Page 35 - Investment Advisor - November 2021
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Dealmaking and Growth
FIRMS work of financial professionals to 2,500. In April, Atria acquired
SCF Securities, making it the second broker-dealer acquisition
Advisor Group’s succession & acqui- within 12 months and sixth overall to join Atria since its founding
sition team helps buyers and sellers in 2017. One of the tools available to those who join the network
take control of succession planning is Atria’s platform Unio, which includes features such as business
and M&A. In October 2020, the firm rolled out its Continuity texting, CRM, business analytics, streamlined account opening,
Coverage & Acquisitions program, which provides loan financ- fee-based solutions and personalized dashboards.
ing from Advisor Group’s own balance sheet for qualified
acquirers, and allows advisors to enroll in a turnkey continuity Beacon Pointe Advisors,
planning program. It helps to identify appropriate partners, after a slow period in 2020,
structures continuity transactions that will kick in the event of increased its M&A dramat-
death or disability and provides financing to make the transi- ically. In March 2020, Abry Partners become a minority owner,
tion as seamless as possible. In 2020, the team facilitated 153 allowing Beacon Pointe to recapitalize and focus on increasing
succession planning-driven deals and put in place 376 written the number of acquisitions and varying deal structures in the
and actionable continuity plans. RIA marketplace. Starting in November, it has been on a tear,
with acquisitions in marketplace hot spots that continued into
Atria Wealth Solutions, over the past 18 late summer. Its biggest one to date is $1.3 billion for
months, has taken part in multiple Wealthstreet Investment Advisors in Dallas. Beacon Pointe’s
transactions and recruiting additions dealmaking approach is multifaceted, focusing first on qualita-
to grow its business and service offerings. Recently, it recruited tive factors, then on a study of the industry landscape and
the $2 billion Cedar Brook Group, which expanded Atria’s net- constant evolution of financial services trends.
NOVEMBER 2021 INVESTMENT ADVISOR 33