(New York)

It as another solid year for RIA M&A. Just as in 2016, there was strong deal flow, and the number of transactions closed was exactly the same in 2017 as the year prior. That said, deal size and total AUM declined. The first half of 2017 was significantly stronger than the second half, with the majority of the year’s 94 deals getting done in the first half. TD Ameritrade says distraction from tax reform in the second half of the year was partly to blame for the decline in momentum. Total AUM acquired was $106 bn, and the average transaction size was $1.13 bn.

FINSUM: These look like pretty pretty strong numbers to us. The market still seems to be ripe for further consolidation.