The Stephens Group, LLC, is a private, family-owned firm investing in private and public companies with exceptional management teams in growing industries. For more than 70 years, Stephens Group family has partnered with talented managers, entrepreneurs and chief executive officers to help them achieve their strategic visions and build long-term value. Today, Stephens Group provide a select, yet diverse group of companies with an independent source of capital, unbiased advice and access to Stephens Group extensive network of business contacts.

Turner Investment Partners, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is based in Berwyn, Pennsylvania with an additional office in Hartford, Connecticut. Turner Investment Partners, Inc. is an employee owned investment firm. The firm primarily provides its services to investment companies, pension and profit sharing plans, and state and municipal government entities. It also caters to pension funds, foundations, public companies, other asset managers and pooled investment vehicles, financial advisors, banking and thrift institutions, individuals, charitable and non-charitable organizations, educational and non-profit enterprises, public-employee retirement systems, and Taft-Hartley plans. The firm manages separate client focused equity portfolios. It also manages a family of mutual funds for its clients.

Deutsche Borse provides securities trading through the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the electronic Xetra platform, derivatives trading on the Eurex market, market information with the DAX indices, and global clearing services through subsidiary Clearstream. The Frankfurt is Germany's largest stock exchange, and Eurex (which Deutsche Borse jointly operates with the SIX Swiss Exchange) is among the largest futures markets in the world. The company licenses its Xetra platform to other exchanges, including the Vienna Exchange; Xetra boasts more than 10,000 securities from around the world.

Alloy Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm with over $1 billion under management that invests in the entrepreneurs creating the next generation of ground-breaking Information Technology, Life Sciences, and Cleantech companies.For the last 30 years, Alloy has leveraged the operational experience, extensive networks and forward-thinking vision of its partners to help start and build over 200 market-leading companies in fields such as software, semiconductors, mobile, medical devices, diagnostics, and laboratory instrumentation. Some of Alloy successful investments include Amgen, AMCC, Applied Biosystems, Aspect Communications, CV Therapeutics, IDEC Pharmaceuticals, Nuance Communications, Octel, PMC-Sierra, Red Brick Systems, Remedy, and Verity – and alloy current portfolio includes companies like Barrx, Molecular Imprints, Optimedica, Pacific Biosciences, and Vivotech which are poised to become the next global leaders.

Westar Capital LLC is a private investment firm established in 1987 that provides capital to acquire established growth companies in partnership with management. In special situations, Westar also provides equity financing for corporate expansion, restructurings or acquisitions and will purchase significant equity positions from large shareholders seeking liquidity.Westar collaborates with existing management to grow promising middle market companies into industry leaders over a five-to-ten year period. In all cases, we arrange for management to own a significant share of the equity. At Westar we believe superior investment performance is best achieved when a company is jointly owned by its managers and experienced investors who have the financial resources, long-term perspective and expertise to build highly successful businesses.

Private Equity is the common term used to refer to a specific type of long-term investment activity. Typically private equity firms take a controlling stake in companies with a view to transforming their performance over a number of years such that they can be sold at a premium to the acquisition price. The private equity investor will generally be represented on the board of the company so that they can actively support management in determining the strategic direction of the business.Private equity investments can be sub-divided according to the size of the company acquired, its development stage and the type of financing provided by the private equity firm. The Permira funds are primarily involved in medium to large buy-outs. This means that they tend to acquire sizeable businesses with a long-standing trading history and a strong market position. In addition, private equity firms traditionally finance their acquisitions with a mix of equity, provided by their institutional investors, and debt.Private Equity ownership is recognised to offer a number of benefits, which stem from its long-term investment horizon and a governance structure which fully aligns management’s and shareholders’ interests for the long-term benefit of a company and its employees. For more details on the industry, please visit our 3rd Party Research section.

Eight Peaks seeks out and invests in near start up and small companies that are in sectors exhibiting long term growth. The investments must have the potential and catalysts to generate asymmetric returns. Once invested, Eight Peaks assists the companies to realise their potentials. Returns are generated on exits, which can be IPOs or trade sales. Eight Peaks makes investments in all sectors including technology, energy and natural resources, specifically in businesses and opportunities with the potential for substantial asymmetric capital appreciation. The focus is primarily on high growth companies, although investments may be made in anticipation of receiving dividends.

Berwind Corporation was founded in 1886 and is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Berwind Corporation is the private equity arm of The Berwind-White Coal Mining Company specializing in acquisitions, buy-and-build transactions and providing growth capital to middle market and mature companies. The firm invests across a diversified range of industries including health and wellness, nutritional products, medical products, filtration, life sciences and biotechnology, pharmaceutical and drug delivery products, specialty chemicals, vehicle safety products, animal health and wellness, promotional products, educational products, and specialty coating products. It seeks to invest in companies based in United States, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and Asia. The firm typically invests in new platform companies with an enterprise value between $50 million and $600 million, with a preferred size between $100 million and $300 million. It seeks to acquire 100 percent ownership of its portfolio companies.

Raymond James Financial, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the underwriting, distribution, trading, and brokerage of equity and debt securities, as well as the sale of mutual funds and other investment products in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Raymond James Financial, Inc. Private Client Group segment provides securities brokerage services, including the sale of equities, mutual funds, fixed income products, and insurance products to their individual clients; and correspondent clearing services to other broker-dealer firms. Raymond James Financial, Inc. Capital Markets segment offers securities brokerage, trading, and research services to institutions with a focus on the sale of U.S. and Canadian equities and fixed income products; and manages participation in underwritings, merger and acquisition services, and public finance activities. Raymond James Financial’s Asset Management segment provides investment portfolio management services, mutual fund management, and trust services, as well as offers fee-based programs for portfolio management services customers.Raymond James Financial, Inc. Stock Loan/Borrow segment involves in borrowing and lending securities from and to other broker-dealers, financial institutions, and other counterparties, primarily as an intermediary. Raymond James Financial’s Proprietary Capital segment consists of principal capital and private equity activities, including various direct and third party private equity and merchant banking investments, short-term special situation mezzanine and bridge investments, and private equity funds. Raymond James Financial, Inc. was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Clerical Medical targets the practical and economical, helping to make sure their retirement years are more paradisiacal than ascetical. Clerical Medical, which started out serving clergy members and physicians, today provides middle-class professionals and other clients from all walks of life with tools to build their nest eggs. The company's products include group and individual pension plans and other investment products, such as life insurance, offshore investment funds, and a variety of bonds (flexible growth, income, and others); it has more than $39 billion under management. Clerical Medical is a subsidiary of Lloyds Banking Group.

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