State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT) and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co have entered into a definitive agreement for State Street to acquire BBH’s Investor Services business, including its custody, accounting, fund administration, global markets and technology services, for USD3.5 billion in cash.
Following the transaction, BBH will continue to independently own and operate its separate Private Banking and Investment Management businesses. The parties are targeting year-end 2021 to complete the acquisition, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
BBH Investor Services is a global asset servicer with a track record of client service and deep expertise in cross-border, alternatives, ETFs, and other high-growth asset classes. As of 30 June 2021, BBH Investor Services had USD5.4 trillion in Assets Under Custody (AUC), adding to State Street’s USD31.9 trillion in AUC.3
The acquisition is expected to advance State Street’s strategy as an enterprise outsource solutions provider by creating the number one asset servicer globally, one strengthening competitive positioning, expanding geographic coverage and enhancing client experience.
“The Investment Servicing industry enjoys strong fundamentals as worldwide growth in financial assets drives industry revenues. This combination with BBH Investor Services helps us consolidate our position as the industry innovator and leader,” says Ron O’Hanley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of State Street Corporation. “We are enhancing our leadership position across a range of services, augmenting our position in a number of key markets, growing relationships with many of the leading global asset managers and owners, and increasing our capabilities and scale. Additionally, BBH Investor Services brings us strong talent, including industry leading service excellence and quality execution.”
“We made this decision after careful consideration of the current and future landscape of the global securities servicing industry, including how best to support and innovate for the growing breadth and complexity of our clients’ servicing requirements,” says Bill Tyree, managing partner of BBH. “State Street is the ideal partner – a firm that shares our core values of unmatched client service, integrity, trust, and a long-term commitment to sustainability.”
