As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q1. Today, we are looking at investment banking & brokerage stocks, starting with Houlihan Lokey (NYSE: HLI).

Investment banks and brokerages facilitate capital raises, mergers and acquisitions, and securities trading. The sector benefits from corporate activity during economic expansion, increased retail trading participation, and advisory opportunities in emerging sectors. Headwinds include economic cycle vulnerability affecting deal flow, compressed trading commissions due to electronic platforms, and regulatory capital requirements constraining certain higher-risk activities.

The 15 investment banking & brokerage stocks we track reported a mixed Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 0.8% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

While some investment banking & brokerage stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 3% since the latest earnings results.

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE: HLI)

Founded in 1972 and known for its expertise in complex financial situations, Houlihan Lokey (NYSE: HLI) is a global investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructurings, and valuation advisory services.

Houlihan Lokey reported revenues of $635.6 million, down 4.6% year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 6.4%. Overall, it was a disappointing quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA and revenue estimates.

“Despite a challenging external environment, fiscal 2026 was another record year for our firm, demonstrating the resilience and diversification of our business model. Although there is some uncertainty in the market as we enter fiscal 2027, we remain optimistic about the prospects across all three of our business lines,” stated Scott Adelson, Chief Executive Officer of Houlihan Lokey.

The market was likely pricing in the results, and the stock is flat since reporting. It currently trades at $146.85.

Is now the time to buy Houlihan Lokey? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q1: Evercore (NYSE: EVR)

Founded in 1995 as a boutique advisory firm focused on independence and client trust, Evercore (NYSE: EVR) is an independent investment banking firm that provides strategic advisory, capital markets, and wealth management services to corporations, financial sponsors, and high-net-worth individuals.

Evercore reported revenues of $1.40 billion, up 100% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 16.6%. The business had an incredible quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS and revenue estimates.

Evercore pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat and fastest revenue growth among its peers. Although it had a fine quarter compared to its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 5.1% since reporting. It currently trades at $323.24.

Is now the time to buy Evercore? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q1: Perella Weinberg (NASDAQ: PWP)

Founded in 2006 by veteran investment bankers Joseph Perella and Peter Weinberg during a wave of boutique advisory firm launches, Perella Weinberg Partners (NASDAQ: PWP) is a global independent advisory firm that provides strategic and financial advice to corporations, financial sponsors, and government institutions.

Perella Weinberg reported revenues of $148.9 million, down 29.7% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 10.5%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ revenue and EPS estimates.

Perella Weinberg delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 23.4% since the results and currently trades at $17.43.

Read our full analysis of Perella Weinberg’s results here.

Piper Sandler (NYSE: PIPR)

Tracing its roots back to 1895 and rebranded from Piper Jaffray in 2020, Piper Sandler (NYSE: PIPR) is an investment bank that provides advisory services, capital raising, institutional brokerage, and research for corporations, governments, and institutional investors.

Piper Sandler reported revenues of $469.5 million, up 22.5% year on year. This number beat analysts’ expectations by 8.2%. It was an exceptional quarter as it also produced a solid beat of analysts’ revenue and EPS estimates.

The stock is down 11% since reporting and currently trades at $77.62.

Read our full, actionable report on Piper Sandler here, it’s free.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS)

Founded in 1924 during the post-WWI economic boom by former JP Morgan partners, Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a global financial services firm that provides investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services to corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals.

Morgan Stanley reported revenues of $20.58 billion, up 16% year on year. This print surpassed analysts’ expectations by 4%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS and revenue estimates.

The stock is up 3.7% since reporting and currently trades at $190.18.

Read our full, actionable report on Morgan Stanley here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Strong Momentum Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.