RJ and Makay

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The quantity of merger and acquisition (M&A) deals and the average size of deals are down, but RIAs are still the “dominant buyer,”  according to a report released Wednesday by Schwab Advisor Services.  In 2011, RIAs were involved in 57 M&A transactions totaling almost $44 billion, and the average size of deals, at $798 million, was the lowest since 2005.

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Several large registered investment advisory (RIA) deals were transacted in the 3^rd quarter, with private equity players returning to the marketplace in three significant deals, according to a new Pershing LLC report.  Mark Tibergien, chief executive of Pershing Advisor Solutions, believes that private-equity funds will continue to have an important role in the marketplace.

Strong first quarter merger and acquisition activity among RIAs maintained deal momentum coming off a record-setting 2010 pace, according to a unit of Charles Schwab.

“The continued growth of the equity markets and the overall RIA industry helped create fertile ground for mergers and acquisitions in the first quarter,” said David DeVoe, managing director of strategic business development for Schwab Advisor Services. “On the broader side, RIA M&A is being driven by structural changes to the industry, such as the demographics of adviser principals on the seller side, and the continued investment from consolidators, private equity firms, and others on the buyer side.”