PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 8

trends
The news that drives the retirement
plan adviser industry
M&A Gets Off to a Flying Start
Major deals have
already been
announced,
with the likes of
SageView Advisory
Group and
Compass Financial
Partners already
having been
acquired, and
sources say there
are more to come.
ALTHOUGH 2020 fell short of expectations
in many ways, the predictions
of numerous
retirement
industry mergers and acquisitions (M&As)
panned out. In fact, despite the ongoing
challenges presented by the coronavirus
pandemic, M&A activity in the financial
services sector set another record.
According to data provided by Canadian
investment bank Echelon Partners,
at least 205 deals registered for the year,
compared with the 203 deals that Echelon
reported in 2019. The fourth quarter of
2020-i.e., through December 22-alone
delivered 69 deals, which represents a new
quarterly record. In fact, Q4 2020 brought
a 25% increase over Q3 2020-the quarter
that previously set the quarterly highwater
mark at 55 total deals.
Echelon analysts say this represents
plan adviser
an impressive rebound, given the significant
slowdown in deals that occurred
during the second quarter, when the
pandemic seriously disrupted the normal
course of business. In the end, 2020
marked the eighth consecutive year
that the total number of transactions in
the registered investment adviser (RIA)
industry increased.
Sources agree that much the same is
in store for 2021, both in terms of adviserfocused
M&As and deals engaged in by
advisers' service provider partners such
as recordkeepers and asset managers.
Already, just a couple of weeks into the
year, several major deals have been
announced, including Aquiline Capital
Partners' private equity backing of
SageView Advisory Group, and Truist's
division and sale of its recordkeeping
8 | planadviser.com January-February 2021 Art by Dalbert B. Vilarino
http://www.planadviser.com

PLANADVISER - January/February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PLANADVISER - January/February 2021

Are You Leaving the Door Open?
A Question of Liability
How 3(38) Advising Profits Clients
The Tax Distinction
How to Choose a PEP
Plan Governance
Continuous Education
The Latest Word on ESG
ESG Investing Under ERISA
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - Cover1
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - Cover2
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 1
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 2
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 3
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 4
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 5
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 6
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 7
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 8
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 9
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 10
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 11
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 12
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 13
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - Are You Leaving the Door Open?
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 15
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 16
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 17
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 18
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 19
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - A Question of Liability
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 21
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 22
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 23
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - How 3(38) Advising Profits Clients
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 25
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 26
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 27
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - The Tax Distinction
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 29
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - How to Choose a PEP
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 31
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - Plan Governance
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 33
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 34
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 35
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - Continuous Education
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 37
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - The Latest Word on ESG
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - ESG Investing Under ERISA
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - 40
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - Cover3
PLANADVISER - January/February 2021 - Cover4
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