The Georgia-based RIA announced it has acquired GlennCo, LLC, a Newtown, Pennsylvania wealth management firm overseeing approximately $208 million in assets. The deal expands Merit’s footprint in Bucks County and establishes its seventh office in Pennsylvania.
The transaction, finalized Feb. 6, 2026, marks Merit’s 55th acquisition—and continues a deliberate expansion strategy that blends geographic growth with advisor recruitment.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
A Strategic Bet on Regional Scale
GlennCo has built a 20-year practice serving high-net-worth individuals and families, with offerings spanning tax planning, retirement strategies, estate planning, risk management, and business financial services. The firm has grown steadily over the past three years, adding staff and expanding office space in anticipation of further momentum.
By joining Merit, GlennCo gains access to centralized operational support, expanded technology infrastructure, and a broader suite of client solutions. Glenn Cohen, owner and wealth manager at GlennCo, will transition to Merit as a wealth manager alongside his full team.
For Merit, the acquisition adds more than assets under management (AUM). It deepens density in a key Northeast market, strengthening regional brand presence—an increasingly important factor as RIAs compete for both advisors and clients in competitive suburban corridors like Bucks County.
Acquisition Engine Still Running Hot
The GlennCo deal follows closely on the heels of Merit’s acquisition of TL Financial Group, which brought approximately $213 million in assets and marked the firm’s entry into Michigan.
Notably, GlennCo joins Merit from Commonwealth, becoming Merit’s fourth acquisition sourced from that broker-dealer network. Previous Commonwealth-affiliated additions include TL Financial Group, Blueprint Wealth Advisors, and Global Wealth Advisors.
The GlennCo transaction was sourced through Merit regional directors and partners Ryan Evans and Nick Wilkins, who themselves joined the firm through its acquisition of Blueprint Wealth Advisors in November 2025.
That pattern reflects a familiar RIA consolidation playbook: acquire firms, elevate internal leaders to regional dealmakers, and leverage broker-dealer networks for future sourcing.
Industry Context: RIA Consolidation Accelerates
The wealth management industry remains in the midst of sustained consolidation. RIAs are pursuing scale for several reasons:
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Rising compliance and regulatory complexity
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Increased technology investment requirements
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Demand for integrated tax and estate planning services
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Succession planning for aging advisors
For smaller independent firms, partnering with a larger platform offers operational relief and access to enterprise-grade systems. For aggregators like Merit, scale delivers margin efficiency and cross-selling opportunities.
The technology angle is particularly relevant. Modern wealth management increasingly depends on advanced CRM platforms, portfolio management software, AI-driven analytics, and integrated financial planning tools. Firms lacking capital to modernize risk falling behind.
Merit’s pitch to GlennCo reportedly centered on providing “scale and support” while preserving client-centric service—a balancing act that many consolidators promise, but not all deliver.
Pennsylvania: A Growing Beachhead
With seven offices now in Pennsylvania, Merit appears to be building a regional stronghold rather than scattering one-off acquisitions. Market density allows firms to:
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Share back-office operations
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Consolidate marketing efforts
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Enhance recruiting credibility
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Strengthen referral ecosystems
Bucks County, situated near Philadelphia and affluent suburban communities, offers a deep pool of high-net-worth households and closely held business owners—an attractive client base for comprehensive planning services.
What This Means for the Market
Merit’s 55-deal tally underscores how competitive the RIA M&A landscape has become. Private equity-backed platforms and national aggregators continue to vie for attractive regional firms with sticky client relationships and steady organic growth.
The key differentiator is increasingly cultural and operational integration. Retention of advisors and client assets post-transaction determines whether acquisitions translate into sustainable growth.
For GlennCo, the move signals confidence that scale will enable the next chapter. For Merit, it’s another brick in a steadily rising national platform.
As long as independent advisors seek succession solutions and enterprise support, the consolidation wave shows little sign of slowing.
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