers in 3q2025. total institutional holdings: 0.2B shares. net buying for 3 quarters.
source: institutional data
Price targets
3-5 year target range
$684
$1345
$899
current price
$900
target midpoint · +0% from current · 3-5yr high: $1035 (+15% · 6% ann'l return)
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