RIA M&A starts 2021 with a bang

RIA M&A starts 2021 with a bang
In the first week of the new year, eight significant deals involving advisory firms were announced and a total of $159.6 billion in assets changed hands. Among the buyers and sellers — including Hightower, Sageview Advisory Group and Aquiline Capital Partners — were some of the most significant names in the burgeoning RIA industry.
JAN 11, 2021

After ending 2020 at a fevered pitch, registered investment adviser dealmaking started 2021 with a bang and boom last week, with eight significant deals announced and a total of $159.6 billion in assets changing hands.

Among the buyers and sellers were some of the most significant names in the burgeoning RIA industry.

Chicago-based aggregator Hightower kicked off the action last Monday morning announcing its largest acquisition ever, the purchase of Bel Air Investment Advisors, an $8 billion wealth management firm based in Los Angeles. Also last week, Mercer Global Advisors scooped up two RIAs in Atlanta with a total of $1.6 billion in assets.

But the largest transaction was announced last Tuesday, when Aquiline Capital Partners said it bought a majority stake in Sageview Advisory Group, which has $119 billion in assets under advisement, representing the latest major investment by a private equity firm in a large retirement adviser firm.

That deal was completed before the end of the year, signaling that buyers and sellers wanted to get transactions done before the switch to a Democratic administration and a potential tax hike.

"There were definitely a number of sellers who were motivated to get deals done before the end of 2020, with the potential for the Biden administration to increase capital gains taxes and reduce net proceeds retained by sellers. Dec. 31 was something of a finish line for deals that were in progress for the better part of last year," said Mark Bruno, managing director at Echelon Partners. "It’s important to note that deals don’t come together in a matter of weeks or months, so the change in administration was an accelerator, but obviously not the lone motivator."

Motivation has apparently been abundant among RIA buyers and sellers. Late last Monday, Boston Private Financial Holdings said it was being acquired by SVB Financial Group, creating a $17.7 billion wealth management enterprise.

Last Wednesday, Truist Financial Corp. said it sold its $10 billion 401(k) unit, with OneDigital buying the investment advisory relationships and Empower Retirement and Ascensus taking on portions of the firm’s record-keeping business.

Also last Wednesday, storied East Coast wealth management firm Rockefeller Capital Management said it was expanding its Midwest footprint with the acquisition of Whitnell & Co., a $1.4 billion multifamily office based in Chicago.

Finally, last Thursday, Captrust Financial Advisors said it was adding Phoenix-based MRA Associates, a 59-person firm with $3.3 billion under management.

The flurry of RIA dealmaking activity last week was no surprise, Bruno said.

"Given that most deals take nine to 12 months to execute, if not longer, from beginning to end, we expected to see 2020 end with a larger-than-normal amount of activity," he said.

Bruno pointed to Echelon's research showing that there were 69 transactions in the final quarter of 2020, a new record for a single quarter and a 25% increase over the previous quarter.

"For context, the second half of 2020 was by far the most active period of M&A on record for the wealth management industry," he added.

Latest News

Can advisors still cut through the noise in digital marketing?
Can advisors still cut through the noise in digital marketing?

With a fifth of RIA firms using AI to create marketing content, one leading voice argues a clear identity and focusing on clients will be crucial to success.

With wealth management market cooking, LPL Financial shares hit new highs
With wealth management market cooking, LPL Financial shares hit new highs

LPL Financial is a bellwether for the broader financial advice marketplace.

Wealth tech Alix raises $20M to expand AI-powered estate settlement platform
Wealth tech Alix raises $20M to expand AI-powered estate settlement platform

The San Francisco-based startup's Series A funding, with support from Schwab and Edward Jones Ventures, will reinforce its role in the coming $124 trillion wealth transfer.

Summit Financial adds four RIAs, nets $1.2B in new assets
Summit Financial adds four RIAs, nets $1.2B in new assets

The quartet of deals across New York, Florida, Ohio, and New Mexico reinforces the fast-growing integrator's leading position in the independent space.

Advisor moves: Raymond James welcomes UBS, Wells Fargo teams in bicoastal moves
Advisor moves: Raymond James welcomes UBS, Wells Fargo teams in bicoastal moves

UBS and Wells Fargo have made their own additions in the Northeast, including a Massachusetts duo defecting from Commonwealth.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.