2024 Annual RIA M&A Outlook

Thank you for your interest in accessing the 2024 Annual RIA M&A Outlook report.

The report explores advisors’ perspectives on trends in M&A, including the motivations and barriers involved with acquiring or selling. This year’s findings demonstrate a significant shift in expectations.

Other highlights include:

- M&A is back! Over 40% of advisors expect a surge in deal activity, a dramatic jump from an all-time low of 18% in 2023.

- Valuations are climbing as optimism returns—advisors anticipate higher firm valuations, fueled by a strong stock market and declining interest rates.

- Growth is king. 65% of sellers cite growth as their top reason for selling, outpacing succession and liquidity concerns. Similarly, with M&A confidence rising, gaining more clients and assets was the top priority for buyers in 2024.

- The succession crisis is real.

- An overwhelming 99% of advisors believe succession is an industry-wide issue, a near-unanimous sentiment that underscores the urgent need for solutions. Alarmingly few can afford to buy out founders.

- In 2021, DeVoe & Company created a Next-Gen Affordability Index to measure the financial feasibility of succession planning. Between 2021 and 2024, the index declined sharply from 38% to just 20%, reflecting growing concerns about whether the second or third-generation of leaders can afford to take over their firms.

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