January 8, 2012

Private-equity firm takes aim at small players in B-D space

By Bruce Kelly

Private-equity funds continue to show interest in small to midsize financial services firms — this time with such a buyer snapping up a small clearing firm and making a bid for a holding company for independent broker-dealers with a penny stock price. COR Securities Holdings ...

• clearing firms,
• independent broker-dealers,
• ING Group

October 27, 2011

RIA 3Q M&A activity strong, Pershing report shows

By Bruce Kelly

Big firms were in play, private-equity firms were active; next two years could see ‘frenetic activity'

• Pershing LLC

October 2, 2011

Fidelity launches new salvo in custodian technology "war'

By Davis D. Janowski

Consider this an update from the front lines of the custodian technology war. That is how a senior executive at one of the four giant custodians describes the competition among (in size order) Schwab Advisor Services, Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services, TD Ameritrade...

• Charles Schwab & Co.,
• ING Group,
• Pershing LLC,
• TD Ameritrade Institutional,
• technology

September 11, 2011

Breakaway brokers fill custodians' pipelines

By Dan Jamieson

Market turmoil usually slows job hopping by brokers and financial advisers, but RIA custody firms say that their pipelines are as full as ever — and they don't expect a slowdown soon

• Charles Schwab & Co.,
• custodians,
• E*Trade Financial Corp.,
• Pershing LLC,
• recruiting,
• TD Ameritrade Institutional

September 4, 2011

Pershing 'unaffected' by BNY boss' departure

By Dan Jamieson

It is difficult to tell what impact the loss will have on the Pershing LLC unit of BNY Mellon

• clearing firms,
• Pershing LLC

August 19, 2011

Cetera to move IRA custody in-house from Pershing

By Andrew Osterland

Cetera Financial Group informed financial advisers at two of its three brokerage units last Wednesday that it plans to bring custody of various IRA and savings accounts in-house at its third broker unit, PrimeVest Financial Services Inc.

• custodians,
• Pershing LLC

July 18, 2011

Special report: Clearing and custody

With the flood of new regulations facing investment advisers, clearing and custody firms are taking on a larger supporting role for their clients.

• clearing firms,
• custodians

July 17, 2011

Three clearing firms face an uncertain future

By Andrew Osterland

BROKER-DEALERS and investment advisers don't want to see their clearing firms in the headlines. They don't mind the press releases on new-client signings or announcements about technology platform upgrades. But clearing firms are like commuter trains: You think about them only when something goes...

• clearing firms,
• ING Group,
• Penson Worldwide Inc.,
• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

July 17, 2011

LPL ramping up clearing business

By Bruce Kelly

LPL Investment Holdings Inc. last month proved it wants to be a serious player in the clearing services business by hiring one of the most respected names in the industry to head the unit.

• clearing firms,
• ING Group,
• LPL Financial

July 17, 2011

How clearing and custody firms are taking new regs head-on

By Dan Jamieson

With the flood of new regulations facing investment advisers, clearing and custody firms are taking on a larger supporting role for their clients, doing everything from lobbying in Washington to the nitty-gritty task of preparing for new cost basis rules. At the top of the lobbying...

• Charles Schwab & Co.,
• clearing firms,
• custodians,
• E*Trade Financial Corp.,
• ING Group,
• TD Ameritrade Institutional