Cohen & Steers, Inc. (CNS): A Bull Case Theory 

We came across a bullish thesis on Cohen & Steers, Inc. on Value investing subreddit by Abject_Set8851. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on CNS. Cohen & Steers, Inc.’s share was trading at $64.58 as of January 29th. CNS’s trailing and forward P/E were 21.53 and 19.19 respectively according to Yahoo Finance.

Cohen & Steers, Inc. is a publicly owned asset management holding company. CNS presents a compelling opportunity as a niche asset manager focused on real estate, infrastructure, and preferred securities, sectors poised to benefit from the U.S. Federal Reserve’s recent pivot from tightening to easing. Following the Fed’s policy shift in December 2025, CNS has already seen net inflows turn positive after nine quarters of outflows, signaling renewed investor confidence.

The firm’s differentiated focus, strong long-term fund performance, and reputation in real assets position it to capture the expected rebound in assets under management (AUM). Approximately two-thirds of CNS’s $90.9 billion AUM is invested in global real estate, with the remainder in preferred stocks and infrastructure, giving it a narrow economic moat and client loyalty. The company has a balanced AUM distribution across institutional, open-end, and closed-end fund channels, and its solid balance sheet—with no debt and ~$5 per share in cash—supports a generous dividend currently yielding ~4%.

CNS’s financial performance is recovering, with Q3 2025 revenues up ~12% year-on-year and fund flows turning positive. Morningstar projects operating margins to rebound to 35–38% and revenues to grow at a ~7% CAGR through 2029. The firm’s disciplined cost management and consistent dividend policy strengthen its attractiveness, while a rebound in real asset valuations could drive further upside.

Key risks include interest rate volatility, inflation pressures, and concentration in real assets, though CNS has historically navigated such cycles successfully. Catalysts include the Fed’s easing, rebounding asset prices, and renewed institutional inflows, all likely to drive a re-rating of the stock. With a 12–18 month target of $88—roughly +40% upside—plus a strong dividend, CNS offers an exceptional risk/reward profile for investors seeking exposure to the recovering real asset market.

Previously we covered a bullish thesis on BlackRock, Inc. (BLK) by Kroker Equity Research in February 2025, which highlighted the company’s diversified asset management business, strong inflows, Aladdin® platform, and private markets expansion. The stock has appreciated approximately 13.68% since our coverage as the thesis played out. The thesis still stands given BLK’s scale and diversified revenue. Abject_Set8851 shares a similar focus but emphasizes Cohen & Steers’ niche in real assets and Fed-driven inflow recovery.

Cohen & Steers, Inc. is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 28 hedge fund portfolios held CNS at the end of the third quarter which was 26 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of CNS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CNS and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None.