Ameriprise, CI eyeing Wells Fargo asset management unit

Ameriprise, CI eyeing Wells Fargo asset management unit
Offers are due later this month for the division, which reportedly could fetch more than $3 billion
DEC 15, 2020

Ameriprise Financial Inc., CI Financial Corp. and the private equity firms GTCR and Reverence Capital Partners are weighing second-round bids for Wells Fargo & Co.’s asset management arm, according to people familiar with the matter.

The offers are due later this month, said one of the people, asking not to be identified because the matter isn’t public. Wells Fargo may whittle down the auction to one or two suitors after the next round, depending on how good the offers are, the person said. A final decision hasn’t been made and the companies could decide not to proceed with bids, the people said.

The asset management division could fetch more than $3 billion, people familiar with the matter said in October.

Representatives for Wells Fargo, GTCR and Reverence declined to comment. Representatives for Ameriprise and CI Financial didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Wells Fargo, reeling from years of scandals, is unloading several businesses as it seeks to simplify its structure. A group that includes Apollo Management Inc. and the Blackstone Group Inc. is in talks to acquire its student loan portfolio, people familiar with the matter said last week.

The bank is also selling its corporate trust arm and a private label credit cards business, Bloomberg News has reported.

Ameriprise, a Minneapolis-based wealth adviser, has more than $900 billion under management or administration, according to its website. CI Financial, based in Toronto, entered the U.S. wealth management market by acquiring interests in several registered investment advisers this year.

New York-based Reverence and Chicago-based GTCR both have experience investing in the asset management sector.

Latest News

Investors win lawsuit against Atlanta B-D over tax shelter investment, potentially a first
Investors win lawsuit against Atlanta B-D over tax shelter investment, potentially a first

InvestmentNews reported in 2017 that the IRS was scrutinizing the tax shelter land deals, called syndication conservation easements.

Pontera unveils non-discretionary advice tools in continued retirement platform buildout
Pontera unveils non-discretionary advice tools in continued retirement platform buildout

Advisors gain a second workflow for 401(k) guidance as the fintech expands beyond bulk rebalancing, backed by new policy research on advice access.

HSA balances hit record high, but are clients using them wrong?
HSA balances hit record high, but are clients using them wrong?

New data shows most people do not have enough saved to cover costs and are not fully utilizing their accounts.

Advisor moves: LPL, Cetera, Raymond James, NewEdge Wealth
Advisor moves: LPL, Cetera, Raymond James, NewEdge Wealth

Firms announce new recruits this week, with teams overseeing hundreds of millions in client assets switching affiliations.

Stratos Wealth adds $400M with RPI Financial Life Planners
Stratos Wealth adds $400M with RPI Financial Life Planners

It’s the 12th deal for Stratos since SEI's investment and follows 11 acquisitions worth $4.8B in 2025.

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