Asset International Acquires Market Metrics, Matrix Solutions

Asset International, the premier source for authentic business intelligence and actionable insight for the asset management community, today announces the acquisition of Market Metrics and Matrix Solutions from FactSet (NYSE: FDS | NASDAQ: FDS). Market Metrics and Matrix Solutions are leading data and research firms for advisor-sold investments and insurance worldwide. The acquisition expands Asset International’s deep proprietary asset management and insurance industry data sets. The acquisition also provides Asset International with a unique delivery model from C-level face-to-face meetings to the industry- leading Financial Clarity analytics platform. Following the acquisition, Asset International is now the one-stop shop for data and insights supporting product innovation, manufacturing, sales and distribution for the asset management and insurance communities, as well as providing market surveillance solutions and marketing channels for this community.

Market Metrics was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Boston. Matrix Solutions was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in London. Both companies have a heritage of providing strategic consulting and mission-critical data sets for mutual funds, variable annuities, mortgages and life insurance. The acquisition is expected to close within 45 days. Asset International was advised by RBC Capital Markets and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP on the transaction.

Commenting on the acquisition, Asset International CEO Joel Mandelbaum said, ‘This acquisition is a fantastic opportunity to realize our ambition of creating the go-to supplier for the asset management community. The combination of Asset International with Market Metrics and Matrix Solutions represents an excellent fit for our clients and employees, and we are delighted to be joining forces’.

Tony Salewski, Managing Director of Genstar, said, ‘Market Metrics and Matrix Solutions have great reputations among the asset management communities in the US and UK and are very complementary to our existing business at Asset International. We expect the combination to provide strong benefits to our clients, as well as accelerating product innovation and overall client engagement. This is another major milestone in creating a dedicated enterprise to fully service the rapidly changing global investment management sector’.

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About Asset International

Asset International (AI) provides critical and proprietary data, business intelligence, information services and marketing solutions to the global investment management industry. AI‘s portfolio includes investment flow data, research, analytics, editorial and events for the global asset management community, asset owners and custodians, plus TCA for 500 million trades per month. Our clients include over 1000 of the most prominent names in the asset management industry, including 83 of the world‘s 100 largest fund managers.

AI‘s recognized data brands include Strategic Insight, Investor Economics, Corporate Insights, LiquidMetrix, FWW, and Plan for Life. AI‘s portfolio of leading editorial titles includes brands such as PLANSPONSOR, PLANADVISER, Chief Investment Officer, Global Custodian, and The Trade.

The company‘s headquarters are in New York with offices in Stamford, CT; Boston; San Francisco; London; Toronto; Munich; Melbourne; Hong Kong. Asset International is backed by Genstar Capital.

About Genstar Capital

Genstar Capital is a leading private equity firm that has been actively investing in high quality companies for more than 25 years. Based in San Francisco, Genstar works in partnership with its management teams and its network of operating executives and strategic advisors to transform its portfolio companies into industry-leading businesses. Genstar manages funds with total capital commitments of over $5 billion and targets investments focused on selected sectors within the financial services, software, industrial technology, and healthcare industries.

For Public Relations & Media inquiries, please contact:

Genstar Capital

Chris Tofalli

 +1 914-834-4334

Asset International

Leonie Alsop

lalsop@assetinternational.com

+44 (0) 20 7397 3807 +44 (0) 20 7495 898 353

Aaronique Powell

ai@fullyvested.com

Office: +1 917 765 8720

Private equity assets will exceed $4 trillion in the next two years, according to a Deloitte analysis.

The industry will further grow to $4.66 trillion by 2020, the consultant estimated. As of 2015, assets under management, including dry powder and the unrealized value of portfolio companies, totaled $3.65 trillion. Dry powder—already at record highs—will increase from $1.16 trillion at the end of 2015 to $1.58 trillion by 2020, the report said.

“Private equity has outpaced other asset classes over the past decade, with assets rising at a robust 13.7 compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since year-end 2005,” Deloitte reported.

Although growth is unlikely to continue at its current pace—and in fact has slowed over the last few years—limited partners continue to devote increasingly large portions of their portfolios to the asset class. A recent Preqin survey found 88% of investors planned to maintain or increase their allocations over the next year.

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“The rising interest in private equity by limited partners is driven by a number of factors, including diversification, the search for non-correlated assets, and fund outperformance versus standard benchmarks,” Deloitte said. “Private equity performance has generally not disappointed over time.”

This positive performance has also contributed to rising assets, the report said, as limited partners reinvest returned capital. However, Deloitte said with assets at an all-time high, private equity firms will have to “compete aggressively” for attractive deals.

Public pension funds were the asset class’ largest source of capital, contributing 30% of total assets under management—despite private equity only making up 6% of the average fund’s portfolio.

Family offices, meanwhile, only committed 5% of total private equity capital—but dedicated 27% of their portfolios to the asset class, the consultant found.

“Even though the industry has experienced steady growth over the past several years, it is critical to keep an eye on how the global environment may be shifting,” Deloitte said. “Private equity growth has been slowing over the past few years, a trend that may persist.”

deloitte private equity dry powder Source: Deloitte’s “Private Equity Growth in Transition“