Mariner Seeks $150M in Additional Debt for Acquisitions
Mariner Wealth Advisors is hoping to raise $150 million in additional debt to finance near-term acquisitions, according to reports by S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Ratings. The debt would be a fungible incremental add-on to Mariner’s $1.16 billion first-lien term loan B, bringing its term loan B size to $1.3 billion.
Both ratings agencies said the additional debt would not impact the firm’s credit ratings.
“This additional $150 million gives Mariner the flexibility to pursue strategic acquisitions while continuing to invest in our advisors and the capabilities that support their growth,” a Mariner spokesperson said. “We’re pleased with the support from the lending community and remain focused on disciplined growth that strengthens the service and advice we deliver to clients.”
A Moody’s report said Mariner continues to grow in scale and improve its competitive position in the U.S. wealth management market. The agency also cited strong organic growth, improving margins and high advisor and client retention.
“However, these strengths are offset by the company’s aggressive acquisition strategy, high financial leverage, weak profitability and key person risk stemming from the substantial control exercised by its founder and CEO,” the Moody’s report said.
Moody’s said it expects Mariner’s debt to EBITDA to increase to 6.7x by the end of the year, up from 4.9x as of June 30, 2026. Moody’s has assigned a B1 rating to Mariner’s corporate family and senior secured first-lien term loan, and the agency noted that the 6.7x leverage ratio was high for a B1-rated issuer.
“However, given its strong organic growth record, Mariner has shown in the past that it can rapidly lower leverage. Therefore, we expect that Mariner will achieve significant deleveraging over the next year. A failure to achieve significant leverage reduction would put downward pressure on the ratings,” Moody’s said.
This follows news last December that Mariner was taking on a $1.02 billion first-lien term loan B and a $150 million fungible add-on due in 2030. The proceeds were expected to refinance the RIA’s existing debt.
Mariner has been growing rapidly through acquisition. Most recently, the firm acquired Atlantic Wealth Partners, a Jupiter, Fla.-based advisory firm with about $218 million in assets. Mariner had $660 billion in client assets as of June 30, 2026.
In 2024, Mariner announced that Neuberger Berman Capital Solutions and funds managed by Neuberger Berman Private Markets had acquired a minority stake in the RIA, raising $150 million in equity. Leonard Green & Partners, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm that made a minority investment in Mariner in 2021, retained its stake, with CEO and President Marty Bicknell remaining the firm’s majority shareholder.
Also this week, AlTi Global, the publicly traded wealth management firm with $96 billion in assets, announced in a filing that it secured an $85 million senior secured credit facility, led by Diameter Finance.
