Blackstone Inc

1. Organization

Blackstone Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries (“Blackstone” or the “Company”), is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone’s asset management business includes global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, credit, real assets, secondaries and hedge funds. “Blackstone Funds” refers to the funds and other vehicles that are managed by Blackstone. Blackstone’s business is organized into

four segments: Real Estate, Private Equity, Credit & Insurance and Hedge Fund Solutions.

Blackstone Inc. was initially formed as The Blackstone Group L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, on March 12, 2007. Prior to its conversion on July 1, 2019 to a Delaware corporation, Blackstone Inc. was managed and operated by Blackstone Group Management L.L.C., which is wholly owned by Blackstone’s senior managing directors and controlled by

one of Blackstone’s founders, Stephen A. Schwarzman (the “Founder”).

The activities of Blackstone are conducted through its holding partnerships: Blackstone Holdings I L.P., Blackstone Holdings AI L.P., Blackstone Holdings II L.P., Blackstone Holdings III L.P. and Blackstone Holdings IV L.P. (collectively, “Blackstone Holdings,” “Blackstone Holdings Partnerships” or the “Holding Partnerships”). Blackstone, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is the sole general partner of each of the Holding Partnerships. Generally, holders of the limited partner interests in the Holding Partnerships may, four times each year, exchange their limited partnership interests (“Partnership Units”) for Blackstone common stock, on a one-to-one basis, exchanging one Partnership Unit from each of the Holding Partnerships for one share of Blackstone common stock.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of Blackstone have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Blackstone, its wholly owned or majority-owned subsidiaries, the consolidated entities which are considered to be variable interest entities and for which Blackstone is considered the primary beneficiary, and certain partnerships or similar entities which are not considered variable interest entities but in which the general partner is determined to have control.

All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Management believes that estimates utilized in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements are prudent and reasonable. Such estimates include those used in the valuation of investments and financial instruments, the measurement of deferred tax balances (including valuation allowances) and the accounting for Goodwill and equity-based compensation. Actual results could differ from those estimates and such differences could be material.

Consolidation

Blackstone consolidates all entities that it controls through a majority voting interest or otherwise, including those Blackstone Funds in which the general partner has a controlling financial interest. Blackstone has a controlling financial interest in Blackstone Holdings because the limited partners do not have the right to dissolve the partnerships or have substantive kick-out rights or participating rights that would overcome the control held by Blackstone. Accordingly, Blackstone consolidates Blackstone Holdings and records non-controlling interests to reflect the economic interests of the limited partners of Blackstone Holdings.

B

In addition, Blackstone consolidates all variable interest entities (“VIE”) for which it is the primary beneficiary. An enterprise is determined to be the primary beneficiary if it holds a controlling financial interest. A controlling financial interest is defined as (a) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and (b) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The consolidation guidance requires an analysis to determine (a) whether an entity in which Blackstone holds a variable interest is a VIE and (b) whether Blackstone’s involvement, through holding interests directly or indirectly in the entity or contractually through other variable interests, would give it a controlling financial interest. Performance of that analysis requires the exercise of judgment.

Blackstone determines whether it is the primary beneficiary of a VIE at the time it becomes involved with a variable interest entity and continuously reconsiders that conclusion. In determining whether Blackstone is the primary beneficiary, Blackstone evaluates its control rights as well as economic interests in the entity held either directly or indirectly by Blackstone. The consolidation analysis can generally be performed qualitatively; however, if it is not readily apparent that Blackstone is not the primary beneficiary, a quantitative analysis may also be performed. Investments and redemptions (either by Blackstone, affiliates of Blackstone or third parties) or amendments to the governing documents of the respective Blackstone Funds could affect an entity’s status as a VIE or the determination of the primary beneficiary. At each reporting date, Blackstone assesses whether it is the primary beneficiary and will consolidate or deconsolidate accordingly.

Assets of consolidated VIEs that can only be used to settle obligations of the consolidated VIE and liabilities of a consolidated VIE for which creditors (or beneficial interest holders) do not have recourse to the general credit of Blackstone are presented in a separate section in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

Blackstone’s other disclosures regarding VIEs are discussed in Note 9. “Variable Interest Entities.”

Revenue Recognition

Revenues primarily consist of management and advisory fees, incentive fees, investment income, interest and dividend revenue and other.

Management and advisory fees and incentive fees are accounted for as contracts with customers. Under the guidance for contracts with customers, an entity is required to (a) identify the contract(s) with a customer, (b) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (c) determine the transaction price, (d) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (e) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. In determining the transaction price, an entity may include variable consideration only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized would not occur when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is resolved. See Note 20. “Segment Reporting” for a disaggregated presentation of revenues from contracts with customers.

Management and Advisory Fees, Net

— Management and Advisory Fees, Net are comprised of management fees, including base management fees, transaction, advisory and other fees net of management fee reductions and offsets.

Blackstone earns base management fees from its customers at a fixed percentage of a calculation base which is typically assets under management, net asset value, gross asset value, total assets, committed capital or invested capital. Blackstone identifies its customers on a fund by fund basis in accordance with the terms and circumstances of the individual fund. Generally the customer is identified as the investors in its managed funds and investment vehicles, but for certain widely held funds or vehicles, the fund or vehicle itself may be identified as the customer. These customer contracts require Blackstone to provide investment management services, which represents a performance obligation that Blackstone satisfies over time. Management fees are a form of variable consideration because the fees Blackstone is entitled to vary based on fluctuations in the basis for the management fee. The amount recorded as revenue is generally determined at the end of the period because these management fees are payable on a regular basis (typically quarterly) and are not subject to clawback once paid.

Transaction, advisory and other fees are principally fees charged to the investors of funds indirectly through the managed funds and portfolio companies. The investment advisory agreements generally require that the investment adviser reduce the amount of management fees payable by the investors to Blackstone (“management fee reductions”) by an amount equal to a portion of the transaction and other fees paid to Blackstone by the portfolio companies. The amount of the reduction varies by fund, the type of fee paid by the portfolio company and the previously incurred expenses of the fund. These fees and associated management fee reductions are a component of the transaction price for Blackstone’s performance obligation to provide investment management services to the investors of funds and are recognized as changes to the transaction price in the period in which they are charged and the services are performed.

Management fee offsets are reductions to management fees payable by the investors of the Blackstone Funds, which are based on the amount such investors reimburse the Blackstone Funds or Blackstone primarily for placement fees. Providing investment management services requires Blackstone to arrange for services on behalf of its customers. In those situations where Blackstone is acting as an agent on behalf of the investors of funds, it presents the cost of services as net against management fee revenue. In all other situations, Blackstone is primarily responsible for fulfilling the services and is therefore acting as a principal for those arrangements. As a result, the cost of those services is presented as Compensation or General, Administrative and Other expense, as appropriate, with any reimbursement from the investors of the funds recorded as Management and Advisory Fees, Net. In cases where the investors of the funds are determined to be the customer in an arrangement, placement fees may be capitalized as a cost to acquire a customer contract. Capitalized placement fees are amortized over the life of the customer contract, are recorded within Other Assets in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and amortization is recorded within General, Administrative and Other within the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Accrued but unpaid Management and Advisory Fees, net of management fee reductions and management fee offsets, as of the reporting date are included in Due from Affiliates in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

Incentive Fees —

Contractual fees earned based on the performance of Blackstone vehicles (“Incentive Fees”) are a form of variable consideration in Blackstone’s contracts with customers to provide investment management services. Incentive Fees are earned based on performance of the vehicle during the period, subject to the achievement of minimum return levels, or high water marks, in accordance with the respective terms set out in each vehicle’s governing agreements. Incentive Fees will not be recognized as revenue until (a) it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur, or (b) the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved. Incentive Fees are typically recognized as revenue when realized at the end of the measurement period. Once realized, such fees are not subject to clawback or reversal. Accrued but unpaid Incentive Fees charged directly to investors in Blackstone vehicles as of the reporting date are recorded within Due from Affiliates in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

Investment Income (Loss)

— Investment Income (Loss) represents the unrealized and realized gains and losses on Blackstone’s Performance Allocations and Principal Investments.

In carry fund structures and certain open-ended structures, Blackstone, through its subsidiaries, invests alongside its limited partners in a partnership and is entitled to its pro-rata share of the results of the fund vehicle (a “pro-rata allocation”). In addition to a pro-rata allocation, and assuming certain investment returns are achieved, Blackstone is entitled to a disproportionate allocation of the income otherwise allocable to the limited partners, commonly referred to as carried interest (“Performance Allocations”).

Performance Allocations in carry fund structures are made to the general partner based on cumulative fund performance to date, subject to a preferred return to limited partners. Performance Allocations in open-ended structures are based on vehicle performance over a period of time, subject to a high water mark and preferred return to investors. At the end of each reporting period, Blackstone calculates the balance of accrued Performance Allocations (“Accrued Performance Allocations”) that would be due to Blackstone for each fund, pursuant to the fund agreements, as if the fair value of the underlying investments were realized as of such date, irrespective of whether such amounts have been realized. As the fair value of underlying investments varies between reporting periods, it is necessary to make adjustments to amounts recorded as Accrued Performance Allocations to reflect either (a) positive performance resulting in an increase in the Accrued Performance Allocation to the general partner or (b) negative performance that would cause the amount due to Blackstone to be less than the amount previously recognized as revenue, resulting in a negative adjustment to the Accrued Performance Allocation to the general partner. In each scenario, it is necessary to calculate the Accrued Performance Allocation on cumulative results compared to the Accrued Performance Allocation recorded to date and make the required positive or negative adjustments. Blackstone ceases to record negative Performance Allocations once previously Accrued Performance Allocations for such fund have been fully reversed. Blackstone is not obligated to pay guaranteed returns or hurdles, and therefore, cannot have negative Performance Allocations over the life of a fund. Accrued Performance Allocations as of the reporting date are reflected in Investments in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

Performance Allocations in carry fund structures are realized when an underlying investment is profitably disposed of and the fund’s cumulative returns are in excess of the preferred return or, in limited instances, after certain thresholds for return of capital are met. Performance Allocations in carry fund structures are subject to clawback to the extent that the Performance Allocation received to date exceeds the amount due to Blackstone based on cumulative results. As such, the accrual for potential repayment of previously received Performance Allocations, which is a component of Due to Affiliates, represents all amounts previously distributed to Blackstone Holdings and non-controlling interest holders that would need to be repaid to the Blackstone carry funds if the Blackstone carry funds were to be liquidated based on the current fair value of the underlying funds’ investments as of the reporting date. The actual clawback liability, however, generally does not become realized until the end of a fund’s life except for certain funds, which may have an interim clawback liability. Performance Allocations in open-ended structures are realized based on the stated time period in the agreements and are generally not subject to clawback once paid.

Principal Investments include the unrealized and realized gains and losses on Blackstone’s principal investments, including its investments in Blackstone Funds that are not consolidated and receive pro-rata allocations, its equity method investments, and other principal investments. Income (Loss) on Principal Investments is realized when Blackstone redeems all or a portion of its investment or when Blackstone receives cash income, such as dividends or distributions. Unrealized Income (Loss) on Principal Investments results from changes in the fair value of the underlying investment as well as the reversal of unrealized gain (loss) at the time an investment is realized.

Interest and Dividend Revenue

— Interest and Dividend Revenue comprises primarily interest and dividend income earned on principal investments not accounted for under the equity method held by Blackstone.

Other Revenue

— Other Revenue consists of miscellaneous income and foreign exchange gains and losses arising on transactions denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

GAAP establishes a hierarchical disclosure framework which prioritizes and ranks the level of market price observability used in measuring financial instruments at fair value. Market price observability is affected by a number of factors, including the type of financial instrument, the characteristics specific to the financial instrument and the state of the marketplace, including the existence and transparency of transactions between market participants. Financial instruments with readily available quoted prices in active markets generally will have a higher degree of market price observability and a lesser degree of judgment used in measuring fair value.

Financial instruments measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed based on the observability of inputs used in the determination of fair values, as follows:

In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, the determination of which category within the fair value hierarchy is appropriate for any given financial instrument is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Blackstone’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to the financial instrument.

Level II Valuation Techniques

Financial instruments classified within Level II of the fair value hierarchy comprise debt instruments, debt securities sold, not yet purchased and certain equity securities and derivative instruments valued using observable inputs.

The valuation techniques used to value financial instruments classified within Level II of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:

Level III Valuation Techniques

In the absence of observable market prices, Blackstone values its investments using valuation methodologies applied on a consistent basis. For some investments little market activity may exist; management’s determination of fair value is then based on the best information available in the circumstances, and may incorporate management’s own assumptions and involves a significant degree of judgment, taking into consideration a combination of internal and external factors, including the appropriate risk adjustments for non-performance and liquidity risks. Investments for which market prices are not observable include private investments in the equity of operating companies, real estate properties, investments in non-consolidated CLO vehicles, certain funds of hedge funds and credit-focused investments.

Real Estate Investments

— The fair values of real estate investments are determined by considering projected operating cash flows, sales of comparable assets, if any, and replacement costs, among other measures and considerations. The methods used to estimate the fair value of real estate investments include the discounted cash flow method, where value is calculated by discounting the estimated cash flows and the estimated terminal value of the subject investment by the assumed buyer’s weighted-average cost of capital. A terminal value is derived by reference to an exit multiple, such as for estimates of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”), or a capitalization rate, such as for estimates of net operating income (“NOI”). Valuations may also be derived by the performance multiple or market approach, by reference to observable valuation measures for comparable companies or assets (for example, dividing NOI by a relevant capitalization rate observed for comparable companies or transactions), adjusted by management for differences between the investment and the referenced comparables.

Private Equity Investments

— The fair values of private equity investments are determined by reference to projected net earnings, EBITDA, the discounted cash flow method, public market or private transactions, valuations for comparable companies and other measures which, in many cases, are based on unaudited information at the time received. Where a discounted cash flow method is used, a terminal value is derived by reference to EBITDA or price/earnings exit multiples. Valuations may also be derived by reference to observable valuation measures for comparable companies or transactions (for example, multiplying a key performance metric of the investee company such as EBITDA by a relevant valuation multiple observed in the range of comparable companies or transactions), adjusted by management for differences between the investment and the referenced comparables, and in some instances by reference to option pricing models or other similar methods.

Credit-Focused Investments

— The fair values of credit-focused investments are generally determined on the basis of prices between market participants provided by reputable dealers or pricing services. For credit-focused investments that are not publicly traded or whose market prices are not readily available, Blackstone may utilize other valuation techniques, including the discounted cash flow method or a market approach. The discounted cash flow method projects the expected cash flows of the debt instrument based on contractual terms, and discounts such cash flows back to the valuation date using a market-based yield. The market-based yield is generally estimated using yields of publicly traded debt instruments issued by companies operating in similar industries as the subject investment or based on changes in credit spreads of a broader benchmark index applicable to a subject investment.

The market approach is generally used to determine the enterprise value of the issuer of a credit investment, and considers valuation multiples of comparable companies or transactions. The resulting enterprise value will dictate whether or not such credit investment has adequate enterprise value coverage. In cases of distressed credit instruments, the market approach may be used to estimate a recovery value in the event of a restructuring.

Investments, at Fair Value

Generally, the Blackstone Funds are accounted for as investment companies under the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Audit and Accounting Guide,

Investment Companies

, and in accordance with the GAAP guidance on investment companies and reflect their investments, including majority-owned and controlled investments (the “Portfolio Companies”), at fair value. Such consolidated funds’ investments are reflected in Investments on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses resulting from changes in fair value reflected as a component of Net Gains (Losses) from Fund Investment Activities in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Fair value is the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, at current market conditions (i.e., the exit price).

Blackstone’s principal investments are presented at fair value with unrealized appreciation or depreciation and realized gains and losses recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations within Investment Income (Loss).

For certain instruments, Blackstone has elected the fair value option. Such election is irrevocable and is applied on an investment by investment basis at initial recognition or other eligible election dates. Blackstone has applied the fair value option for certain loans and receivables, unfunded loan commitments and certain investments that otherwise would not have been carried at fair value with gains and losses recorded in net income. The methodology for measuring the fair value of such investments is consistent with the methodology applied to private equity, real estate, credit-focused and funds of hedge funds investments. Changes in the fair value of such instruments are recognized in Investment Income (Loss) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Interest income on interest bearing loans and receivables and debt securities on which the fair value option has been elected is based on stated coupon rates adjusted for the accretion of purchase discounts and the amortization of purchase premiums. This interest income is recorded within Interest and Dividend Revenue.

Blackstone has elected the fair value option for the assets of consolidated CLO vehicles. As permitted under GAAP, Blackstone measures notes issued by consolidated CLO vehicles as (a) the sum of the fair value of the consolidated CLO assets and the carrying value of any non-financial assets held temporarily, less (b) the sum of the fair value of any beneficial interests retained by Blackstone (other than those that represent compensation for services) and Blackstone’s carrying value of any beneficial interests that represent compensation for services. As a result of this measurement alternative, there is no attribution of amounts to Non-Controlling Interests for consolidated CLO vehicles. Assets of the consolidated CLOs are presented within Investments within the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and notes payable within Loans Payable for the amounts due to unaffiliated third parties. Changes in the fair value of consolidated CLO assets and liabilities and related interest, dividend and other income are presented within Net Gains (Losses) from Fund Investment Activities. Expenses of consolidated CLO vehicles are presented in Fund Expenses.

Blackstone has elected the fair value option for certain proprietary investments that would otherwise have been accounted for using the equity method of accounting. The fair value of such investments is based on quoted prices in an active market, quoted prices that are published on a regular basis and are the basis for current transactions or using the discounted cash flow method. Changes in fair value are recognized in Investment Income (Loss) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Further disclosure on instruments for which the fair value option has been elected is presented in Note 7. “Fair Value Option.”

Blackstone may elect to measure certain proprietary investments in equity securities without readily determinable fair values under the measurement alternative, which reflects cost less impairment, with adjustments in value resulting from observable price changes arising from orderly transactions of the same or a similar security from the same issuer. If the measurement alternative election is not made, the equity security is measured at fair value. The measurement alternative election is made on an instrument by instrument basis. The election is reassessed each reporting period to determine whether investments under the measurement alternative have readily determinable fair values, in which case they would no longer be eligible for this election.

The investments of consolidated Blackstone Funds in funds of hedge funds (“Investee Funds”) are valued at net asset value (“NAV”) per share of the Investee Fund. In limited circumstances, Blackstone may determine, based on its own due diligence and investment procedures, that NAV per share does not represent fair value. In such circumstances, Blackstone will estimate the fair value in good faith and in a manner that it reasonably chooses, in accordance with the requirements of GAAP.

Certain investments of Blackstone and of the consolidated Blackstone funds of hedge funds and credit-focused funds measure their investments in underlying funds at fair value using NAV per share without adjustment. The terms of the investee’s investment generally provide for minimum holding periods or lock-ups, the institution of gates on redemptions or the suspension of redemptions or an ability to side pocket investments, at the discretion of the investee’s fund manager, and as a result, investments may not be redeemable at, or within three months of, the reporting date. A side-pocket is used by hedge funds and funds of hedge funds to separate investments that may lack a readily ascertainable value, are illiquid or are subject to liquidity restriction. Redemptions are generally not permitted until the investments within a side-pocket are liquidated or it is deemed that the conditions existing at the time that required the investment to be included in the side-pocket no longer exist. As the timing of either of these events is uncertain, the timing at which Blackstone may redeem an investment held in a side-pocket cannot be estimated. Further disclosure on instruments for which fair value is measured using NAV per share is presented in Note 5. “Net Asset Value as Fair Value.”

Security and loan transactions are recorded on a trade date basis.

Equity Method Investments

Investments in which Blackstone is deemed to exert significant influence, but not control, are accounted for using the equity method of accounting except in cases where the fair value option has been elected. Blackstone has significant influence over all Blackstone Funds in which it invests but does not consolidate. Therefore, its investments in such Blackstone Funds, which generally include both a proportionate and disproportionate allocation of the profits and losses (as is the case with carry funds that include a Performance Allocation), are accounted for under the equity method. Under the equity method of accounting, Blackstone’s share of earnings (losses) from equity method investments is included in Investment Income (Loss) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

In cases where Blackstone’s equity method investments provide for a disproportionate allocation of the profits and losses (as is the case with funds that include a Performance Allocation), Blackstone’s share of earnings (losses) from equity method investments is determined using a balance sheet approach referred to as the hypothetical liquidation at book value (“HLBV”) method. Under the HLBV method, at the end of each reporting period Blackstone calculates the Accrued Performance Allocations that would be due to Blackstone for each fund pursuant to the fund agreements as if the fair value of the underlying investments were realized as of such date, irrespective of whether such amounts have been realized. As the fair value of underlying investments varies between reporting periods, it is necessary to make adjustments to amounts recorded as Accrued Performance Allocations to reflect either (a) positive performance resulting in an increase in the Accrued Performance Allocation to the general partner, or (b) negative performance that would cause the amount due to Blackstone to be less than the amount previously recognized as revenue, resulting in a negative adjustment to the Accrued Performance Allocation to the general partner. In each scenario, it is necessary to calculate the Accrued Performance Allocation on cumulative results compared to the Accrued Performance Allocation recorded to date and make the required positive or negative adjustments. Blackstone ceases to record negative Performance Allocations once previously Accrued Performance Allocations for such fund have been fully reversed. Blackstone is not obligated to pay guaranteed returns or hurdles, and therefore, cannot have negative Performance Allocations over the life of a fund. The carrying amounts of equity method investments are reflected in Investments in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

Strategic Partners’ results presented in Blackstone’s consolidated financial statements are reported on a three-month lag from Strategic Partners’ fund financial statements, which report the performance of underlying investments generally on a same quarter basis, if available. Therefore, Strategic Partners’ results presented herein do not reflect the impact of economic and market activity in the current quarter. Current quarter market activity of Strategic Partners’ underlying investments is expected to affect Blackstone’s reported results in upcoming periods.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents represents cash on hand, cash held in banks, money market funds and liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. Interest income from cash and cash equivalents is recorded in Interest and Dividend Revenue in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Cash Held by Blackstone Funds and Other

Cash Held by Blackstone Funds and Other represents cash and cash equivalents held by consolidated Blackstone Funds and other consolidated entities. Such amounts are not available to fund the general liquidity needs of Blackstone.

Accounts Receivable and Due from Affiliates

Accounts Receivable and Due from Affiliates is comprised of management and incentive fees receivable from limited partners, receivables from managed investment vehicles and portfolio companies, placement and advisory fees receivables, receivables relating to unsettled sale transactions and loans extended to affiliates and to unaffiliated third parties. Accounts Receivable, excluding those for which the fair value option has been elected, are assessed periodically for collectability. Amounts determined to be uncollectible are charged directly to General, Administrative and Other Expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Intangibles and Goodwill

Blackstone’s intangible assets consist of contractual rights to earn future fee income, including management and advisory fees, Incentive Fees and Performance Allocations. Identifiable finite-lived intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, ranging from

three

totwenty years, reflecting the contractual lives of such assets. Amortization expense is included within General, Administrative and Other in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Intangible assets are reviewed for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

Goodwill

comprises goodwill arising from the contribution and reorganization of Blackstone’s predecessor entities in 2007 immediately prior to its initial public offering (“IPO”) and the acquisitions of GSO Capital Partners LP in 2008, Strategic Partners in 2013, Harvest Fund Advisors LLC (“Harvest”) in 2017, Clarus Ventures LLC (“Clarus”) in 2018 and DCI LLC (“DCI”) in 2020. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment at least annually utilizing a qualitative or quantitative approach, and more frequently if circumstances indicate impairment may have occurred. The impairment testing for goodwill under the qualitative approach is based first on a qualitative assessment to determine if it is more likely than not that the fair value of Blackstone’s operating segments is less than their respective carrying values. The operating segments are considered the reporting units for testing the impairment of goodwill. If it is determined that it is more likely than not that an operating segment’s fair value is less than its carrying value or when the quantitative approach is used, an impairment loss is recognized to the extent by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.

Furniture, Equipment and Leasehold Improvements

Furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements consist primarily of leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures and equipment, computer hardware and software and are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are calculated using the straight-line method over the assets’ estimated useful economic lives, which for leasehold improvements, furniture and fittings and other fixed assets were the lesser of the lease term or the life of the asset, the lesser ofseven years or the lease term, or

three

tofive years, respectively. Blackstone evaluates long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

Foreign Currency

In the normal course of business, Blackstone may enter into transactions denominated in currencies other than United States dollars. Foreign exchange gains and losses arising on such transactions are recorded as Other Revenue in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses arising within consolidated Blackstone Funds are recorded in Net Gains (Losses) from Fund Investment Activities. In addition, Blackstone consolidates a number of entities that have a non-U.S. dollar functional currency. Non-U.S. dollar denominated assets and liabilities are translated to U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing at the reporting date and income, expenses, gains and losses are translated at the prevailing exchange rate on the dates that they were recorded. Cumulative translation adjustments arising from the translation of non-U.S. dollar denominated operations are recorded in Other Comprehensive Income and allocated to Non-Controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities and Non-Controlling Interests in Blackstone Holdings, as applicable.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive Income consists of Net Income and Other Comprehensive Income. Blackstone’s Other Comprehensive Income is comprised of foreign currency cumulative translation adjustments.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation and Benefits

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Compensation

— Compensation consists of (a) salary and bonus, and benefits paid and payable to employees and senior managing directors and (b) equity-based compensation associated with the grants of equity-based awards to employees and senior managing directors. Compensation cost relating to the issuance of equity-based awards to senior managing directors and employees is measured at fair value at the grant date, and expensed over the vesting period on a straight-line basis, taking into consideration expected forfeitures, except in the case of (a) equity-based awards that do not require future service, which are expensed immediately, and (b) certain awards to recipients that meet criteria making them eligible for retirement (allowing such recipient to keep a percentage of those awards upon departure from Blackstone after becoming eligible for retirement), for which the expense for the portion of the award that would be retained in the event of retirement is either expensed immediately or amortized to the retirement date. Cash settled equity-based awards and awards settled in a variable number of shares are classified as liabilities and are remeasured at the end of each reporting period.

Compensation and Benefits — Incentive Fee Compensation —

Incentive Fee Compensation consists of compensation paid based on Incentive Fees.

Compensation and Benefits — Performance Allocations Compensation —

Performance Allocation Compensation consists of compensation paid based on Performance Allocations (which may be distributed in cash or in-kind). Such compensation expense is subject to both positive and negative adjustments. Performance Allocations Compensation is generally based on the performance of individual investments held by a fund rather than on a fund by fund basis. These amounts may also include allocations of investment income from Blackstone’s principal investments, to senior managing directors and employees participating in certain profit sharing initiatives.

Non-Controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities

Non-Controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities represent the component of Equity in general partner entities and consolidated Blackstone Funds held by third party investors and employees. The percentage interests in consolidated Blackstone Funds held by third parties and employees is adjusted for general partner allocations and by subscriptions and redemptions in funds of hedge funds and certain credit-focused funds which occur during the reporting period. Income (Loss) and other comprehensive income, if applicable, arising from the respective entities is allocated to non-controlling interests in consolidated entities based on the relative ownership interests of third party investors and employees after considering any contractual arrangements that govern the allocation of income (loss) such as fees allocable to Blackstone Inc.

Redeemable Non-Controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities

Investors in certain consolidated vehicles may be granted redemption rights that allow for quarterly or monthly redemption, as outlined in the relevant governing documents. Such redemption rights may be subject to certain limitations, including limits on the aggregate amount of interests that may be redeemed in a given period, may only allow for redemption following the expiration of a specified period of time, or may be withdrawn subject to a redemption fee during the period when capital may not be withdrawn. As a result, amounts relating to third party interests in such consolidated vehicles are presented as Redeemable Non-Controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities within the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. When redeemable amounts become legally payable to investors, they are classified as a liability and included in Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. For all consolidated vehicles in which redemption rights have not been granted, non-controlling interests are presented within Equity in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition as Non-Controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities.

Non-Controlling Interests in Blackstone Holdings

Non-Controlling Interests in Blackstone Holdings represent the component of Equity in the consolidated Blackstone Holdings Partnerships held by Blackstone personnel and others who are limited partners of the Blackstone Holdings Partnerships.

Certain costs and expenses are borne directly by the Holdings Partnerships. Income (Loss), excluding those costs directly borne by and attributable to the Holdings Partnerships, is attributable to Non-Controlling Interests in Blackstone Holdings. This residual attribution is based on the year to date average percentage of Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units and unvested participating Holdings Partnership Units held by Blackstone personnel and others who are limited partners of the Blackstone Holdings Partnerships. Unvested participating Holdings Partnership Units are excluded from the attribution in periods of loss as they are not contractually obligated to share in losses of the Holdings Partnerships.

Other Income

Net Gains (Losses) from Fund Investment Activities in the Consolidated Statements of Operations include net realized gains (losses) from realizations and sales

of

investments, the net change in unrealized gains (losses) resulting from changes in the fair value of investments and interest income and expense and dividends attributable to the consolidated Blackstone Funds’ investments.

Expenses incurred by consolidated Blackstone funds are separately presented within Fund Expenses in the Consolidated Statements

of

Operations.

Other Income also includes amounts attributable to the Reduction of the Tax Receivable Agreement Liability. See Note 15. “Income Taxes — Other Income — Change in the Tax Receivable Agreement Liability” for additional information.

Income Taxes

Blackstone Inc. is a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes and thus is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes on Blackstone’s share of taxable income. The Blackstone Holdings Partnerships and certain of their subsidiaries operate in the U.S. as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and generally as corporate entities in non-U.S. jurisdictions. Accordingly, these entities in some cases are subject to New York City unincorporated business taxes or non-U.S. income taxes. In addition, certain of the wholly owned subsidiaries of Blackstone and the Blackstone Holdings Partnerships will be subject to federal, state and local corporate income taxes at the entity level and the related tax provision attributable to Blackstone’s share of this income tax is reflected in the consolidated financial statements. Cash paid for transferrable tax credits is reflected in Payments for Income Taxes in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Provision for Income Taxes

Income taxes are provided for using the asset and liability method under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, resulting in all pretax amounts being appropriately tax effected in the period, irrespective of which tax return year items will be reflected. Blackstone reports interest expense and tax penalties related to income tax matters in provision for income taxes.

Deferred Income Taxes

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities. These temporary differences result in taxable or deductible amounts in future years and are measured using the tax rates and laws that will be in effect when such differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are established to reduce the deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. Deferred tax assets are separately stated, and deferred tax liabilities are included in Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses, and Other Liabilities in the consolidated financial statements.

Unrecognized Tax Benefits

Blackstone recognizes tax positions in the consolidated financial statements when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on examination by the relevant taxing authority based on the technical merits of the position. A position that meets this standard is measured at the largest amount of benefit that will more likely than not be realized on settlement. A liability is established for differences between positions taken in the return and amounts recognized in the consolidated financial statements. Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are reported on the related liability line in the consolidated financial statements.

Net Income (Loss) Per Share of Common Stock

Basic Income (Loss) Per Share of Common Stock is calculated by dividing Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Blackstone Inc. by the weighted-average shares of common stock, unvested participating shares of common stock outstanding for the period and vested deferred restricted shares of common stock that have been earned for which issuance of the related shares of common stock is deferred until future periods. Diluted Income (Loss) Per Share of Common Stock reflects the impact of all dilutive securities. Unvested participating shares of common stock are excluded from the computation in periods of loss as they are not contractually obligated to share in losses.

Blackstone applies the treasury stock method to determine the dilutive weighted-average common shares outstanding for certain equity-based compensation awards. Blackstone applies the “if-converted” method to the Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units to determine the dilutive impact, if any, of the exchange right included in the Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units. Blackstone applies the contingently issuable share model to contracts that may require the issuance of shares.

Reverse Repurchase and Repurchase Agreements

Securities purchased under agreements to resell (“reverse repurchase agreements”) and securities sold under agreements to repurchase (“repurchase agreements”), comprised primarily of U.S. and non-U.S. government and agency securities, asset-backed securities and corporate debt, represent collateralized financing transactions. Such transactions are recorded within Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition at their contractual amounts and include accrued interest. The carrying value of reverse repurchase and repurchase agreements approximates fair value.

Blackstone manages credit exposure arising from reverse repurchase agreements and repurchase agreements by, in appropriate circumstances, entering into master netting agreements and collateral arrangements with counterparties that provide Blackstone, in the event of a counterparty default, the right to liquidate collateral and the right to offset a counterparty’s rights and obligations.

Blackstone takes possession of securities purchased under reverse repurchase agreements and is permitted to repledge, deliver or otherwise use such securities. Blackstone also pledges its financial instruments to counterparties to collateralize repurchase agreements. Financial instruments pledged that can be repledged, delivered or otherwise used by the counterparty are recorded in Investments in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Additional disclosures relating to repurchase agreements are discussed in Note 10. “Repurchase Agreements.”

Blackstone does not offset assets and liabilities relating to reverse repurchase agreements and repurchase agreements in its Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Additional disclosures relating to offsetting are discussed in Note 12. “Offsetting of Assets and Liabilities.”

Securities Sold, Not Yet Purchased

Securities Sold, Not Yet Purchased consist of equity and debt securities that Blackstone has borrowed and sold. Blackstone is required to “cover” its short sale in the future by purchasing the security at prevailing market prices and delivering it to the counterparty from which it borrowed the security. Blackstone is exposed to loss in the event that the price at which a security may have to be purchased to cover a short sale exceeds the price at which the borrowed security was sold short.

Securities Sold, Not Yet Purchased are recorded at fair value within Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

Derivative Instruments

Blackstone recognizes all derivatives as assets or liabilities on its Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition at fair value. On the date Blackstone enters into a derivative contract, it designates and documents each derivative contract as one of the following: (a) a hedge of a recognized asset or liability (“fair value hedge”), (b) a hedge of a forecasted transaction or of the variability of cash flows to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability (“cash flow hedge”), (c) a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation, or (d) a derivative instrument not designated as a hedging instrument (“freestanding derivative”).

For freestanding derivative contracts, Blackstone presents changes in fair value in current period earnings. Changes in the fair value of derivative instruments held by consolidated Blackstone Funds are reflected in Net Gains (Losses) from Fund Investment Activities or, where derivative instruments are held by Blackstone, within Investment Income (Loss) in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The fair value of freestanding derivative assets of the consolidated Blackstone Funds are recorded within Investments, the fair value of freestanding derivative assets that are not part of the consolidated Blackstone Funds are recorded within Other Assets and the fair value of freestanding derivative liabilities are recorded within Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

Blackstone has elected to not offset derivative assets and liabilities or financial assets in its Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition, including cash, that may be received or paid as part of collateral arrangements, even when an enforceable master netting agreement is in place that provides Blackstone, in the event of counterparty default, the right to liquidate collateral and the right to offset a counterparty’s rights and obligations.

Blackstone’s other disclosures regarding derivative financial instruments are discussed in Note 6. “Derivative Financial Instruments.”

Blackstone’s disclosures regarding offsetting are discussed in Note 12. “Offsetting of Assets and Liabilities.”

Leases

Blackstone determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception of the arrangement. Blackstone primarily enters into operating leases, as the lessee, for office space. Operating leases are included in Right-of-Use (“ROU”) Assets and Operating Lease Liabilities in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Condition. ROU Assets and Operating Lease Liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at the commencement date. Blackstone determines the present value of the lease payments using an incremental borrowing rate based on information available at the inception date. Leases may include options to extend or terminate the lease which are included in the ROU Assets and Operating Lease Liability when they are reasonably certain of exercise.

Certain leases include lease and nonlease components, which are accounted for as one single lease component. Occupancy lease agreements, in addition to contractual rent payments, generally include additional payments for certain costs incurred by the landlord, such as building expenses and utilities. To the extent these are fixed or determinable, they are included as part of the minimum lease payments used to measure the Operating Lease Liability. Operating lease expense associated with minimum lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. When additional payments are based on usage or vary based on other factors, they are expensed when incurred as variable lease expense.

Minimum lease payments for leases with an initial term of twelve months or less are not recorded on the Consolidated Statement of Financial Condition. Blackstone recognizes lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Additional disclosures relating to leases are discussed in Note 14. “Leases.”

Affiliates

Blackstone considers its Founder, senior managing directors, employees, the Blackstone Funds and the Portfolio Companies to be affiliates.

Dividends

Dividends are reflected in the consolidated financial statements when declared.

Recent Accounting Developments

In June 2022, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued amended guidance addressing certain sale restrictions on equity securities measured at fair value. The guidance requires that reporting entities not consider contractual sale restrictions that prohibit the sale of equity securities when measuring fair value and introduces new disclosure requirements for equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions. The guidance is effective January 1, 2024 and adoption will be on a prospective basis. Upon adoption, Blackstone does not expect a material impact on the consolidated financial statements or any measurement impacts, but will update disclosures to comply with the new requirements.

The carrying value of Goodwill was $1.9 billion as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, Blackstone determined there was no evidence of Goodwill impairment.

At December 31, 2023 and 2022, Goodwill has been allocated to each of Blackstone’sfour segments as follows: Real Estate ($421.7 million), Private Equity ($870.0 million), Credit & Insurance ($426.4 million) and Hedge Fund Solutions ($172.1 million).

Intangible Assets, Net consists of the following:

Changes in Blackstone’s Intangible Assets, Net consists of the following:

Amortization of Intangible Assets held at December 31, 2023 is expected to be $35.9 million, $35.9 million, $35.7 million, $34.6 million and $17.8 million for each of the years ending December 31, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028, respectively. Blackstone’s Intangible Assets as of December 31, 2023 are expected to amortize over a weighted-average period of 6.2 years.

Investments consist of the following:

Blackstone’s share of Investments of Consolidated Blackstone Funds totaled $1.0 billion and $393.9 million at December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively.

Where appropriate, the accounting for Blackstone’s investments incorporates the changes in fair value of those investments as determined under GAAP. The significant inputs and assumptions required to determine the change in fair value of the investments of Consolidated Blackstone Funds, Corporate Treasury Investments and Other Investments are

discus

sed in more detail in Note 8. “Fair Value Measurements of Financial Instruments.”

Investments of Consolidated Blackstone Funds

The following table presents the Realized and Net Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) on investments held by the consolidated Blackstone Funds and a reconciliation to Other Income (Loss) — Net Gains (Losses) from Fund Investment Activities in the Consolidated Statements of Operations:

Equity Method Investments

Blackstone’s equity method investments include Partnership Investments, which represent the pro-rata investments, and any associated Accrued Performance Allocations, in Blackstone Funds, excluding any equity method investments for which the fair value option has been elected. Blackstone evaluates each of its equity method investments, excluding Accrued Performance Allocations, to determine if any were significant as defined by guidance from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. As of and for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, no individual equity method investment held by Blackstone met the significance criteria.

Partnership Investments

Blackstone recognized net gains related to its Partnership Investments accounted for under the equity method of $245.8 million, $292.1 million and $1.9 billion for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The summarized financial information of Blackstone’s equity method investments for December 31, 2023 are as follows:

The summarized financial information of Blackstone’s equity method investments for December 31, 2022 are as follows:

The summarized financial information of Blackstone’s equity method investments for December 31, 2021 are as follows:

Accrued Performance Allocations

Accrued Performance Allocations to Blackstone were as follows:

Corporate Treasury Investments

The portion of corporate treasury investments included in Investments represents Blackstone’s investments into primarily fixed income securities, mutual fund interests, and other fund interests. These strategies are managed by a combination of Blackstone personnel and third party advisors. The following table presents the Realized and Net Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) on these investments:

Other Investments

Other Investments consist of equity method investments where Blackstone has elected the fair value option and other proprietary investment securities held by Blackstone, including equity securities carried at fair value, equity investments without readily determinable fair values, and senior secured and subordinated notes in non-consolidated CLO vehicles. Equity securities carried at fair value include the ownership of common stock of Corebridge Financial, Inc., formerly known as American International Group, Inc.’s Life and Retirement business (“Corebridge”). Such common stock is subject to certain phased lock-up restrictions that expire over time through five years after the initial public offering (“IPO”) of Corebridge. Equity investments without a readily determinable fair value had a carrying value of $333.3 million as of December 31, 2023. In the period of acquisition and upon remeasurement in connection with an observable transaction, such investments are reported at fair value. See Note 8. “Fair Value Measurements of Financial Instruments” for additional detail. Upward and downward adjustments related to such investments held as of December 31, 2023 were $4.3 million and $62.3 million, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2023, and $184.6 million and $6.2 million on a cumulative basis since the inception of the investments, respectively. The following table presents Blackstone’s Realized and Net Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) in Other Investments:

5. Net Asset Value as Fair Value

A summary of fair value by strategy type and ability to redeem such investments as of December 31, 2023 is presented below:

6. Derivative Financial Instruments

Blackstone and the consolidated Blackstone Funds enter into derivative contracts in the normal course of business to achieve certain risk management objectives and for general investment and business purposes. Blackstone may enter into derivative contracts in order to hedge its interest rate risk exposure against the effects of interest rate changes. Additionally, Blackstone may also enter into derivative contracts in order to hedge its foreign currency risk exposure against the effects of a portion of its non-U.S. dollar denominated currency net investments. As a result of the use of derivative contracts, Blackstone and the consolidated Blackstone Funds are exposed to the risk that counterparties will fail to fulfill their contractual obligations. To mitigate such counterparty risk, Blackstone and the consolidated Blackstone Funds enter into contracts with certain major financial institutions, all of which have investment grade ratings. Counterparty credit risk is evaluated in determining the fair value of derivative instruments.

Freestanding Derivatives

Freestanding derivatives are instruments that Blackstone and certain of the consolidated Blackstone Funds have entered into as part of their overall risk management and investment strategies. These derivative contracts are not designated as hedging instruments for accounting purposes. Such contracts may include interest rate swaps, foreign exchange contracts, equity swaps, options, futures and other derivative contracts.

The table below summarizes the aggregate notional amount and fair value of the derivative financial instruments. The notional amount represents the absolute value amount of all outstanding derivative contracts.

The table below summarizes the impact to the Consolidated Statements of Operations from derivative financial instruments:

As of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, Blackstone had not designated any derivatives as fair value, cash flow or net investment hedges.

7. Fair Value Option

The following table summarizes the financial instruments for which the fair value option has been elected:

The following table presents the Realized and Net Change in Unrealized Gains (Losses) on financial instruments on which the fair value option was elected:

The following table presents information for those financial instruments for which the fair value option was elected:

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, no Loans and Receivables for which the fair value option was elected were past due or in non-accrual status. As of December 31, 2023, there weretwo Corporate Loans included within the Assets of Consolidated CLO Vehicles for which the fair value option was elected that were past due but was not in non-accrual status. As of December 31, 2022, no Corporate Loans included within the Assets of Consolidated CLO Vehicles for which the fair value option was elected were past due or in non-accrual

status

.

8. Fair Value Measurements of Financial Instruments

The following tables summarize the valuation of Blackstone’s financial assets and liabilities by the fair value hierarchy:

LLC Limited Liability Company.

The following table summarizes the quantitative inputs and assumptions used for items categorized in Level III of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2023. Consistent with presentation in these Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, this table presents the Level III Investments only of Consolidated Blackstone Funds and therefore does not reflect any other Blackstone Funds.

The following table summarizes the quantitative inputs and assumptions used for items categorized in Level III of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2022:

During the year ended December 31, 2023, there have been no changes in valuation techniques within Level II and Level III that have had a material impact on the valuation of financial instruments.

The following tables summarize the changes in financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value for which Blackstone has used Level III inputs to determine fair value and does not include gains or losses that were reported in Level III in prior years or for instruments that were transferred out of Level III prior to the end of the respective reporting period. These tables also exclude financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis. Total realized and unrealized gains and losses recorded for Level III investments are reported in either Investment Income (Loss) or Net Gains (Losses) from Fund Investment Activities in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Pursuant to GAAP consolidation guidance, Blackstone consolidates certain VIEs for which it is the primary beneficiary either directly or indirectly, through a consolidated entity or affiliate. VIEs include certain private equity, real estate, credit-focused or funds of hedge funds entities and CLO vehicles. The purpose of such VIEs is to provide strategy specific investment opportunities for investors in exchange for management and performance-based fees. The investment strategies of the Blackstone Funds differ by product; however, the fundamental risks of the Blackstone Funds are similar, including loss of invested capital and loss of management fees and performance-based fees. In Blackstone’s role as general partner, collateral manager or investment adviser, it generally considers itself the sponsor of the applicable Blackstone Fund. Blackstone does not provide performance guarantees and has no other financial obligation to provide funding to consolidated VIEs other than its own capital commitments.

The assets of consolidated variable interest entities may only be used to settle obligations of these entities. In addition, there is no recourse to Blackstone for the consolidated VIEs’ liabilities.

Blackstone holds variable interests in certain VIEs which are not consolidated as it is determined that Blackstone is not the primary beneficiary. Blackstone’s involvement with such entities is in the form of direct and indirect equity interests and fee arrangements. The maximum exposure to loss represents the loss of assets recognized by Blackstone relating to non-consolidated VIEs and any clawback obligation relating to previously distributed Performance Allocations. Blackstone’s maximum exposure to loss relating to non-consolidated VIEs were as follows:

At December 31, 2023, Blackstone hadno Repurchase Agreements and hence no pledged securities or cash. At December 31, 2022, Blackstone pledged securities with a carrying value of $89.9 million and cash to collateralize its repurchase agreements. Such securities can be repledged, delivered or otherwise used by the counterparty.

The following table provides information regarding Blackstone’s Repurchase Agreements obligation by type of collateral pledged as of December 31, 2022. At December 31, 2023, Blackstone had no Repurchase Agreements and hence no collateral outstanding.

Other Assets consists of the following:

Depreciation expense of $94.1 million, $69.2 million and $52.2 million related to furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, is included in General, Administrative and Other in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The following tables present the offsetting of assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:

Repurchase Agreements and Freestanding Derivative liabilities are included in Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Freestanding Derivative assets are included in Other Assets in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. See Note 11. “Other Assets” for the components of Other Assets.

B

Notional Pooling Arrangements

Blackstone has notional cash pooling arrangements with financial institutions for cash management purposes. These arrangements allow for cash withdrawals based upon aggregate cash balances on deposit at the same financial institution. Cash withdrawals cannot exceed aggregate cash balances on deposit. The net balance of cash on deposit and overdrafts is used as a basis for calculating net interest expense or income. As of December 31, 2023, the aggregate cash balance on deposit relating to the cash pooling arrangements was $870.4 million, which was offset and reported net of the accompanying overdraft of $870.4 million.

On December 15, 2023, Blackstone, through its indirect subsidiary Blackstone Holdings Finance Co. L.L.C (the “Issuer”), entered into an amended and restated $4.325 billion revolving credit facility with Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent, and the lenders party thereto. The amendment and restatement, among other things, increased the amount of available borrowings from $4.135 billion to $

4.325

billion and extended the maturity date from June 3, 2027 to December 15, 2028.

All of Blackstone’s outstanding senior notes as of December 31, 2023 are unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Issuer that are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Blackstone Inc. and its indirect subsidiaries, Blackstone Holdings I L.P., Blackstone Holdings AI L.P., Blackstone Holdings II L.P., Blackstone Holdings III L.P. and Blackstone Holdings IV L.P. (the “Guarantors”). The guarantees are unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Guarantors. Transaction costs related to senior note issuances have been capitalized and are amortized over the life of each respective note.

Blackstone borrows and enters into credit agreements for its general operating and investment purposes and certain Blackstone Funds borrow to meet financing needs of their operating and investing activities. Borrowing facilities have been established for the benefit of selected Blackstone Funds. When a Blackstone Fund borrows from the facility in which it participates, the proceeds from the borrowing are strictly limited for its intended use by the borrowing fund and not available for other Blackstone purposes. Blackstone’s credit facilities consist of the following:

of 0.06%. The margin above adjusted SOFR used to calculate interest on borrowings was 0.75% plus an additional credit spread adjustment of 0.10% to account for the difference between London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and SOFR. The margin is subject to change based on Blackstone’s credit rating. Borrowings may also be made in U.K. sterling, euros, Swiss francs, Japanese yen or Canadian dollars, in each case subject to certain sub-limits. The Credit Facility contains customary representations, covenants and events of default. Financial covenants consist of a maximum net leverage ratio and a requirement to keep a minimum amount of fee-earning assets under management, each tested quarterly. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, Blackstone had outstanding but undrawn letters of credit against the Credit Facility of $40.3 million and $11.2 million, respectively. The amount Blackstone can draw from the Credit Facility is reduced by the undrawn letters of credit, however the Credit Available presented herein is not reduced by the undrawn letters of credit.

B

The following table presents the general characteristics of each of Blackstone’s notes, as well as their carrying value and fair value. The borrowings are included in Loans Payable within the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Each of the Senior Notes were issued at a discount through Blackstone’s indirect subsidiary, Blackstone Holdings Finance Co. L.L.C. The Senior Notes accrue interest from the issue date thereof and pay interest in arrears on a

semi-annual

basis or annual basis. The Secured Borrowings were issued at par, accrue interest from the issue date thereof and pay interest in arrears on a quarterly basis. CLO Notes Payable pay interest in arrears on a quarterly basis.

Scheduled principal payments for borrowings at December 31, 2023 were as follows:

14. Leases

Blackstone enters into non-cancelable lease and sublease agreements primarily for office space, which expire on various dates through 2043. Occupancy lease agreements, in addition to base rentals, generally are subject to escalation provisions based on certain costs incurred by the landlord, and are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease agreement. Rent expense includes base contractual rent and variable costs such as building expenses, utilities, taxes and insurance. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, Blackstone maintained irrevocable standby letters of credit and cash deposits as security for the leases of $14.7 million and $12.3 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, the weighted-average remaining lease term was 6.0 years, and the weighted-average discount rate was 1.8%.

The components of lease expense were as follows:

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases were as follows:

The following table shows the undiscounted cash flows on an annual basis for Operating Lease Liabilities as of December 31, 2023:

15. Income Taxes

The Income Before Provision for Taxes consists of the following:

The Provision for Taxes consists of the following:

The following table summarizes Blackstone’s tax position:

The following table reconciles the effective income tax rate to the U.S. federal statutory tax rate:

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences that may exist between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. A summary of the tax effects of the temporary differences is as follows:

The net increase in the deferred tax asset for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to the year ended December 31, 2022, is primarily due to recognition of additional tax basis in certain assets and recording corresponding deferred tax benefits related to quarterly exchanges of Blackstone Holdings Partnership units for common shares of Blackstone Inc. Realization of deferred tax assets depends on the expectation and character of future taxable income. In addition, Blackstone hasno significant net operating losses carryforward at December 31, 2023.

In evaluating the ability to realize deferred tax assets, Blackstone among other things, considers projections of taxable income (including character of such income), beginning with historic results and incorporating assumptions of the amount of future pretax operating income. These assumptions about future taxable income require significant judgment and are consistent with the plans and estimates that Blackstone uses to manage its business. To the extent any portion of the deferred tax assets are not considered to be more likely than not to be realized, valuation allowances are recorded.

Currently, Blackstone does not believe it meets the indefinite reversal criteria that would preclude Blackstone from recognizing a deferred tax liability with respect to its foreign subsidiaries. Therefore, if applicable Blackstone recorded a deferred tax liability for any outside basis difference of an investment in a foreign subsidiary.

Blackstone files its tax returns as prescribed by the tax laws of the jurisdictions in which it operates. In the normal course of business, Blackstone is subject to examination by federal and certain state, local and foreign tax authorities. As of December 31, 2023, the most material jurisdictions where Blackstone entities are under active examination are New York State and City. The following are the major filing jurisdictions and their respective earliest open period subject to examination:

Blackstone’s unrecognized tax benefits, excluding related interest and penalties, were:

If recognized, the above tax benefits would reduce the annual effective rate. Blackstone believes the liability established for unrecognized tax benefits is adequate in relation to the potential for additional assessments. It is reasonably possible that significant changes in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits may occur during the twelve months subsequent to December 31, 2023; however, it is not possible to estimate the expected change to the total unrecognized tax benefits and its impact on Blackstone’s effective tax rate during the twelve months subsequent to December 31, 2023.

The unrecognized tax benefits are recorded in Accounts Payable, Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition.

During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, Blackstone accrued no penalties and accrued interest expense related to unrecognized tax benefits of $22.8 million, $32.6 million and $1.5 million, respectively.

Other Income — Change in Tax Receivable Agreement Liability

In 2023 and 2022, the $(27.2) million and $22.3 million, respectively, Change in Tax Receivable Agreement Liability was primarily attributable to a change in our state tax apportionment.

16. Earnings Per Share and Stockholders’ Equity

Earnings Per Share

Basic and diluted net income per share of common stock for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 was calculated as follows:

In computing the dilutive effect that the exchange of Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units would have on Net Income Per Share of Common Stock, Blackstone considered that net income available to holders of shares of common stock would increase due to the elimination of non-controlling interests in Blackstone Holdings, inclusive of any tax impact. The hypothetical conversion may be dilutive to the extent there is activity at Blackstone Inc. level that has not previously been attributed to the non-controlling interests or if there is a change in tax rate as a result of a hypothetical conversion.

The following table summarizes the anti-dilutive securities for the periods indicated:

Stockholders’ Equity

As of December 31, 2023,

Blackstone had

10 billion shares of preferred stock authorized with a par value of $0.00001

per share

,

of which (a)999,999,000 shares are designated as Series I preferred stock and (b)1,000 shares are designated as Series II preferred stock. The remaining nine billion shares may be designated from time to time in accordance with Blackstone’s certificate of incorporation. There wasone share of Series I preferred stock andone share of Series II preferred stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2023.

Under

Blackstone’s certificate of incorporation and Delaware law, holders of Blackstone’s common stock are entitled to vote, together with holders of Blackstone’s Series I preferred stock, voting as a single class, on a number of significant matters, including certain sales, exchanges or other dispositions of all or substantially all of Blackstone’s assets, a merger, consolidation or other business combination, the removal of the Series II Preferred Stockholder and forced transfer by the Series II Preferred Stockholder of its shares of Series II preferred stock and the designation of a successor Series II Preferred Stockholder. The Series II Preferred Stockholder elects Blackstone’s directors. Holders of Blackstone’s Series I preferred stock and Series II preferred stock are not entitled to dividends from Blackstone, or receipt of any of Blackstone’s assets in the event of any dissolution, liquidation or winding up. Blackstone Partners L.L.C. is the sole holder of the Series I preferred stock and Blackstone Group Management L.L.C. is the sole holder of the Series II preferred stock.

Share Repurchase Program

On December 7, 2021, Blackstone’s board of directors authorized the repurchase of up to $2.0 billion of common stock and Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units. Under the repurchase program, repurchases may be made from time to time in open market transactions, in privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. The timing and the actual numbers repurchased will depend on a variety of factors, including legal requirements, price and economic and market conditions. The repurchase program may be changed, suspended or discontinued at any time and does not have a specified expiration date.

During the year ended December 31, 2021, Blackstone repurchased 10.3 million shares of common stock at a total cost of $1.2 billion. During the year ended December 31, 2022, Blackstone repurchased 3.9 million shares of common stock at a total cost of $392.0 million. During the year ended December 31, 2023, Blackstone repurchased 3.7 million shares of common stock at a total cost of $351.3 million. As of December 31, 2023, the amount remaining available for repurchases under the program was $756.8 million.

Shares Eligible for Dividends and Distributions

As of December 31, 2023, the total shares of common stock and Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units entitled to participate in dividends and distributions were as follows:

Blackstone has granted equity-based compensation awards to Blackstone’s senior managing directors, non-partner professionals, non-professionals and selected external advisers under Blackstone’s Amended and Restated 2007 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Equity Plan”). The Equity Plan allows for the granting of options, share appreciation rights or other share-based awards (shares, restricted shares, restricted shares of common stock, deferred restricted shares of common stock, phantom restricted shares of common stock or other share-based awards based in whole or in part on the fair value of shares of common stock or Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units) which may contain certain service or performance requirements. As of January 1, 2023, Blackstone had the ability to grant 172,161,191 shares under the Equity Plan.

For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 Blackstone recorded compensation expense of $987.5 million, $846.3 million, and $637.4 million, respectively, in relation to its equity-based awards with corresponding tax benefits of $183.4 million, $135.9 million, and $84.3 million, respectively.

As of December 31, 2023, there was $2.3 billion of estimated unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested awards, including compensation with performance conditions where it is probable that the performance condition will be met. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.4 years.

Total vested and unvested outstanding shares, including common stock, Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units and deferred restricted shares of common stock, were 1,216,569,512 as of December 31, 2023. Total outstanding phantom shares were 91,648 as of December 31, 2023.

A summary of the status of Blackstone’s unvested equity-based awards as of December 31, 2023 and of changes during the period January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023 is presented below:

Shares/Units Expected to Vest

The following unvested shares and units, after expected forfeitures, as of December 31, 2023, are expected to vest:

Deferred Restricted Shares of Common Stock and Phantom Shares

Blackstone has granted deferred restricted shares of common stock to certain senior and non-senior managing director professionals, analysts and senior finance and administrative personnel and selected external advisers and phantom shares (cash settled equity-based awards) to other senior and non-senior managing director employees. Holders of deferred restricted shares of common stock and phantom shares are not entitled to any voting rights. Only phantom shares are to be settled in cash. Deferred restricted shares of common stock where the number of shares have not been set are liability classified and excluded from the above tables.

The fair values of deferred restricted shares of common stock have been derived based on the closing price of common stock on the date of the grant, multiplied by the number of unvested awards and expensed over the assumed service period, which ranges from 1 to 5 years. Additionally, the calculation of the compensation expense assumes forfeiture rates based on historical turnover rates, ranging from 1.0% to 13.0% annually by employee class, and a per share discount, ranging from $1.46 to $21.53.

The phantom shares vest over the assumed service period, which ranges from 1 to 5 years. On each such vesting date, Blackstone delivered or will deliver cash to the holder in an amount equal to the number of phantom shares held multiplied by the then fair market value of Blackstone’s common stock on such date. Additionally, the calculation of the compensation expense assumes a forfeiture rate based on historical turnover rates, ranging from 6.7% to 13.0% annually by employee class. Blackstone is accounting for these cash settled awards as a liability.

Blackstone paid $1.7 million, $0.6 million and $1.1 million to employees in settlement of phantom shares for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Performance-Based Compensation

During the year ended December 31, 2021, Blackstone issued performance-based compensation, the dollar value of which is based on the future achievement of established business performance conditions. The number of vested shares of common stock to be issued is variable based on the 30-day volume weighted-average price at the end of the performance period. Due to the nature of settlement, the performance-based compensation is classified as a liability. Compensation expense is recognized over the performance period based upon the probable outcome of the performance condition. Due to the variable share settlement, the tables above exclude the impact of this performance-based compensation, as the number of shares to be issued is based on the probability of achieving the performance condition and not yet set.

Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units

Blackstone has granted deferred restricted Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units to certain current and former senior managing directors. Holders of deferred restricted Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units are not entitled to any voting rights.

The fair values of deferred restricted Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units have been derived based on the closing price of Blackstone’s common units on the date of the grant, multiplied by the number of unvested awards and expensed over the assumed service period, which ranges from 1 to 2 years. Additionally, the calculation of the compensation expense assumes a forfeiture rate of 6.7%, based on historical experience.

18. Related Party Transactions

Affiliate Receivables and Payables

Due from Affiliates and Due to Affiliates consisted of the following:

Interests of the Founder, Senior Managing Directors, Employees and Other Related Parties

The Founder, senior managing directors, employees and certain other related parties invest on a discretionary basis in the consolidated Blackstone Funds both directly and through consolidated entities. These investments generally are subject to preferential management fee and performance allocation or incentive fee arrangements. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, such investments aggregated $1.7 billion and $1.6 billion, respectively. Their share of the Net Income Attributable to Redeemable Non-Controlling and Non-Controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities aggregated $87.8 million, $10.9 million and $471.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Contingent Repayment Guarantee

Blackstone and its personnel who have received Performance Allocation distributions have guaranteed payment on a several basis (subject to a cap) to the carry funds of any clawback obligation with respect to the excess Performance Allocation allocated to the general partners of such funds and indirectly received thereby to the extent that either Blackstone or its personnel fails to fulfill its clawback obligation, if any. The Accrual for Potential Repayment of Previously Received Performance Allocations represents amounts previously paid to Blackstone Holdings and non-controlling interest holders that would need to be repaid to the Blackstone Funds if the carry funds were to be liquidated based on the fair value of their underlying investments as of December 31, 2023. See Note 19. “Commitments and Contingencies — Contingencies — Contingent Obligations (Clawback).”

Tax Receivable Agreements

Blackstone used a portion of the proceeds from the IPO and other sales of shares to purchase interests in the predecessor businesses from the predecessor owners. In addition, holders of Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units may exchange their Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units for shares of Blackstone common stock on a one-for-one basis. The purchase and subsequent exchanges are expected to result in increases in the tax basis of the tangible and intangible assets of Blackstone Holdings and therefore reduce the amount of tax that Blackstone would otherwise be required to pay in the future.

Blackstone has entered into tax receivable agreements with each of the predecessor owners and additional tax receivable agreements have been executed, and will continue to be executed, with senior managing directors and others who acquire Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units. The agreements provide for the payment by the corporate taxpayer to such owners of 85% of the amount of cash savings, if any, in U.S. federal, state and local income tax that the corporate taxpayers actually realize as a result of the aforementioned increases in tax basis and of certain other tax benefits related to entering into these tax receivable agreements. For purposes of the tax receivable agreements, cash savings in income tax will be computed by comparing the actual income tax liability of the corporate taxpayers to the amount of such taxes that the corporate taxpayers would have been required to pay had there been no increase to the tax basis of the tangible and intangible assets of Blackstone Holdings as a result of the exchanges and had the corporate taxpayers not entered into the tax receivable agreements.

Assuming no future material changes in the relevant tax law and that the corporate taxpayers earn sufficient taxable income to realize the full tax benefit of the increased amortization of the assets, the expected future payments under the tax receivable agreements (which are taxable to the recipients) will aggregate $1.7 billion over the next 15 years. The after-tax net present value of these estimated payments totals $522.6 million assuming a 15% discount rate and using Blackstone’s most recent projections relating to the estimated timing of the benefit to be received. Future payments under the tax receivable agreements in respect of subsequent exchanges would be in addition to these amounts. The payments under the tax receivable agreements are not conditioned upon continued ownership of Blackstone equity interests by the pre-IPO owners and the others mentioned above. Subsequent to December 31, 2023, payments totaling $92.4 million were made to certain pre-IPO owners and others mentioned above in accordance with the tax receivable agreement and related to tax benefits Blackstone received for the 2022 taxable year.

Amounts related to the deferred tax asset resulting from the increase in tax basis from the exchange of Blackstone Holdings Partnership Units to shares of Blackstone common stock, the resulting remeasurement of net deferred tax assets at the Blackstone ownership percentage at the balance sheet date, the due to affiliates for the future payments resulting from the tax receivable agreements and resulting adjustment to partners’ capital are included as Acquisition of Ownership Interests from Non-Controlling Interest Holders in the Supplemental Disclosure of Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Other

Blackstone does business with and on behalf of some of its Portfolio Companies; all such arrangements are on a negotiated basis.

Additionally, please see Note 19. “Commitments and Contingencies — Contingencies — Guarantees” for information regarding guarantees provided to a lending institution for certain loans held by employees.

19. Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments

Investment Commitments

Blackstone had $5.0 billion of investment commitments as of December 31, 2023 representing general partner capital funding commitments to the Blackstone Funds, limited partner capital funding to other funds and Blackstone principal investment commitments, including loan commitments. The consolidated Blackstone Funds had signed investment commitments of $364.4 million as of December 31, 2023 which includes $210.6 million of signed investment commitments for portfolio company acquisitions in the process of closing.

Regulated Entities

Certain U.S. and non-U.S. entities are subject to various investment adviser and other financial regulatory rules and requirements that may include minimum net capital requirements. These entities have continuously operated in excess of these requirements. This includes a number of U.S. entities that are registered as investment advisers with the SEC.

These regulatory capital requirements may restrict Blackstone’s ability to withdraw capital from its entities. At December 31, 2023, $106.6 million of net assets of consolidated entities may be restricted as to the payment of cash dividends and advances to Blackstone.

Contingencies

Guarantees

Certain of Blackstone’s consolidated real estate funds guarantee payments to third parties in connection with the ongoing business activities and/or acquisitions of their Portfolio Companies. There is no direct recourse to Blackstone to fulfill such obligations. To the extent that underlying funds are required to fulfill guarantee obligations, Blackstone’s invested capital in such funds is at risk. Total investments at risk in respect of guarantees extended by consolidated real estate funds was $27.9 million as of December 31, 2023.

The Blackstone Holdings Partnerships provided guarantees to a lending institution for certain loans held by employees either for investment in Blackstone Funds or for members’ capital contributions to The Blackstone Group International Partners LLP. The amount guaranteed as of December 31, 2023 was $79.8 million.

Strategic Venture

In December 2022 and January 2023, Blackstone entered into

long‐te

rm

strategic ventures

(“UC strategic ventures”)

with the Regents of the University of California (“UC Investments”), an institutional investor that subscribed for $4.5 billion of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (“BREIT”) Class I shares during the three months ended March 31, 2023.

The UC strategic ventures provide

a waterfall structure with UC Investments receiving an 11.25% target annualized net return on its $4.5 billion investment in BREIT shares and upside from its investment. This target return, while not guaranteed, is supported by a pledge by Blackstone of $1.1 billion of its holdings in BREIT as of the subscription dates, including any appreciation or dividends received by Blackstone in respect thereof. Pursuant to the

UC

strategic

ventures

, Blackstone is entitled to receive an incremental 5% cash payment from UC Investments on any returns received in excess of the target return. An asset or liability is recognized based on fair value with the maximum potential future obligation capped at the fair value of the assets pledged by Blackstone in connection with the above arrangements. As of December 31, 2023, the fair value of the assets pledged was $1.1 billion and the total liability recognized was $564.0 million.

Litigation

Blackstone may from time to time be involved in litigation and claims incidental to the conduct of its business. Blackstone’s businesses are also subject to extensive regulation, which may result in regulatory proceedings against Blackstone.

Blackstone accrues a liability for legal proceedings only when those matters present loss contingencies that are both probable and reasonably estimable. In such cases, there may be an exposure to loss in excess of any amounts accrued. Although there can be no assurance of the outcome of such legal actions, based on information known by management, Blackstone does not have a potential liability related to any current legal proceeding or claim that would individually or in the aggregate materially affect its results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

In December 2017, eight pension plan members of the Kentucky Retirement System (“KRS”) filed a derivative lawsuit on behalf of KRS in the Franklin County Circuit Court of the Commonwealth of Kentucky (the “Mayberry Action”). The Mayberry Action alleged various breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of Kentucky state law in connection with KRS’s investment in three hedge funds of funds, including a fund managed by Blackstone Alternative Asset Management L.P. (“BLP”). The suit named more than 30 defendants, including, among others, The Blackstone Group L.P. (now Blackstone Inc.); BLP; Stephen A. Schwarzman, as Chairman and CEO of Blackstone; and J. Tomilson Hill, as then-CEO of BLP (collectively, the “Blackstone Defendants”). In July 2020, the Kentucky Supreme Court directed the Circuit Court to dismiss the action due to the plaintiffs’ lack of standing.

Over the objection of the Blackstone Defendants and others, in December 2020, the Circuit Court permitted the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Kentucky (the “AG”) to intervene in the Mayberry Action. In December 2022, the Mayberry Action was stayed pending resolution of an interlocutory appeal in which the Blackstone Defendants and others argued that the Circuit Court did not have jurisdiction to continue the Mayberry Action after the ruling of the Kentucky Supreme Court. In April 2023, the Kentucky Court of Appeals agreed with the defendants’ position, holding that the Circuit Court exceeded its authority in permitting the AG’s intervention despite the Kentucky Supreme Court’s instruction to dismiss. Accordingly, the Kentucky Court of Appeals vacated all orders entered by the Circuit Court other than the order dismissing the original derivative complaint in the Mayberry Action. In July 2023, the AG filed a motion for discretionary review of the Court of Appeals’ decision by the Kentucky Supreme Court, which was denied on January 10, 2024. Additionally, around the time the AG moved to intervene in 2020, the AG separately filed an additional back-up complaint asserting substantially identical claims against largely the same defendants as the Mayberry Action, including Stephen A. Schwarzman, J. Tomilson Hill and Blackstone Inc. (the “July 2020 Action”). The AG did not pursue the July 2020 Action until August 2023, when the AG served a substantially identical amended complaint which, in September 2023, the named defendants moved to dismiss. Concurrently, out of an abundance of caution, BLP filed a motion to dismiss and a motion to strike references to BLP as a purported defendant, even though the July 2020 Action, as amended, did not name BLP as a defendant. The AG then added BLP as a party on November 20, 2023, and BLP subsequently filed a motion to dismiss on December 21, 2023. We believe that the July 2020 Action—initiated some nine years after BLP was engaged by KRS—is even more clearly barred by the statute of limitations than the Mayberry Action.

In August 2022, KRS was ordered to disclose, and in September 2022, did disclose, a report prepared in 2021 by a law firm retained by KRS to conduct an investigation into the investment activities underlying the lawsuit. According to the report, the investigators “did not find any violations of fiduciary duty or illegal activity by [BLP]” related to KRS’s due diligence and retention of BLP or KRS’s continued investment with BLP. The report quotes contemporaneous communications by KRS staff during the period of the investment recognizing that BLP was exceeding KRS’s returns benchmark, that BLP was providing KRS with “far fewer negative months than any liquid market comparable,” and that BLP “[h]as killed it.”

In January 2021, certain former plaintiffs in the Mayberry Action filed a separate action (“Taylor I”) against the Blackstone Defendants and other defendants named in the Mayberry Action, asserting allegations substantially similar to those in the Mayberry Action, and in July 2021 they amended their complaint to add class action allegations. Defendants removed Taylor I to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and in March 2022, the District Court stayed Taylor I pending the resolution of the AG’s sui

t.

In August 2021, a group of KRS members—including those that filed Taylor I—filed a new action in Franklin County Circuit Court (“Taylor II”), against the Blackstone Defendants, other defendants named in the Mayberry Action, and other KRS officials. The filed complaint is substantially similar to that filed in Taylor I and the Mayberry Action. Motions to dismiss are pending. The Blackstone Defendants believe they have strong defenses on statute of limitations grounds, among others, to both Taylor I and Taylor II.

In May 2022, the presiding judge recused himself from the Mayberry Action and Taylor II, and the cases were reassigned to another judge in the Franklin County Circuit Court.

In April 2021, the AG filed an action (the “Declaratory Judgment Action”) against BLP and the other fund manager defendants from the Mayberry Action in Franklin County Circuit Court. The action sought to have certain provisions in the subscription agreements between KRS and the fund managers declared to be in violation of the Kentucky Constitution. In March 2022, the Circuit Court granted summary judgment to the AG and the Court of Appeals affirmed on December 1, 2023. On February 5, 2024, BLP’s petition for rehearing before the Court of Appeals was denied. BLP’s motion for discretionary review of the Court of Appeals’ decision by the Kentucky Supreme Court is due March 6, 2024.

Blackstone continues to believe that the preceding lawsuits against Blackstone are totally without merit and intends to defend them vigorously.

In July 2021, BLP filed a breach of contract action against defendants affiliated with KRS alleging that the Mayberry Action and the Declaratory Judgment Action breach the parties’ subscription agreements governing KRS’s investment with BLP. The action seeks damages, including legal fees and expenses incurred in defending against the above actions. In April 2022, the Circuit Court dismissed BLP’s complaint without prejudice to refiling, on the grounds that the action was not yet ripe for adjudication. In May 2023, the Court of Appeals affirmed the Circuit Court’s dismissal, without prejudice, of BLP’s complaint on ripeness grounds. In August 2023, BLP filed a motion with the Kentucky Supreme Court for discretionary review, which was granted on February 7, 2024.

In October 2022, as part of a sweep of private equity and other investment advisory firms, the SEC sent us a request for information relating to the retention of certain types of electronic business communications, including text messages, that may be required to be preserved under certain SEC rules. We are cooperating with the SEC’s inquiry.

Contingent Obligations (Clawback)

Performance Allocations are subject to clawback to the extent that the Performance Allocations received to date with respect to a fund exceeds the amount due to Blackstone based on cumulative results of that fund. The actual clawback liability, however, generally does not become realized until the end of a fund’s life except for certain Blackstone funds, which may have an interim clawback liability. The lives of the carry funds, including available contemplated extensions, for which a liability for potential clawback obligations has been recorded for financial reporting purposes, are currently anticipated to expire at various points through 2032. Further extensions of such terms may be implemented under given circumstances.

For financial reporting purposes, when applicable, the general partners record a liability for potential clawback obligations to the limited partners of some of the carry funds due to changes in the unrealized value of a fund’s remaining investments and where the fund’s general partner has previously received Performance Allocation distributions with respect to such fund’s realized investments.

The following table presents the clawback obligations by segment:

During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Blackstone general partners paid a cash clawback obligation of $14.3 million, primarily related to funds in the Private Equity and Real Estate

segments

of which $9.3 million was paid by Blackstone Holdings and $5.0 million by current and former Blackstone personnel.

For Private Equity, Real Estate, and certain Credit & Insurance Funds, a portion of the Performance Allocations paid to current and former Blackstone personnel is held in segregated accounts in the event of a cash clawback obligation. These segregated accounts are not included in the Consolidated Financial Statements of Blackstone, except to the extent a portion of the assets held in the segregated accounts may be allocated to a consolidated Blackstone fund of hedge funds. At December 31, 2023, $1.1 billion was held in segregated accounts for the purpose of meeting any clawback obligations of current and former personnel if such payments are required.

In the Credit & Insurance segment, payment of Performance Allocations to Blackstone by the majority of the stressed/distressed, mezzanine and credit alpha strategies funds are substantially deferred under the terms of the partnership agreements. This deferral mitigates the need to hold funds in segregated accounts in the event of a cash clawback obligation.

If,

at December 31, 2023, all of the investments held by Blackstone’s carry funds were deemed worthless, a possibility that management views as remote, the amount of Performance Allocations subject to potential clawback would be $6.4 billion, on an after-tax basis where applicable, of which Blackstone Holdings is potentially liable for $6.0 billion if current and former Blackstone personnel default on their share of the liability, a possibility that management also views as remote.

20. Segment Reporting

Blackstone conducts its alternative asset management businesses through four segments:

These business segments are differentiated by their various investment strategies. Each of the segments primarily earns its income from management fees and investment returns on assets under management.

Segment Distributable Earnings is Blackstone’s segment profitability measure used to make operating decisions and assess performance across Blackstone’s four segments.

Segment Distributable Earnings represents the net realized earnings of Blackstone’s segments and is the sum of Fee Related Earnings and Net Realizations for each segment. Blackstone’s segments are presented on a basis that deconsolidates Blackstone Funds, eliminates non-controlling ownership interests in Blackstone’s consolidated operating partnerships, removes the amortization of intangible assets and removes Transaction-Related and Non-Recurring Items. Transaction-Related and Non-Recurring Items arise from corporate actions including acquisitions, divestitures, Blackstone’s initial public offering and non-recurring gains, losses, or other charges, if any. They consist primarily of equity-based compensation charges, gains and losses on contingent consideration arrangements, changes in the balance of the Tax Receivable Agreement resulting from a change in tax law or similar event, transaction costs, gains or losses associated with these corporate actions and non-recurring gains, losses or other charges that affect period-to-period comparability and are not reflective of Blackstone’s operational performance.

F

or segment reporting purposes, Segment Distributable Earnings is presented along with its major components, Fee Related Earnings and Net Realizations. Fee Related Earnings is used to assess Blackstone’s ability to generate profits from revenues that are measured and received on a recurring basis and not subject to future realization events. Net Realizations is the sum of Realized Principal Investment Income and Realized Performance Revenues less Realized Performance Compensation. Performance Allocations and Incentive Fees are presented together and referred to collectively as Performance Revenues or Performance Compensation.

Geographic Information

Blackstone conducts its business primarily in the United States with domestically generated revenues making up 70%,77% and 65% of total GAAP revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The table below presents the percentage of total GAAP revenues generated by Blackstone by geographic region. Revenues attributed to a geographic region are generally based on the geography of investments held by Blackstone and Blackstone Funds. The geography of

an investment

is generally the country of domicile for an asset or where a portfolio company is headquartered.

Blackstone’s long-lived assets are comprised of Right-of-Use Assets and Furniture, Equipment and Leasehold Improvements, Net. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, Blackstone held long-lived assets in the United States of $1.1 billion and $1.0 billion, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, Blackstone held long-lived assets in the United Kingdom of $141.7 million. No individual foreign country constituted more than 10% of Blackstone’s total long-lived assets as of December 31, 2022.

Major Customer Information

For the year ended December 31, 2023, BREIT accounted for $839.9 million of Blackstone’s Management and Advisory Fees, Net. For the year ended December 31, 2023, Blackstone Private Credit Fund (“BCRED”) accounted for an aggregate of $762.6 million of Management and Advisory Fees, Net and Incentive Fees. For the year ended December 31, 2022, BREIT accounted for $841.3 million of Blackstone’s Management and Advisory Fees, Net. No individual customer constituted more than 10% of Blackstone’s Management and Advisory Fees, Net and Incentive Fees for the year ended December 31, 2021. BREIT and BCRED are vehicles in Blackstone’s Real Estate segment and Credit & Insurance segment, respectively. Generally, for purposes of major customer analysis, Blackstone identifies the customer as the investors in its managed investment vehicles. For certain widely held vehicles like BREIT and BCRED, however, the investment vehicle is determined to be the customer. Blackstone evaluates the major customer disclosure in the context of its revenue streams as determined under the GAAP guidance for contracts with customers which includes Management and Advisory Fees, Net and Incentive Fees.

Segment Presentation

The following tables present the financial data for Blackstone’sfour segments as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021.

Reconciliations of Total Segment Amounts

The following tables reconcile the Total Segment Revenues, Expenses and Distributable Earnings to their equivalent GAAP measure for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 along with Total Assets as of December 31, 2023 and 2022:

Segment basis presents revenues and expenses on a basis that deconsolidates the investment funds Blackstone manages and excludes the amortization of intangibles and Transaction-Related and Non-Recurring Items.

Reconciliations of Total Segment Components

The following tables reconcile the components of Total Segments to their equivalent GAAP measures, reported on the Consolidated Statement of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:

Segment basis presents revenues and expenses on a basis that deconsolidates the investment funds Blackstone manages and excludes the amortization of intangibles, the expense of equity-based awards and Transaction-Related and Non-Recurring Items.

21. Subsequent Events

There have been no events since December 31, 2023 that require recognition or disclosure in the Consolidated Financial Statements.