Recognizing favorable M&A trends, SC&H Capital identified the right partner for Planning Solutions Group, LLC, to continue to grow and provide the best planning experience for its clients.
SC&H Capital, a leading investment bank and advisory firm focused on middle-market and growth companies, is pleased to announce it served as the exclusive financial advisor to Maryland-based Planning Solutions Group, a hybrid independent financial advisory business, on its sale to Wealth Enhancement Group.
For nearly 20 years, the partners of Planning Solutions Group have developed customized solutions for wealth creation and preservation to suit the needs of business owners, executives, retirees and high-net worth individuals. Planning Solutions Group, which also has an office in Virginia, manages approximately $1.3 billion in combined client brokerage and advisory assets.
SC&H Capital’s advisors identified a significant increase in wealth management M&A and presented this to the partners of Planning Solutions Group as a potential strategic path to facilitate growth, and help them to continue to meet the long-term goals and planning needs of their clientele.
Christopher Helmrath of SC&H Capital said his team approached Planning Solutions Group “making them aware of the increased M&A activity in the wealth management industry. Smaller independent firms were increasingly partnering with larger, national firms that aligned with their core values and provided additional in-house value added services for their clients, as well as allowed boutique firms to leverage the scale and operational efficiencies of a larger organization.”
With larger firms seeking partnerships with established and highly reputable groups in strategic geographies. like the Mid-Atlantic, SC&H Capital urged Planning Solutions Group to explore M&A options as a tool to proactively secure the firm’s future.
SC&H Capital’s market research revealed that Planning Solutions Group “would need to make a significant investment to scale its operations and technology infrastructure, as well as recruit top talent to continue to provide its clients and prospects with the best possible planning experience and to remain successful in an increasingly competitive market,” said Helmrath.
Planning Solutions Group founding partner Tim Kvech said: “SC&H Capital was the guiding force helping us to identify potential buyers, evaluate over 20 initial offers and ultimately choose the right growth partner to help take our company to the next level.”
Helmrath said his team advised Kvech and his partner, Robert Carson, to choose a partner only if it could provide “exactly what they were looking for.”
Planning Solutions Group ultimately decided to partner with Minnesota based Wealth Enhancement Group, an independent wealth management firm that oversees $11.3 billion in client assets. The deal, which will close at the end of July, brings two like-minded firms together to create a win-win solution for both companies.
“For M&A to be a successful part of long term planning, it needs to focus on finding the best possible outcome for all stakeholders involved, whether it’s the shareholders, employees, or clients. Bringing M&A as a possible strategic solution to Tim and Bob ultimately gave them the opportunity to make a choice,” said Helmrath.
Kvech said the merger provides his company with the additional resources “to better serve our clients and provide security for our employees.” Their new partner has “the experience and resources to become the dominant force in our industry.”
“Entrepreneurs know what they know and do it well, but they don’t always know what opportunities are out there to bring their business from Point A to Point B,” said Helmrath. “Find somebody like us that understands your marketplace to help you understand what you don’t know, so you don’t miss an opportunity.”
About SC&H Capital
SC&H Capital, an affiliate of SC&H Group, is an investment banking and advisory firm providing merger and acquisition (M&A), employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), capital raising, and business valuation solutions to middle market and growth companies nationwide. SC&H Capital delivers investment banking and advisory services across numerous industries including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and government contracting to help owners achieve their exit planning goals and liquidity objectives. To learn more visit www.schcapital.com.
