StepStone Real Estate Awarded Global Indirect Firm of the Year and European Deal of the Year in PERE 2025 Awards

Rhea-AI Summary

StepStone Real Estate (Nasdaq: STEP) was awarded Global Indirect Firm of the Year and European Deal of the Year by PERE on March 2, 2026. The European award recognized SRE's recapitalization of Vitalia via SREP V, its GP-led secondaries fund.

Jeff Giller, Partner and Head of StepStone Real Estate, highlighted the honors as recognition of the firm's leadership in real estate secondaries and co-investments and the strength of its GP-led secondaries platform.

Key Figures

PERE first-place awards: 2 awards

1 metrics

PERE first-place awards 2 awards Global Indirect Firm of the Year and European Deal of the Year (PERE 2025 Awards)

Market Reality Check

Price: $43.14 Vol: Volume 3,053,084 is 1.63x...

high vol

$43.14 Last Close

Volume Volume 3,053,084 is 1.63x the 20-day average, indicating elevated trading activity before this awards news. high

Technical Shares at $43.14 are trading below the 200-day MA of $61.68 and 44.55% under the 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

STEP fell 8.17% while peers HLNE, JHG, OBDC, AMG and BXSL also showed smaller de...

STEP fell 8.17% while peers HLNE, JHG, OBDC, AMG and BXSL also showed smaller declines between about 0.36% and 2.25%, pointing to broader sector weakness despite the positive awards news.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 26 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Feb 26	Conference appearance	Neutral	+0.9%	Management presenting at RBC Capital Markets financial institutions conference.
Feb 12	Strategic partnership	Positive	-4.6%	Partnership with Utmost to offer evergreen private markets strategies in the UK.
Feb 05	Earnings results	Positive	+5.5%	Reported Q3 FY2026 results and declared a quarterly cash dividend.
Jan 27	Platform expansion	Positive	+0.1%	Hired veteran investor and launched S-Core Core/Core+ real estate platform.
Jan 22	Earnings date notice	Neutral	+0.4%	Announcement of date and logistics for upcoming Q3 FY2026 earnings release.

Pattern Detected

Recent news flow shows mostly aligned price reactions, with one notable divergence where a partnership announcement coincided with a decline.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, STEP has reported Q3 FY2026 results with a $0.28 dividend, scheduled and then delivered its earnings release, announced a UK distribution partnership, and expanded its real estate platform via the S-Core launch and a senior hire. Price reactions were generally modestly positive, except for a -4.6% move on the Utmost partnership. Against this backdrop, the PERE awards highlight continued momentum in StepStone Real Estate’s platform.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement showcases StepStone Real Estate’s recognition as a leader in real estate secondari...

Analysis

This announcement showcases StepStone Real Estate’s recognition as a leader in real estate secondaries and co-investments, capped by European Deal of the Year for the Vitalia recapitalization. It follows recent platform expansion via S-Core and broader firm milestones like Q3 FY2026 results and a $0.28 dividend. Investors may watch how such accolades translate into fundraising, deal flow and performance relative to asset management peers over time.

Key Terms

co-investments, recapitalization, gp-led secondaries

3 terms

co-investments financial

"recognizes SRE as a leader in real estate secondaries and co-investments;"

Co-investments are situations where one or more investors put money directly into a specific deal alongside a lead investor, rather than only investing in a pooled fund. Think of it like joining a friend to buy a single rental property instead of contributing to a real estate club; co-investing can give investors bigger exposure to a particular opportunity, lower overall fees, and more control, but also concentrates risk in that single investment.

recapitalization financial

"European Deal of the Year for its recapitalization of Vitalia, one of Spain’s largest care home owner-operators."

Recapitalization is a deliberate change to a company's mix of debt and equity—how much it borrows versus how much is funded by shareholders—accomplished by issuing or repaying debt, buying back shares, or issuing new shares. It matters to investors because it alters the company's risk profile, potential returns and cash flow stability: increasing debt can amplify returns but raises the chance of financial stress, while adding equity can dilute ownership but lower default risk—like swapping between a mortgage and savings to reshape household finances.

gp-led secondaries financial

"through SREP V, our GP-led secondaries fund, further underscores the strength..."

GP-led secondaries are transactions where the fund manager (the general partner) organizes a sale or transfer of existing private investments—often into a new vehicle—to give current investors a way to cash out or extend holdings. For investors, this matters because it provides an opportunity for liquidity or a revised holding period, but can also change fees, valuations and incentives; think of it like a landlord offering tenants a buyout or a lease extension under new terms.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

NEW YORK, March 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StepStone Real Estate (SRE), the real estate arm of StepStone Group (Nasdaq: STEP), announced today it was honored with two first place ranks by PERE (Private Equity Real Estate).

• Global Indirect Firm of the Year, which recognizes SRE as a leader in real estate secondaries and co-investments; and
• European Deal of the Year for its recapitalization of Vitalia, one of Spain’s largest care home owner-operators.

“We are proud to be recognized as an industry leader in real estate secondaries and co-investments,” said Jeff Giller, Partner and Head of StepStone Real Estate. “Receiving European Deal of the Year for the recapitalization of Vitalia through SREP V, our GP-led secondaries fund, further underscores the strength, depth, and continued success of our GP-led secondaries platform.”

The annual PERE awards recognize real estate investors, managers, advisors and individuals who have made a significant impact in the industry over the past year. Nominated and selected by the PERE editorial board, the awards remain among the highest-profile accolades in the global private real estate market.

About StepStone Group

StepStone Group Inc. (Nasdaq: STEP) is a global private markets investment firm focused on providing customized investment solutions and advisory and data services to its clients. As of December 31, 2025, StepStone was responsible for approximately $811 billion of total capital, including $220 billion of assets under management. StepStone’s clients include some of the world’s largest public and private defined benefit and defined contribution pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies, as well as prominent endowments, foundations, family offices and private wealth clients, which include high-net-worth and mass affluent individuals. StepStone partners with its clients to develop and build private markets portfolios designed to meet their specific objectives across the private equity, infrastructure, private debt and real estate asset classes.

Contacts:

Shareholder Relations:
Seth Weiss
shareholders@stepstonegroup.com
1-212-351-6106

Media
Brian Ruby / Chris Gillick / Matt Lettiero, ICR
StepStonePR@icrinc.com
1-203-682-8268

FAQ

What awards did StepStone Real Estate (STEP) win on March 2, 2026?

StepStone Real Estate won Global Indirect Firm of the Year and European Deal of the Year. According to the company, PERE recognized SRE for leadership in secondaries/co-investments and for the Vitalia recapitalization through SREP V.

Why did PERE name StepStone Real Estate Global Indirect Firm of the Year (STEP)?

Because SRE is a leader in real estate secondaries and co-investments, says the company. PERE’s editorial board nominated and selected firms that made significant industry impact over the past year.

What transaction earned StepStone Real Estate the European Deal of the Year award (STEP)?

The award recognized SRE’s recapitalization of Vitalia, a large Spanish care home owner-operator. According to the company, the deal was executed through its GP-led secondaries vehicle, SREP V.

How do these PERE awards affect StepStone Real Estate’s (STEP) market reputation?

The awards bolster SRE’s industry standing and visibility among investors. According to the company, the honors underscore the depth and continued success of its GP-led secondaries platform.

When was StepStone Real Estate’s recognition by PERE announced for STEP shareholders?

The recognition was announced on March 2, 2026. According to the company, the awards are annual and selected by PERE’s editorial board for significant industry contributions over the past year.

Where can investors find more information about StepStone Real Estate’s (STEP) awards and deals?

Investors can review company communications and investor materials for details about awards and transactions. According to the company, further context on the Vitalia recapitalization is available through its investor disclosures.