BOSTON & LEOLA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Emerald Asset Management and 1251 Capital Group announced today they have completed a transaction through which 1251 has acquired a partnership stake in Emerald.

Under the agreement, 1251 Capital Group’s senior management team joins Emerald Asset Management’s Board of Directors, while Emerald’s current executive and management teams will continue to independently manage day-to-day operations and retain full control of the investment process and function.

“We are thrilled to begin this next chapter in the 25-plus year story of Emerald, as we gain the expertise of 1251’s leadership team and the added financial stability this partnership brings,” said Emerald Founder & CEO Joseph E. Besecker.

The transaction was initiated in July 2018 and closed on October 1st, 2018. The partnership agreement was contingent upon the consent of Emerald’s institutional and mutual fund clients. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Emerald’s investment advisory subsidiaries feature accomplished investment teams with a track record spanning 26 years, and we are thrilled to partner with such a high quality organization to support its continued success and stability,” said 1251 Capital Co-CEO Michael Wilson.

With $5.6 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2018, Emerald is best known for its “Driven by Research” investment approach. Emerald employs an intense fundamental, research-focused investment philosophy and focuses primarily on growth- and value-oriented equity investing and income-oriented investing in small-cap, mid-cap and all-cap categories, as well as offering a sector-focused banking and finance strategy.

“This partnership positions Emerald for future growth through the retention of all key personnel and through its newer products, enabling greater product diversification and providing access to multiple new channels of distribution,” said John Hailer, President of 1251 Asset Management.

About 1251 Capital Group

1251 Capital Group, Inc. is a Financial Services holding company with deep investing and operating experience in the asset management and insurance sectors. The firm was established to invest the capital of its founders and a select group of like-minded, outside shareholders consisting primarily of prominent family offices. 1251 is structured as a corporate holding company with a permanent capital base, aligning the 1251 organization, management teams, and 1251’s shareholders around the common objective of creating shareholder value over the long-term. In addition, 1251 is an experienced value-added operating partner that can provide the strategic resources necessary to accelerate growth in the businesses with which it partners, empowering management teams to build enduring businesses that achieve their full potential. For more information, please visit www.1251capital.com.

About Emerald Asset Management

Founded in 1991, Emerald provides equity and fixed-income portfolio management services to institutional investors and to individual investors via separate account management and the Emerald Mutual Funds. With $5.6 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2018, Emerald focuses primarily on growth- and value-oriented equity investing and income-oriented investing. Research is the cornerstone of Emerald’s equity investment strategies: “The Emerald Advantage.”Emerald’s 16 member in-house research team uses a proprietary 10-Step research process dedicated to intense, hands-on, fundamental research specifically designed to identify unrecognized and under-researched companies. For more information, please visit www.teamemerald.com.