Houlihan Lokey Appoints Géraud Estrangin as Managing Director
Houlihan Lokey's stock rose by 3.91% as it reached a 20-day high, reflecting positive market conditions.
The company announced the appointment of Géraud Estrangin as Managing Director in its Industrials Group, focusing on aerospace and defense in Europe. This strategic move is expected to enhance the firm's competitiveness in a vibrant deal-making environment, with Estrangin bringing nearly three decades of experience in investment banking. His expertise is anticipated to solidify Houlihan Lokey's position as a leading advisory platform, further driving growth in its Aerospace, Defense & Government practice, which has completed around 30 transactions in the past 18 months.
This appointment is likely to bolster Houlihan Lokey's capabilities in executing complex transactions, thereby supporting its sustained growth trajectory in the industrial sector.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Analyst Views on HLI
About HLI
About the author

- Executive Appointments: Houlihan Lokey announced the appointments of Philipp Widmann as Managing Director and Henning Stoltze as Director, aimed at enhancing its coverage in the European specialty distribution sector, reflecting the firm's confidence in the ongoing growth of this market.
- Team Expansion: Widmann will lead the new team, leveraging over a decade of M&A and capital markets experience from Baird to deliver bespoke cross-border solutions, which is expected to enhance the firm's competitive position in the European market.
- Market Leadership: This appointment complements the recent addition of Géraud Estrangin in Paris, further strengthening Houlihan Lokey's expertise in aerospace and defense, indicating the firm's deep sector knowledge across multiple subsectors.
- Strategic Vision: Bill Peluchiwski, Global Head of Industrials, stated that this appointment represents an important milestone in the expansion of the global Industrials Group, emphasizing the continued growth potential in the European specialty distribution market.
- Analyst Rating Changes: Top Wall Street analysts have adjusted their ratings on META stock, reflecting varying market perspectives on the company's future performance, which could influence investor decisions.
- Increased Market Attention: As analysts focus more on META, investors may reassess their portfolios, particularly against the backdrop of volatility in tech stocks.
- Rating Page Update: Comprehensive information on analyst rating changes can be found on our analyst ratings page, offering a complete view of META and other stocks to aid investors in making informed decisions.
- Lack of Investment Advice: While rating changes are provided, Benzinga does not offer specific investment advice, leaving investors to evaluate risks and rewards independently.
- Quarterly Dividend Announcement: Houlihan Lokey declares a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share with a forward yield of 1.33%, indicating the company's ongoing commitment to stable cash flow and shareholder returns.
- Dividend Payment Timeline: The dividend is payable on March 15, with a record date of March 2 and an ex-dividend date also on March 2, ensuring shareholders receive timely returns and bolstering investor confidence.
- Financial Performance Beats Expectations: In its Q3 2026 earnings report, Houlihan Lokey reported a non-GAAP EPS of $1.94, exceeding expectations by $0.07, with revenue of $717M surpassing forecasts by $13.08M, reflecting strong profitability and market demand.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: With the company's valuation becoming more attractive, Houlihan Lokey's performance and future growth potential in the financial services sector receive positive evaluations from analysts, potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Earnings Release Date: Houlihan Lokey (HLI) is set to announce its Q3 earnings on January 28th after market close, with a consensus EPS estimate of $1.87, reflecting a 14% year-over-year increase, which could further solidify its market position in financial services.
- Revenue Expectations: The anticipated revenue for Q3 is $703.92 million, representing an 11% year-over-year growth, indicating the company's strong performance in a growing market environment, potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Historical Performance: Over the past two years, HLI has beaten both EPS and revenue estimates 100% of the time, showcasing its robust profitability and market adaptability, which enhances investor confidence.
- Estimate Revision Dynamics: Despite experiencing four upward and five downward revisions in EPS estimates over the last three months, along with one upward and four downward revisions in revenue estimates, this reflects varying market perceptions of the company's future performance, which may impact short-term stock price volatility.
- Value Leadership: Morgan Stanley advised on transactions totaling $872.7 billion in 2025, making it the top advisor by deal value, showcasing its significant influence in high-value transactions.
- Volume Advantage: Houlihan Lokey managed 318 deals in 2025, maintaining its leadership position by volume, indicating its broad market influence and client trust.
- Billion-Dollar Deal Proportion: More than one-third of Morgan Stanley's advised deals were billion-dollar transactions, with 18 mega deals exceeding $10 billion, further solidifying its market leadership.
- Competitor Performance: While Morgan Stanley led in deal value, JPMorgan ranked second with $840.7 billion in advised transactions, highlighting the competitive intensity and activity in the market.

- Acquisition of Audere Partners: Houlihan Lokey will acquire a controlling interest in Audere Partners, enhancing its position as a leading mid-cap advisory platform in France, with plans to expand its French team to approximately 80 members, thereby increasing market competitiveness.
- Integration of Mellum Capital: The acquisition of Mellum Capital's real estate capital advisory business will further expand Houlihan Lokey's infrastructure debt advisory capabilities and enhance client support across the capital structure, improving overall service offerings.
- Leadership Team Addition: The entire senior leadership team from Audere Partners, including Patrick Maurel and others, will join Houlihan Lokey, bringing extensive industry experience that will aid the firm's expansion in the European market.
- Transaction Timeline: The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, after which Audere Partners will be integrated under the Houlihan Lokey brand, marking a significant step in the company's strategic positioning in Europe.








