(Photo: AP)
J.P. Morgan Asset Management entered into a definitive agreement to acquire fintech firm 55ip, which makes tools that let financial advisors deliver tax-smart investment strategies to clients.
The news comes less than two months after the companies said they had teamed up to give advisors the ability to easily and efficiently transition clients into JPMorgan model portfolios using 55ip's automated tax technology.
It also was announced just nine days after asset manager BlackRock said it was buying personalized indexer and separately managed accounts provider Aperio Group for $1.05 billion. This deal closely followed Morgan Stanley's announcement that it would spend $7 billion to buy Eaton Vance, including Parametic — which offers SMAs and direct indexing.
About six weeks ago, industry rumors circulated that JPMorgan or possibly Lazard were considering Waddell & Reed as an acquisition target. Waddell & Reed said Wednesday that it was being bought for $1.7 billion by Macquarie Group, which plans to sell the wealth unit to LPL Financial.
"Advisors are increasingly seeking intelligent, automated tools to provide simplicity, scale and efficiency, and by acquiring 55ip we are accelerating our significant investments in advanced advisor technology," according to George Gatch, J.P. Morgan Asset Management CEO.
