IBD Elite

Seven IBDs turn 50 this year. Here's why most of them won't survive another half-century.

Firms’ head counts show how they’re responding to a challenging time in which experts predict the number of advisors to fall in coming years.

The ongoing shift away from commissionable products is driving major changes in the space.

The largest firms’ combined VA and FA revenues hit a three-year low in 2017, but the products still make up a significant portion of their businesses.

The firms with the highest percentage growth year-over-year are cutting their head counts and fueling the record level of M&A deals.

The combined amount across the top 10 firms has jumped 37% to $385.3 million over the past three years.

Experts cite a variety of reasons for the industry’s grim jobs forecast for advisors, but the data reveals much more complexity.

Firms of all sizes have helped push fee-based business above commissions as the industry undergoes a transformation.

Although the industry reflects stark disparities, these firms are leading their peers in the hiring of female registered representatives.

Shifts in the annual ranking of the nation's independent broker-dealers show how pressure on IBDs is intensifying.