NEW YORK, June 22, 2017: Today, the FT publishes the 2017 edition of the Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisers. The ranking of top U.S. RIAs was developed in collaboration with Ignites Research, a subsidiary of the FT that provides business intelligence on the investment management industry. The list represents an elite group of investment firms, with the average FT 300 firm in existence for 24 years and managing $2.7 billion in assets.

This was the fourth annual FT 300 ranking, and it exemplified the growth of the RIA industry in assets and geographic spread. The top advisers hail from 37 states and Washington, D.C., up from 34 states and D.C. last year. This year, Chicago is the city with the most FT 300 advisers (12), knocking New York (11) out of first place for the first time. It’s just one illustration of how easy it is to run a regional or national wealth manager from anywhere in the country by relying on technology.

“It’s not uncommon for FT 300 companies to have 10 or more offices. Thanks in part to mergers, some of these RIAs are growing very large and more corporate in feel. However, they retain the idiosyncrasies and the focus on advice that separates them from Wall Street firms,” said Loren Fox, Director of Ignites Research and head of the FT 300 ranking.

Ignites Research created the methodology and ranked the advisers. Advisory practices reporting $300 million or more in assets under management were allowed to apply. The FT then scored candidate firms on six criteria: assets under management (AUM), AUM growth rate, years in existence, advanced industry credentials, online accessibility and compliance records.

This select group embodies some of the leading trends in the investment management industry. High net worth individuals (those with $1 million to $10 million to invest) account for 44% of the assets managed by the FT 300, and ultra-high net worth clients (those with more than $10 million) account for another 22% of their assets.

And the FT 300 rely heavily on packaged investment products: the single biggest portion of the FT 300’s combined assets, 37 per cent, are invested in mutual funds, while another 17 per cent are in exchange traded funds (ETFs).

The full report is available for viewing at this link.

About the Financial Times

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. In 2016 the FT passed a significant milestone in its digital transformation as digital and services revenues overtook print revenues for the first time. The FT has a combined paid print and digital circulation of almost 860,000 and makes 60% of revenues from its journalism.

About Ignites Research
Ignites Research delivers original research and analysis on the retail mutual fund market from experienced analysts. Its research covers the distribution and product topics that asset managers must understand to improve their business. Ignites Research is a sister site to the popular online newsletter Ignites, and is a subsidiary of the Financial Times.

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Michael Ferraro
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