RIA M&A: Cash Deal Now or Opportunity Later?

Summary: After the year we’ve had so far, not many of us would say no to some more stability in our lives. That counts double for the RIA industry. A graying workforce weighs its options for exit plans, and the pressure to compete makes inorganic growth an attractive prospect. After spending hours combing through the terms of dozens of M&A transactions for our annual RIA Deal Room Report, I realized buyers and sellers last year showed a greater hunger than ever for the perceived safety of cash deals.