What's happening in US accounting — firm mergers and acquisitions, private equity investment, AI adoption and leadership moves — with a short read on what each story means for firms that intend to stay independent.
16 updates drawn from Accounting Today, INSIDE Public Accounting and CPA Trendlines. Every post links back to the original reporting.
Mega DealsAn all-cash $5 billion transaction backed by New Mountain Capital would create the fifth-largest accounting firm in the US, with $…
Private EquityThe 12th-largest US firm sells control to KKR, with capital earmarked for AI adoption and acquisitions — and an alternative practi…
Private EquityThe Fargo-based firm, at $840 million in billings, was valued at roughly 2.1 times revenue — and now says it intends to double aga…
Private EquityA leveraged loan meant to refinance private credit debt and fund a dividend of up to $1 billion was shelved after investors demand…
AI & AutomationPE rollups were underwritten on billable-hour labor economics. The same AI that promises higher margins may weaken the model that …
Private EquityAt least five PE sponsors control two or more competing accounting platforms. Grant Thornton and Wipfli sit half a mile apart in C…
LeadershipVeterans from Deloitte, Grant Thornton, Capgemini and Baker Tilly are moving into leadership roles at private-equity-backed accoun…
Private EquityThrive Holdings is backing Current, whose CEO Steve Stagner brings retail roll-up experience to a strategy targeting the small loc…
StrategyAs capital floods in and competition for quality firms intensifies, smaller practices are using PE interest as the prompt to final…
M&AThe Top 50 firm picks up a New England regional leader — a textbook example of buying a market position rather than building one.
M&AThe Top 50 firm acquired Sowers & Co. in Houston and McMillan, Whiteman & Associates in Florida — its third Florida deal this year…
M&APP&Co acquired Ami Shah in San Jose, LMC opened a New York office with a team from Ives, Sultan & Spike, and Ascend added Kreische…
M&AThe Top 50 firm picked up Persing Professional Group and Carefree Professional Practice Resources, establishing scale in Nevada in…
M&AUHY added Anderson, Lower, Whitlow of Bettendorf, Iowa. The pattern of national firms buying into smaller metros is one of the mos…
M&ABonadio's acquisition of T. Gschwender & Associates is not about geography. It is about being able to serve banks and credit union…
Private EquityRevenue grew fourfold in three and a half years across nine acquisitions. The CEO's own account of how it happened names leadershi…
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