Transaction Further Underscores How W-2 and Franchise Models Deliver Advisor Teams Solutions for Practice Liquidity, Strategic Acquisitions, and Succession Planning
NewEdge Capital Group, LLC, announced today that Stonegate Investment Group of Birmingham, Alabama has affiliated with its NewEdge Advisors RIA. The transaction has enabled NewEdge Advisors’ Pillar Channel program to surpass $14 billion in client assets.
Stonegate’s 13-person advisory team oversees approximately $6 billion in client assets and is the largest team to affiliate through the NewEdge Advisor Pillar Channel. NewEdge Advisors is a growth-oriented RIA supporting entrepreneurial financial advisors nationwide.
In early 2023, NewEdge Advisors introduced its Pillar Channel affiliation model to transact and partner with successful, rapidly growing advisor practices and wirehouse breakaways. The evolution in the industry, which has driven valuation to new heights, created demand for alternative capital structures that enable elite advisors to focus on growth and client service. The Pillar Channel program establishes branches under the NewEdge Advisors brand and helps mid-career advisors grow their practices and pursue strategic opportunities.
The Pillar Channel at NewEdge Advisors now includes 14 advisory teams spanning regions from the West Coast to the Southeast, with Stonegate’s participation representing the program’s continued appeal to established, high-performing teams.
“The core of our industry is the advisor-client relationship. This platform allows professionals to maintain that core tenet when entering a transaction with NewEdge Advisors,” said Alex Goss, NewEdge Advisors CEO and Co-Founder. “Our Pillar Channel affiliation ensures that a transaction doesn’t change the continuity and quality of service for clients. Through a meticulous process, we provide monetization for advisors while preserving cultural and philosophical alignment. Too many competitor transactions fundamentally change or throw away what made advisors and their clients successful in the first place. This is the right program for a changing industry.”
Pillar Channel advisors have a significant career runway, combined with the capacity and desire to accelerate growth. A transaction helps unlock their firm’s value while they continue to expand and serve clients. Pillar Channel advisors receive both cash and equity in NewEdge, further aligning mutual desire for success and growth.
Stonegate Investment Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Smith said, “Our decision to join NewEdge Advisors was made with one goal in mind: to better serve our clients for the long term. This partnership strengthens the infrastructure, resources, and continuity supporting our client relationships, allowing us to focus even more on delivering thoughtful, personalized advice without compromise.”
Neil Turner, NewEdge Capital Group Chief Revenue Officer, added, “By working with established firms with strong cultures and the skills and capacity to handle growth, this platform enables advisors to limit exposure to market risk and focus on what they do best – serving their clients and expanding their business. We are thrilled that these firms have chosen to join our Pillar Channel as a means to expand their practices and serve more clients.”
