Advisor Group expected to be sold for $2.3 billion

Advisor Group expected to be sold for $2.3 billion
Private equity buyer would grab a 75% stake in IBD network that produced $1.7 billion in revenue last year and has nearly 11,800 advisers.
MAY 09, 2019

Advisor Group, a group of independent contractor broker-dealers with close to 11,800 financial advisers, is close to announcing that it will be acquired by private equity investors for a price tag of $2.3 billion, according to sources familiar with the deal. The deal could be announced as early as today, those source said. But as of Thursday morning, it was not entirely clear who would emerge as the buyer, just that the deal was imminent and would eventually give the buyer a 75% stake in Advisor Group. The two current owners, private equity shop Lightyear Capital and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board of Canada, would retain 25% stake, according to sources who asked not to be identified. Last month, Bloomberg News reported that private equity manager Centerbridge Partners was in talks to buy Advisor Group; on Thursday morning, Bloomberg updated its reporting and said that Reverence Capital Partners was now the leader in the chase for Advisor Group and nearing a deal. A spokesman for Lightyear did not return a call for comment. Neither Centerbridge Capital nor Reverence Capital Partners returned calls for comment. The four broker-dealers in the Advisor Group network are: FSC Securities Corp., Royal Alliance Associates Inc., SagePoint Financial Inc. and Woodbury Financial. According to InvestmentNews data, the four combined to produce $1.7 billion in total revenue last year.

Latest News

Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Nine-month electronic trading freeze and share lending program at the center of dismissed claim.

RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone
RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone

Meanwhile, Rossby Financial's leadership buildout rolls on with a new COO appointment as Balefire Wealth welcomes a distinguished retirement specialist to its national network.

Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500
Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500

With a smaller group of companies driving stock market performance, advisors must work more intentionally to manage concentration risks within client portfolios.

Merrill pays second settlement to former Miami Dolphins player, client of ex-broker
Merrill pays second settlement to former Miami Dolphins player, client of ex-broker

Professional athletes are often targets of scam artists and are particularly vulnerable to fraud.

Schwab touts AI as its biggest growth lever at investor day
Schwab touts AI as its biggest growth lever at investor day

The brokerage giant tells Wall Street it will use artificial intelligence to reach clients it has never been able to serve — and turn the technology's perceived threat into a competitive edge.

SPONSORED Beyond wealth management: Why the future of advice is becoming more human

As technical expertise becomes increasingly commoditized, advisors who can integrate strategy, relationships, and specialized expertise into a cohesive client experience will define the next era of wealth management

SPONSORED Durability over scale: What actually defines a great advisory firm

Growth may get the headlines, but in my experience, longevity is earned through structure, culture, and discipline