What Are the Top Middle Market Investment Banks?
In the world of corporate finance, few resources are as vital as the investment bank. Mid-sized businesses with revenues between $10 million and $500 million, however, often find it difficult to select a provider capable of meeting their needs. Effective debt and equity financing requires a sharp approach to business design and culture, alike—which is why the top 10 investment banks referenced by industry professionals offer personalized benefits
While the top investment banks is a broad category, it’s still possible to find a provider capable of meeting your needs. To get the most out of your mergers, acquisitions, valuations and financing, take a look at these top investment banks.
We’ve ranked the top middle market investment banks by reputability, reliability and ability to help smaller mid-sized businesses grow. Another criteria was a bank’s ability to help expanding family-run businesses about to breach that middle bracket with executing financing transactions efficiently (it’s gotten harder for these entities to do M&A/financing on their own in the US, and many need providers who are diversified.)
Houlihan Lokey
Houlihan Lokey was founded by Richard Houlihan and O. Kit Lokey, serving as one of the best middle market investment banks around. What began as a financial consulting firm in Waterhouse, 1972, Houlihan Lokey is a time-tested-and-true financial, accounting and valuation provider for numerous privately held companies.
Houlihan Lokey has 14 offices across the US, Europe and Asia—often cited as the best restructuring house. As the number-one M&A advisor in US transactions under $1 billion and the number one M&A fairness opinion advisor, Houlihan Lokey has repeatedly secured financial success for mid-sized businesses in need.
William Blair & Co.
Founded in 1935, William Blair & Co. operates out of Chicago — providing a host of financial services for mid-sized businesses. It started as a smaller investment banking firm, so it’s similar to providers like JP Morgan in terms of offering diversified solutions that take a growing business’s scale into account. Responsible for some of today’s most cutting-edge asset management, private equity, investment and equity research approaches around, William Blair boasts undeniable success.
It primarily caters to several industry verticals such as technology, retail, financial services, health care and energy. Because its clientele is comprised of public and private company owners, it tends to be a little more specific to high mid-market businesses.
Baird
Founded in 1919, Baird is an investment banking firm that assists with private equity, asset management, wealth management, equity capital markets and fixed income. Baird’s 3,100 professionals lend themselves to flexibility — providing some of the industry’s most custom-tailored solutions around.
Most efficient in the real estate, technology, consumer, distribution and industrial technology industries, Baird is often selected for its growth and learning opportunities. It’s also widely available — existing as one of the biggest privately held financial service providers across several continents.
Lazard Middle Market
Founded in 1848, Lazard was originally incorporated in Bermuda. Today, it operates out of New York — employing 2,600 professionals across 27 countries to make mid-sized business financing more effective than ever. Lazard Middle Market, itself, is the investment bank provider of Lazard, a boutique bank.
Lazard is a well-known name, renowned for helping its clients achieve in-depth success roadmaps via deep, dependable industry connections. As an asset management and financial advisory firm, Lazard Middle Market thrives in mergers and acquisitions. It’s one of the best providers for institutional clients, for this reasons, specialized in helping private equity clients increase their reputability.
Scott-Macon New York
As one of the oldest top middle market investment banks, Scott-Macon utilizes a team of senior professionals who’ve assisted transactions of all sizes. Scott-Macon specializes in debt and equity financing, mergers and acquisitions, valuation and fairness opinions and corporate financial consulting.
The firm prioritizes solutions, ideas and long-term success roadmaps crafted from years of operating experience. Well-known for its client-oriented investment banking services, Scott-Macon contrasts greatly from the modern transaction-oriented industry approaches.
In the past decade, Scott-Macon specialty industry groups have included business services, consumer products, industrial and automotive, healthcare, transportation and logistics and media. As one of the top investment banks available to mid-sized businesses, Scott-Macon repeatedly assures long-term success by redefining the investment world’s most impactful cornerstones.