M&A Market Update
March marked another busy month for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the investment sector, with five deals announced at values exceeding £5m. This brought the total number of transactions announced in Q1 2026 to 19, representing an increase of approximately 27% compared with the 15 deals announced in Q1 2025.
March included several deals by serial acquirers in the wealth management sector, including 7IM, Fairstone and Wren Sterling. Almost 70% of the acquisitions announced in Q1 2026 involved targets primarily focused on wealth management, underscoring the continued strength of demand within the sector.
The month also saw activity in the asset management space, with Liontrust acquiring River Global’s asset management arm, and U.S.-based investment firm WisdomTree completing the acquisition of systematic manager Atlantic House.
The majority of transactions in the first quarter of 2026 took place at the lower end of the market, within the £5–25m range, with March alone accounting for three deals in this bracket. However, the quarter also included larger transactions, with a record seven deals valued above £100m, including one announced in March. This represents a significant rise from the two deals above £100m recorded in Q1 2025 which reflects the continuing demand for high‑quality assets at the larger end of the scale in the UK investment sector.
The remaining deal activity in March included one transaction in the £25–100m range, a segment that has seen comparatively fewer transactions in Q1 2026 relative to historical trends (three transactions in Q1 2026 vs. six in Q1 2025).
In line with previous years, private equity (PE) has remained the most active acquirer group in 2026 to date, accounting for over half of all transactions. However, the buyer mix this year has been more diverse than in the corresponding period of 2025, when all but one deal involved a PE-backed acquirer. In contrast, 2026 has also seen participation from overseas and listed buyers, underlining a broader and more varied pool of potential acquirers.
Notable transactions (March 2026):
- U.S.-based investment firm WisdomTree announced it had acquired London-based systematic manager Atlantic House. Atlantic House has £4bn of assets under management (AUM) and specialises in defined outcome and derivatives-driven investment strategies, expanding WisdomTree’s product capabilities and broadening its distribution. Atlantic House’s investment team will continue to manage its existing strategies while working with the enlarged group to expand capabilities across ETF and model portfolio platforms.
- Fairstone announced it had acquired Dudley-based wealth manager Prosperity Wealth, marking its largest acquisition to date. The deal adds £1.5bn in AUM, 80 staff (including 49 advisers) and 5,000 clients across the UK. Fairstone had initially partnered with Prosperity Wealth in mid-2023 via its downstream buyout programme establishing its West Midlands hub.
- 7IM announced the acquisition of Chichester-based wealth manager CPN Group. CPN has over 2,800 clients, £750m of assets under advice (AUA) and £400m of AUM via two OEIC funds. CPN’s financial planning team will join 7IM’s newly re-branded advice arm, Amicus Wealth Management, with CPN’s investment management unit merging with 7IM’s Investment Solutions business following completion of the deal.
Other UK transactions (March 2026):
- Söderberg & Partners announced it had invested in three advice businesses: Scarborough-based Moneyweb Financial Advisers (£300m of client assets), Hertfordshire-based Oakwood Investment Management (£600m of client assets) and Lincolnshire-based Liberty Partnership (over £240m of client assets).
- Liontrust announced the acquisition of River Global’s asset management arm, River Global Holdings Ltd, adding £2.72bn in AUM.
- Wren Sterling announced it had acquired Taunton-based financial planning firm Keyte Ltd, adding £400m of client assets, and Glasgow-based asset manager Mackenzie Taylor Asset Management, adding £86m of client assets.
- Absolute Financial Group announced the acquisition of Devon-based financial advice firm HR Independent Financial Services, adding £43m of AUM and 99 households.
- Broadstone announced the acquisition of financial services governance and risk consultancy Rockstead, strengthening its banking and credit advisory business.
- Suttons IFA announced it had acquired Wilmslow-based financial planning firm KSP Financial, adding £10m of AUM.
