11 M&A advisors active in St. Louis in 2026. Covers healthcare, industrials, business services, and technology with firm profiles and recent deals.
St. Louis is a mid-market M&A hub with activity in healthcare and industrials. Centene, Emerson Electric, and Edward Jones call this city home.
Hospital M&A hit a five-year high in Q1 2026 with 22 announced deals nationally. St. Louis healthcare companies are active targets and acquirers.
Industrials and business services draw steady buyer interest in the region. PE sponsors dominate middle-market exits in 2026.
Set up a virtual data room before your first advisor call. Buyers want organized financials and contracts from day one.
| Firm | Deal Type | Deal Size | Sector Focus | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton Capital Partners | Clayton Capital Partners | Both | $10M - $250M | Healthcare, Business Services, Industrials | claytoncapitalpartners.com |
| R.L. Hulett & Company | R.L. Hulett & Company | Both | $10M - $250M | Industrials, Business Services, Healthcare | rlhulett.com |
| Nolan & Associates | Nolan & Associates | Both | $10M - $300M | Manufacturing, Business Services, Consumer | nolanassoc.com |
| Houlihan Lokey | Houlihan Lokey | Both | $50M - $5B | Healthcare, Industrials, Business Services | hl.com |
| Robert W. Baird | Robert W. Baird | Both | $50M - $2B | Healthcare, Industrials, Technology | rwbaird.com |
| Lincoln International | Lincoln International | Both | $50M - $2B | Healthcare, Business Services, Technology | lincolninternational.com |
| Piper Sandler | Piper Sandler | Both | $50M - $5B | Healthcare, Financial Services, Technology | pipersandler.com |
| William Blair | William Blair | Both | $50M - $2B | Healthcare, Business Services, Consumer | williamblair.com |
| BGL (Brown Gibbons Lang) | BGL (Brown Gibbons Lang) | Both | $25M - $500M | Industrials, Healthcare, Business Services | bglco.com |
| Amvest Financial Group | Amvest Financial Group | Both | $10M - $300M | Manufacturing, Business Services, Distribution | amvestfinancial.com |
| Harris Williams | Harris Williams | Both | $50M - $2B | Healthcare, Industrials, Business Services | harriswilliams.com |
How to verify an advisor's track record
Ask for a closed deal list in your sector. A healthcare boutique won't reach the same buyers as an industrials specialist.
Advisors who know St. Louis name Centene, Emerson Electric, and Edward Jones. Generic Midwest references won't hold up on a reference call.
Check how many deals they closed in the last two years. A firm with 10 closings beats one with 50 starts and 20 closings.
Use Ellty to share financials with shortlisted advisors under NDA. You'll see who opens your files before your first call. Browse the M&A guide for deal structure basics. Read the due diligence guide to prep your files early.
Running a St. Louis M&A deal?
Share financials with buyers under NDA. Track who opens them first.
Start free 14-day trialHow a St. Louis deal runs
St. Louis deals close in four to seven months. Healthcare and services exits move faster when multiple PE sponsors compete.
| Stage | What happens | What you need ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: Preparation | Stage 1: Preparation | Run QoE, build CIM, shortlist advisors by sector | Three years P&L, customer list, key contracts |
| Stage 2: Advisor engagement | Stage 2: Advisor engagement | Sign engagement letter, align on buyer list | Cap table, IP schedule, key employee contracts |
| Stage 3: Marketing | Stage 3: Marketing | CIM sent to buyers, NDAs signed, meetings set | Ellty data room live with CIM and financial docs |
| Stage 4: LOI | Stage 4: LOI | Buyers submit bids, LOIs negotiated, exclusivity signed | Clean revenue data, no open contract disputes |
| Stage 5: Due diligence | Stage 5: Due diligence | Buyer reviews contracts, financials, and IP | Full Ellty data room: contracts, financials, IP |
| Stage 6: Close | Stage 6: Close | Purchase agreement signed, funds transfer | Reps and warranties signed, transition plans ready |
11 M&A advisors in St. Louis
These 11 firms advise on M&A in St. Louis. Coverage spans healthcare, industrials, business services, and technology.
1. Clayton Capital Partners
A St. Louis institution ranked among the top independent M&A banks for the middle market nationally.
Recent Deals: Active in middle-market M&A with clients in the $10M-$250M range. Named a top independent M&A bank by Thomson Financial and Mergerstat. Covers healthcare, business services, and industrials across Missouri. Active in St. Louis M&A through 2025 and 2026.
LinkedIn: Clayton Capital Partners LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Healthcare, business services, industrials, consumer
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $10M - $250M
Location: St. Louis, MO
Website: claytoncapitalpartners.com
2. R.L. Hulett & Company
A St. Louis firm in business since 1981 with 285+ closed transactions in industrials and services.
Recent Deals: Published Industrial Services M&A Update Q3 2025. Published Business Services M&A Update Q2 2025. Active in 285+ transactions since 1981. Covers industrials, business services, healthcare, and software through 2026.
LinkedIn: R.L. Hulett LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Industrials, business services, healthcare, software
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $10M - $250M
Location: St. Louis, MO
Website: rlhulett.com
3. Nolan & Associates
A Midwest boutique founded in 1976 covering sell-side, buy-side, and capital raise work.
Recent Deals: Active in middle-market M&A with Midwestern roots and national buyer reach. Covers manufacturing, business services, and consumer sectors. Works with founder-owned and PE-backed businesses on exits. Active through 2025 and 2026 in Missouri and surrounding markets.
LinkedIn: Nolan & Associates LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Manufacturing, business services, consumer, distribution
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $10M - $300M
Location: St. Louis, MO
Website: nolanassoc.com
4. Houlihan Lokey
The #1 M&A advisor globally by deal count in 2025 with healthcare and industrials depth.
Recent Deals: Ranked #1 globally in M&A by deal count with 318 transactions in 2025. Ranked #1 in tech M&A with 19 deals in Q1 2026 per GlobalData. Advised on 71 global industrials deals in 2025. Active in healthcare and business services M&A through 2026.
LinkedIn: Houlihan Lokey LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Healthcare, industrials, business services, technology
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $50M - $5B
Location: National (active in St. Louis)
Website: hl.com
5. Robert W. Baird
A top mid-market bank with $9.3B in transaction value and 39 deals in Q1 2026.
Recent Deals: $9.27B in transaction value with 39 deals in Q1 2026 per FactSet. Active in healthcare, industrials, and technology M&A nationally. Covers PE-backed and founder-owned businesses seeking exits. Strong in middle-market sell-side processes through 2025 and 2026.
LinkedIn: Robert W. Baird LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Healthcare, industrials, technology, business services
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $50M - $2B
Location: National (active in St. Louis)
Website: rwbaird.com
Selling a St. Louis business?
Set up your data room before advisor outreach. Track who opens it.
Start free 14-day trial6. Lincoln International
A global mid-market bank that filed for a US IPO in April 2026 at a $1B+ valuation target.
Recent Deals: Filed for US IPO in April 2026, targeting a $1B+ valuation. Active in healthcare, business services, and technology M&A globally. Covers PE-backed and founder-owned businesses across the US. Active in middle-market sell-side processes through 2025 and 2026.
LinkedIn: Lincoln International LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Healthcare, business services, technology, industrials
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $50M - $2B
Location: National (active in St. Louis)
Website: lincolninternational.com
7. Piper Sandler
A national bank with $14B in deal value and 36 announced deals in Q1 2026.
Recent Deals: $14.09B in transaction value with 36 deals in Q1 2026 per FactSet. Active in healthcare, financial services, and technology M&A nationally. Covers PE-backed and founder-owned businesses on exits. Strong in healthcare M&A through 2025 and 2026.
LinkedIn: Piper Sandler LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Healthcare, financial services, technology, consumer
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $50M - $5B
Location: National (active in St. Louis)
Website: pipersandler.com
8. William Blair
A Chicago-based bank closing 30+ transactions per year with PE and founder clients.
Recent Deals: Closes 30+ M&A transactions annually across sectors. Active in healthcare, business services, and consumer M&A through 2025 and 2026. Covers founder-led and PE-backed businesses nationally. Strong in growth-stage companies targeting premium exits.
LinkedIn: William Blair LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Healthcare, business services, consumer, technology
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $50M - $2B
Location: National (active in St. Louis)
Website: williamblair.com
9. BGL (Brown Gibbons Lang)
A mid-market bank covering industrials and healthcare with regular sector M&A reports.
Recent Deals: Publishes regular sector M&A trend reports covering industrials and healthcare. Active in industrials, healthcare, and business services M&A nationally. Covers businesses in the $25M-$500M range on sell-side processes. Works with PE-backed and founder-owned businesses through 2025 and 2026.
LinkedIn: BGL LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Industrials, healthcare, business services, distribution
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $25M - $500M
Location: National (active in St. Louis)
Website: bglco.com
10. Amvest Financial Group
A Missouri-based national M&A firm advising middle-market businesses for 30+ years.
Recent Deals: Active in M&A advisory for over 30 years nationally. Covers manufacturing, business services, and distribution companies. Works with clients in the $10M-$300M revenue range. Active through 2025 and 2026 in Missouri and the broader Midwest.
LinkedIn: Amvest Financial Group LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Manufacturing, business services, distribution, industrials
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $10M - $300M
Location: Missouri (active in St. Louis)
Website: amvestfinancial.com
11. Harris Williams
A national mid-market bank with deep healthcare and industrials coverage across the US.
Recent Deals: Active in healthcare, industrials, and business services M&A nationally through 2025 and 2026. Covers PE-backed and founder-owned businesses in the middle market. Works with companies in the $50M-$2B range on sell-side processes. Senior team brings direct sector expertise to buyer outreach.
LinkedIn: Harris Williams LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Healthcare, industrials, business services, consumer
Deal Type: Both
Deal Size: $50M - $2B
Location: National (active in St. Louis)
Website: harriswilliams.com
Who buys St. Louis companies
St. Louis draws PE sponsors, strategic acquirers, and regional family offices. Healthcare draws the fastest deal timelines in 2026.
PE sponsors target stable cash flow, customer retention, and management quality. They dominate middle-market exits across the Midwest.
Strategics focus on footprint expansion and product capability. A St. Louis services firm with recurring revenue gets premium bids.
Use Ellty to share your financial model and contracts with each buyer group separately. Set granular permissions so PE sponsors don't see strategic pricing data. Read the private equity guide to understand how PE buyers evaluate deals. See the Austin M&A advisors guide for comparison with another mid-market US city.
What buyers check in St. Louis diligence
Revenue quality is the first thing buyers check. They want recurring or contracted revenue with low customer concentration.
Working capital management comes next. Buyers adjust purchase price for normalized working capital in every deal.
Key employee retention matters for services businesses. Buyers check non-competes and equity vesting schedules before LOI.
Use Ellty to share financials, contracts, and employee agreements in one trackable room. You'll see which buyers reviewed your key files before the management meeting. See the features page to understand what buyers expect in a data room. Read the Philadelphia advisors guide for context on another mid-market US city.
Picking the right St. Louis advisor
Local boutiques like Clayton Capital and R.L. Hulett know the St. Louis buyer network. They've closed deals here and name buyers by name.
National banks like Houlihan Lokey, Baird, and Lincoln reach more PE platforms. If your deal has large PE interest, national reach matters more.
Check how many deals they closed in your sub-sector in the last 24 months. A bank with 3 healthcare exits beats one with 10 generic services mandates.
Use Ellty to track which advisor candidates open and engage with your shared materials. Set watermarked links so you know who's paying attention. See the due diligence guide for what to prepare before advisor pitches. Read the Dallas M&A advisors guide for Midwest and Texas comparison.
How Ellty helps you close an M&A deal in St. Louis
You've picked your St. Louis advisor. Set up your data room next. Get buyers reviewing files fast.
- 1.Upload financials, contracts, and key docsOrganize by type. Buyers check revenue data and contracts first.
- 2.Set access by buyer type and NDA statusPE sponsors and strategics need different document packages.
- 3.Track who reviews your key filesSee which buyers open your financial model and how long they spend.
Common questions about St. Louis M&A advisors
- Healthcare and industrials draw the most buyer interest. Business services and technology are also active in 2025 and 2026.
- Local firms like Clayton Capital and R.L. Hulett know regional buyers. National banks like Houlihan Lokey and Baird reach more PE platforms.
- Most deals close in four to seven months. Healthcare and services targets with stable revenue can move faster in competitive processes.
- Revenue quality and customer concentration come first. Key employee agreements and working capital surface in week two.
- Before your first advisor call. Buyers want organized financials and contracts from day one of the process.
- Clayton Capital Partners, R.L. Hulett, Nolan & Associates, and Amvest Financial Group all work in the lower middle market.
