Hightower makes sixth deal in 2021

Hightower makes sixth deal in 2021
2021 continues to see a surge of buying of RIAs from various kinds of acquirers.
SEP 07, 2021

Hightower, a leading buyer and aggregator of registered investment advisers, on Tuesday morning said it had acquired a piece of Alexandria Capital, a registered investment adviser with $1.5 billion in client assets. So far, Hightower has announced a half dozen deals for RIAs in 2021, which continues to see a surge of buying of RIAs from various kinds of acquirers.

Hightower did not say what percentage of Alexandria Capital it was acquiring, calling the deal a "strategic investment" in a press release.

RIA aggregators like Hightower have a variety of ways to buy or invest in another firm, from an outright purchase and takeover to a minority investment closer to a partnership.

Founded in 1987, Alexandria Capital is led by CEO Augustine Hong and chief investment officer Jonathan Ferguson.

"The transaction involved cash and equity," wrote CEO Bob Oros in an email. "Hightower prides itself in flexibly partnering with our wealth adviser principals to reward industry-leading growth."

At the end of June, Hightower's assets under administration were approximately $125.2 billion, and its assets under management were $101 billion, according to the company.

Latest News

Altruist VP was cited in Vanguard’s 2025 Just Invest lawsuit
Altruist VP was cited in Vanguard’s 2025 Just Invest lawsuit

A recently settled lawsuit over Vanguard’s first-ever acquisition named a current sales executive at Altruist, the RIA custodian that Vanguard just bought for $4.6 billion.

Pooled employer plans: advisors are pitching them the wrong way
Pooled employer plans: advisors are pitching them the wrong way

Advisors who lead with cost savings when pitching pooled employer 401(k) plans may be underselling — and misrepresenting — the fiduciary value.

Wealth Enhancement comes to Alaska in latest tuck-in acquisition
Wealth Enhancement comes to Alaska in latest tuck-in acquisition

The Minneapolis-based consolidator's addition of a $345 million Anchorage RIA comes as small sellers navigate a volatile 2026 deal market.

Investor says pre-IPO fund hid markups on SpaceX, Stripe stakes
Investor says pre-IPO fund hid markups on SpaceX, Stripe stakes

He says the account portal went dark just as he tried to check what he owned.

ADMA stockholder suit alleges channel-stuffing and a hidden distributor deal
ADMA stockholder suit alleges channel-stuffing and a hidden distributor deal

Six insiders sold more than $30 million in stock before shares fell about 45%.

SPONSORED Direct indexing webinar targets tax-loss harvesting amid market swings

Northern Trust’s Ken Lassner shows advisors how to convert volatility into after-tax portfolio gains

SPONSORED Who builds the income when the pension disappears?

Dan Biagini of American Equity says the steady decline of pensions, longer lifespans and a reset in interest rates are rewriting how advisors build retirement income