MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 17, 2013-- Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC), a leading investment bank and asset management firm, today announced that it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Edgeview Partners, L.P., a leading middle-market advisory firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Piper Jaffray and Edgeview Partners have very complementary investment banking businesses with a shared focus on exceptional client service. The combination further strengthens Piper Jaffray’s M&A leadership in the middle market and adds significant resources dedicated to the private equity community.

“We are pleased to welcome this highly experienced team of M&A professionals to our firm. Edgeview’s client-centric culture, middle-market advisory capabilities and financial sponsors focus is well-aligned with our business,” Andrew Duff, chairman and CEO of Piper Jaffray said, “Expanding our M&A practice represents a key step forward in executing the firm’s growth strategy.”

Founded in 2001 and based in Charlotte, N.C., Edgeview Partners provides merger and acquisition advisory services to middle-market clients and private equity firms across a broad range of industries including business services, transportation and logistics, industrials, healthcare, applied technology, building products and consumer sectors.

Commenting on the transaction, Scott LaRue, global co-head of Piper Jaffray investment banking and capital markets said, “Edgeview has an outstanding track record and reputation for providing best-in-class M&A advisory services. We look forward to pairing our strong industry expertise, strategic relationships, financial sponsor coverage teams and global reach to accelerate the growth of our combined M&A business.”

“We are excited about what this combination achieves for our firm, our employees, and our clients,” said Ted Garner, partner at Edgeview Partners. “Piper Jaffray is a firm that shares our client-driven culture and execution-focused model. In addition, their commitment to the middle market and the private equity community fits perfectly with Edgeview. Our clients will benefit from expanded product capabilities, deeper sector expertise and broadened international reach while our employees will realize outstanding career opportunities.”

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions and expected to close in the third quarter of 2013. Terms of the transaction are undisclosed.

About Piper Jaffray
Piper Jaffray is a leading investment bank and asset management firm serving clients in the U.S. and internationally. Our proven advisory teams combine deep industry, product and sector expertise with ready access to capital. Founded in 1895, the firm is headquartered in Minneapolis and has offices across the United States and in London, Zurich and Hong Kong*. www.piperjaffray.com

* License pending

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements cover, among other things, the future prospects of the Company and the growth of our M&A advisory services business. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including the following: (1) the transaction announced in this release may not be completed, or completed within the expected timeframe; (2) the costs or difficulties relating to the combination of the businesses may be greater than expected and may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition; (3) the expected benefits of the transaction, including increased scale and improved operating performance for our M&A advisory services business, may take longer than anticipated to achieve and may not be achieved in their entirety or at all, and will in part depend on the ability of the Company to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with clients pending the consummation of the transaction; (4) developments in market and economic conditions have in the past adversely affected, and may in the future adversely affect, the business and profitability of the Company; and (5) other factors identified under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, and updated in our subsequent reports filed with the SEC. These reports are available at www.piperjaffray.com or www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events.

© 2013 Piper Jaffray Companies, 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7020

Source: Piper Jaffray Companies

Piper Jaffray Companies
Pamela Steensland, 612 303-8184
pamela.k.steensland@pjc.com