StepStone Group Inc. (STEP) saw its shares surge 7.73% in after-hours trading on Thursday following the release of its fourth-quarter fiscal year 2025 earnings report. The global private markets investment firm significantly outperformed analyst expectations, driving investor enthusiasm.

The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.68, handily beating the analyst consensus estimate of $0.44 and showing a substantial increase from $0.33 in the same period last year. Total revenues for the quarter reached $377.7 million, up from $356.8 million year-over-year and surpassing analyst projections of $229.4 million. StepStone's assets under management grew to $189 billion by the end of the quarter, reflecting a 21% increase from the previous year.

Adding to the positive sentiment, StepStone maintained its quarterly dividend at $0.24 per share and declared an additional supplemental cash dividend of $0.40 per share of Class A common stock. These shareholder-friendly moves, coupled with the strong financial performance, likely contributed to the stock's significant after-hours rally.