Financial Services Acquisitions in South Carolina

ISS Market Intelligence (ISS MI), part of ISS STOXX GmbH, has acquired Family Office Access, a U.S.-based provider of family office intelligence and investor data. The acquisition integrates Family Office Access's database into ISS MI's MarketPro platform to expand coverage of family office profiles and strengthen go-to-market intelligence for clients across the wealth and financial services ecosystem.

Xactus has acquired Baleen Solutions, a provider of automated self‑employed income analysis, to integrate Baleen’s technology into its Xactus360 Intelligent Verification Platform. The acquisition will power a new Income CalculationX offering to automate tax‑document income analysis, improve consistency and auditability, and reduce manual review for lenders and financial institutions.

Warner Pacific, a PE-backed national general agency, has acquired Brokers Holding Group (BHG), a South Carolina–based general agency specializing in level-funded health plans and alternative funding strategies. The deal expands Warner Pacific’s footprint across the Southeast (South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee) and deepens its capabilities in level-funded employee benefits while BHG will continue operating under its existing brand with co-owners Scott Lee and Lee Long remaining in leadership roles.

Willdan Group, Inc. (through its subsidiary Willdan Financial Services) completed the acquisition of Compass Municipal Advisors, LLC, an independent municipal advisory firm headquartered in Lexington, South Carolina. The undisclosed transaction expands Willdan's geographic footprint and enhances its municipal advisory and public finance capabilities.

Akron, Ohio-based Sequoia Financial Group has acquired Family Asset Management (FAM), a Charleston, South Carolina-based SEC-registered investment advisory firm with roughly $300 million in assets under management. The acquisition expands Sequoia Financial's Southeast footprint and adds FAM's high-net-worth and multigenerational family advisory capabilities to Sequoia's wealth management and Sequoia Sentinel family office services; financial terms were not disclosed.

Hub International Limited has acquired Creative Financial Strategies, LLC, a Columbia, South Carolina-based investment and financial advisory firm. The Creative Financial Strategies team, including president Terry A. Crenshaw and EVP William H. Phillips, will join Hub Carolinas to strengthen Hub's retirement and private wealth capabilities.

Wealth Enhancement Group has acquired FinTrust Capital Advisors, LLC, a hybrid RIA headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina that oversees approximately $2.39 billion in client assets. The 14-advisor team (plus 13 support staff) will join Wealth Enhancement Group as part of its continued Southeast expansion; Park Sutton Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor to FinTrust.

Perigon Wealth Management acquired Prudeo Partners, a wealth management firm with offices in Reading, Pennsylvania and West Columbia, South Carolina, adding approximately $425 million in client assets to Perigon's platform. Terms were not disclosed; several Prudeo advisors and staff will join Perigon as partners and advisors, expanding Perigon's advisor-led footprint and AUM.

Tangram Insurance Services, a national managing general agency and program manager, acquired Preferred Reinsurance Intermediaries effective December 31, 2023. The deal expands Tangram's capabilities into the reinsurance brokerage market and brings Preferred Re's reinsurance placement, specialty program development, and alternative risk capacity sourcing expertise into Tangram's platform; terms were not disclosed.

Hub International Limited acquired the assets of Golden Green, Inc. d.b.a. Golden Corner Wealth Advisors, a Seneca, South Carolina-based financial advisory firm. The Golden Corner founder Jim Charbonneau and his team will join Hub Carolinas as part of Hub's effort to strengthen its Retirement and Private Wealth capabilities; terms were not disclosed.

First Bancorp (parent of First Bank) completed its acquisition of GrandSouth Bancorporation (the parent of GrandSouth Bank) effective January 1, 2023 in an all-stock merger (0.91 shares of First Bancorp per GrandSouth share). The deal expands First Bank's presence in South Carolina by adding GrandSouth's eight branches and is expected to accelerate First Bancorp's South Carolina growth, creating a combined company with approximately $12 billion in assets and 118 branches.

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Financial Resources Group Investment Services (FRGIS) in an equity purchase that included $140 million paid at closing plus additional earn-outs. FRGIS — a Fort Mill, South Carolina-based advisor and financial institution support business serving roughly $40 billion in assets across ~800 advisors and 85 financial institutions — will continue to operate independently and retain its brand and leadership following the transaction.

PCF Insurance Services, a top-20 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Lehi, Utah, has acquired Peak Performance Team (PPT), a Surfside Beach, South Carolina–based finance & insurance (F&I) broker that provides extended warranties, vehicle service contracts, GAP and ancillary products to auto dealerships. The deal closed in mid‑July 2022 (terms undisclosed) and is intended to expand PCF's F&I product capabilities and national footprint.

CURO Group Holdings Corp. completed the acquisition of Heights Finance from private equity firm Milestone Partners for $360 million ($335 million cash and $25 million stock). The deal expands CURO's branch footprint and installment-loan capabilities, adding roughly 400 branches and a loan portfolio serving underbanked and near-prime consumers across 11 U.S. states.

First American Financial Corporation has completed the acquisition of ServiceMac, LLC, a mortgage subservicing firm. The deal makes ServiceMac a wholly‑owned subsidiary of First American to expand its mortgage servicing capabilities and accelerate product innovation across the mortgage life cycle.