Mergers & Acquisitions

Pitcairn Buys Brightside Partners And Launches RIA

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 5, 2025

Pitcairn, which is one of America’s leading family offices that has served many leading ultra-high-net-worth families for more than a century, announced its latest initiative in its mission to provide an outstanding experience for clients. And the firm has acquired Brightside Partners, a UHNW-focused Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) based in Baltimore, MD.

Emerson To Buy Remaining Outstanding Shares Of AspenTech For $7.2 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 2, 2025

Emerson and Aspen Technology announced that they had reached an agreement under which Emerson would acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of AspenTech not already owned by Emerson for $265 per share under an all-cash tender offer. The deal values the minority stake being acquired at $7.2 billion and the total company at a fully diluted market capitalization of $17 billion with an enterprise value of $16.8 billion.

Atlas Energy Solutions: Agreement Signed To Buy Moser Energy Systems For $220 Million

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 1, 2025

Atlas Energy Solutions announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to buy all of the outstanding capital stock of Moser Acquisition (Moser Energy Systems), a leading provider of distributed power solutions, in a deal valued at $220 million.

CGI To Buy IT Services Firm Novatec

By Amit Chowdhry ● Feb 1, 2025

CGI, which is one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, announced that its wholly-owned limited partnership, CGI Deutschland B.V. & Co. KG, has signed an agreement to buy Novatec, an IT services firm specializing in agile software engineering, digital products and strategic business & IT consulting services.

Focus Partners Brings In $4.16 Billion Firm Merriman Wealth

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 31, 2025

Focus Financial Partners, an interdependent partnership of wealth management, business management, and financial services firms, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which Seattle, WA-based Merriman Wealth Management will join Focus Partners Wealth. This deal is expected to close on February 1, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. Upon the completion of this deal, Merriman is expected to add approximately $4.16 billion, measured as of September 30, 2024, to Focus Partners Wealth’s regulatory assets under management.

Ashton Thomas Private Wealth: $2.5 Billion Team Onboarded

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 30, 2025

Ashton Thomas Private Wealth (an Arax Investment Partners firm) announced that Mark Cavalier, Jonathan Smith, and Gregory Weiss have joined the firm as Managing Directors and Partners. And they will join former Wells Fargo Senior Vice President and Group Finance Officer Michael Hansen and four administrative staff to establish a new Ashton Thomas office in San Francisco’s Financial District, which will serve as a hub for the firm’s growth in the Western region.

American Axle Buying Dowlais In $1.44 Billion Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 30, 2025

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) announced that it reached an agreement with the board of the Dowlais Group on the terms of a recommended cash and share offer to be made by AAM for the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Dowlais for about $1.44 billion in cash and AAM shares.

Redwire Buying Edge Autonomy In $925 Million Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2025

Redwire, a leader in space infrastructure for the next-generation space economy, announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Edge Autonomy, a leading provider of field-proven uncrewed airborne system (UAS) technology. Under the merger agreement's terms, Redwire will acquire Edge Autonomy for $925 million on a debt-free, cash-free basis and subject to customary working capital, cash, and debt adjustments.

Ares Management Buying Form Technologies In $304 Million Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2025

Form Technologies - a global leader in producing precision-engineered components - announced that Ares Management funds have acquired most of the company's common equity. In connection with the deal, Form Technologies has substantially deleveraged its balance sheet and received approximately $304 million in new equity capital, comprising $154 million of common equity from investors including Ares, the D. E. Shaw group, and Onex Credit, and $150 million of preferred equity from the D. E. Shaw group and Ripple Industries.

Lumine Group To Buy Vidispine From Arvato Systems

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 29, 2025

Lumine Group - a buy-and-hold forever acquirer of communications and media software businesses, announced that through one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, it has agreed to acquire assets related to the Vidispine brand and business from Arvato Systems, a subsidiary of Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA.

Google Hiring Part Of HTC’s XR Unit In $250 Million Deal

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 26, 2025

Taiwan-based HTC said it will be selling part of its unit for extended reality (XR) headsets and glasses to Google in a $250 million deal. Some of HTC’s employees will also be joining Google as part of the deal.

Corient Acquires Multi-Family Office Business Of Geller & Company

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 25, 2025

Corient, one of the largest and fastest-growing national wealth advisors in the U.S., announced it acquired the multi-family office business of Geller & Company (Geller MFO). And Geller MFO is a premier New York City-based multi-family office with $10.4 billion in assets under management and advisement. This move reinforces Corient’s presence in one of the nation’s largest markets and deepens the firm’s family office capabilities.

Integrated Partners Expanding West Coast Presence With Addition Of RetirementDNA

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 25, 2025

Integrated Partners, a national financial planning and registered investment advisory (RIA) firm serving over $20 billion in assets under advisement (AUA), announced San Diego-based RetirementDNA as the latest advisory team to join its network. This deal marks a significant expansion of both firms' capabilities in retirement plan services and wealth management.

LPL Financial Onboards $430 Million Advisors Larry Forlenza And Carl Hanks

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 24, 2025

LPL Financial announced that financial advisors Larry Forlenza, CRPC, and Carl Hanks, CRPC, have joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, RIA and custodial platforms. And they reported serving about $430 million in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets and join LPL from Raymond James Financial Services.

Adaptive Reader: Education Technology Company Raises Pre-Seed Funding

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 23, 2025

Adaptive Reader - an education technology platform transforming reading accessibility – announced the closing of its oversubscribed pre-seed funding round. Adaptive Reader’s funding round was led by Updraft Education Group, with additional investments from Transcend Fund and WJG Investments.

AvePoint Acquiring Cybersecurity Management Company Ydentic

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 23, 2025

AvePoint – a global leader in data security, governance, and resilience – announced it agreed to acquire Ydentic, a SaaS company specializing in centralized multi-tenant management for Microsoft Managed Services Providers (MSPs). This strategic acquisition will drive the evolution of Elements, AvePoint’s MSP Platform, for greater MSP profitability, increased operational efficiency, scalability, and new security-centric recurring revenue streams.

Doorvest: Real Estate Investing Company Acquiring Rubik

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 23, 2025

Doorvest, a full-service real estate investing platform designed to simplify the process of owning passive income rental homes, announced the acquisition of Rubik.

Raymond James Onboards $500 Million Financial Advisor Kristin Sullivan

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 23, 2025

Raymond James announced it recently welcomed financial advisor Kristin Sullivan, CWS, MBA, to Raymond James Financial Services (RJFS) – which is the firm’s independent advisor channel – according to Sanjiv Shukla, Western assistant division director for RJFS.

Brookfield Buying Divvy Homes’ Portfolio & Platform For About $1 Billion

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 22, 2025

Divvy Homes, a leader in the property-technology industry, announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement where a Brookfield private real estate fund will buy Divvy Homes’ property portfolio and platform for a total consideration of approximately $1 billion. And Maymont Homes, Brookfield’s single-family home rental business, will manage the portfolio.

CBRE Group To Buy Industrious

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 22, 2025

CBRE Group announced a definitive agreement to acquire Industrious National Management Company, a leading provider of flexible workplace solutions. CBRE will create a new business segment called Building Operations & Experience (BOE) in connection with the acquisition. This new segment will combine building operations, workplace experience, and property management, positioning CBRE to deliver scalable and future-ready solutions for offices, data centers, warehouses, and other facilities. The deal is expected to close later this month.

LPL Onboards $340 Million Advisor Marcus Alexander

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 22, 2025

LPL Financial announced that financial advisor Marcus Alexander, CPFA, MBA, has joined LPL’s employee advisor channel, Linsco by LPL Financial, to launch Alexander Wealth Solutions. He reported serving approximately $340 million in advisory, brokerage, and retirement plan assets and joined LPL from Merrill Lynch. He will serve clients from LPL’s newest Linsco office in Newport Beach, California.

Kyle David Group Buying Kennedy & Associates

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 22, 2025

The Kyle David Group (KDG), a professional services firm specializing in technology, accounting, and strategy for small to mid-sized organizations, announced it has completed its asset acquisition of Kennedy & Associates, Certified Public Accountants. This move significantly enhances KDG's portfolio in small to midsized business tax, managed accounting, and fractional CFO services.

Spindrift Sells Majority Stake To Gryphon Investors

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 21, 2025

Spindrift Beverage - a leading maker of sparkling water with real squeezed fruit - announced that Gryphon Investors will buy a majority stake in the company. And Gryphon’s partnership coincides with the appointment of beverage industry veteran Dave Burwick as Spindrift’s new CEO. Bill Creelman, Spindrift’s Founder and current CEO, will move to a new role as Chair of Spindrift’s board.

Elevation Point Invests In Michigan-Based $750 Million AUM Firm Stonebrook Private

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 21, 2025

Elevation Point, a growth accelerator and minority stake partner for independent advisors and breakaway firms announced its strategic investment in Stonebrook Private, based in Northville, Michigan.

Agiloft Buying GenAI Contract Review Company Screens

By Amit Chowdhry ● Jan 21, 2025

Agiloft, a leader in data-first contract lifecycle management (CLM), announced the acquisition of Screens, the world's first standard-based and community-supported Generative AI contract review and redlining solution. This strategic deal will enhance Agiloft's Data-first Agreement Platform and contract management capabilities by standardizing the contract review process, promoting consistency, and unlocking the value of contract data with the collective expertise of a global community of legal professionals.