Hightower Acquires $9.5B The Bahnsen Group

Hightower has signed a definitive agreement to acquire one of its flagship franchises, The Bahnsen Group (TBG), a U.S. wealth management practice overseeing approximately $9.5 billion in assets under management (AUM).

The transaction is set to strengthen Hightower’s ability to invest behind TBG’s differentiated brand, expand its platform, and serve as another hub within Hightower for integrating additional advisory teams.

Founded in 2015 when David Bahnsen joined Hightower with approximately $600 million in client assets, The Bahnsen Group has grown to nearly $10 billion in AUM today. TBG has scaled into a national advisory practice with twelve locations including Newport Beach, CA; New York, NY; Nashville, TN; and Palm Beach, FL, supported by a team of approximately 100 professionals.

TBG serves high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutions, with a differentiated focus on dividend growth equity investing. The practice is also recognized for its commitment to thought leadership and content creation, producing a broad range of market insights and intellectual capital for clients.

“This is a natural evolution of a highly successful partnership,” said Larry Restieri, chief executive officer of Hightower. “David and his team have built a leading wealth management business with a clear investment philosophy and strong client relationships. This next phase allows us to further align strategically and bring the full capabilities of Hightower to support their continued growth—both organically and through acquisitions.”

“This partnership with Hightower will be instrumental to the next phase of our growth,” said David Bahnsen, founder and managing partner of The Bahnsen Group. “Taking this next step reflects our shared long-term vision. With deeper integration across Hightower, we are well positioned to continue investing in our team and pursuing both organic growth and strategic opportunities. This venture leverages the strengths of each party to the benefit of our clients.”

TBG will continue to operate under its established brand while leveraging Hightower’s expanded resources and infrastructure and will add a “A Hightower Company” to its name and logo.

“This transaction reflects our focus on building enduring, scaled advisory businesses,” added Restieri. “The Bahnsen Group represents the type of franchise we are committed to further investing in for the long term.”

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter.