What is Acuity Advisors?
Acuity Advisors is an investment banking and M&A advisory firm founded in 1989, specializing in ownership transitions for closely held, middle-market companies. The firm provides sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory, ESOP advisory, and valuation advisory services—not fractional CFO or ongoing finance office support.
Who It's For
Acuity Advisors serves closely held, middle-market companies—typically $20M–$500M in value—that are planning an ownership transition. This includes business owners considering a sale (sell-side), evaluating an acquisition (buy-side), exploring an ESOP transaction, or needing complex business valuations for estate, gift, or stock-based compensation purposes.
The firm has over 30 years of experience in ownership transitions, positioning itself as relationship-driven advisors rather than transaction factories. It's a fit for business owners who need expert guidance through a complex deal—not for companies that need ongoing accounting, bookkeeping, or fractional CFO services.
Critically: if your goal is to improve your day-to-day financial operations, bring in strategic finance expertise, or build a finance function that helps you run and grow the business, an M&A advisory firm like Acuity Advisors is not the right partner.
Services Offered
Acuity Advisors' services are exclusively transaction and valuation focused:
• M&A Advisory (sell-side representation)
• M&A Advisory (buy-side due diligence and acquisition support)
• ESOP Advisory (partial/full exits, fiduciary acquisitions, post-transaction valuation)
• Valuation Advisory (estate and gift tax, transaction opinions, stock-based compensation, financial reporting)
The firm's expertise is centered on the mechanics of ownership transitions—getting deals done, structuring ESOPs, and providing defensible valuations. It does not offer bookkeeping, accounting, CFO advisory, or FP&A services.
Pricing & Plans
Acuity Advisors does not publicly disclose pricing. As an investment banking firm, M&A and ESOP advisory engagements are typically priced as a percentage of transaction value—a model that aligns advisor incentives with deal outcomes.
For sell-side M&A mandates, fees commonly range from 1%–5% of transaction value depending on deal size, complexity, and engagement scope. ESOP and valuation engagements may follow hourly or fixed-fee structures.
For businesses evaluating cost, the relevant comparison is not to bookkeeping services but to other M&A advisors and investment banks—which Acuity Advisors competes with directly.
Key Strengths
• 30+ years of ownership transition experience
• Deep ESOP structuring expertise for partial and full exits
• Relationship-driven approach—slower, more considered than transaction factories
• Valuation expertise for complex situations (estate, gift, stock-based compensation)
• Middle-market focus with deal sizes appropriate for that market
• Santa Ana, CA base with national deal activity
Common Criticisms
• Not a finance office or fractional CFO firm—exclusively transaction-focused
• No ongoing accounting, bookkeeping, or CFO advisory services
• M&A process can be lengthy and may not close within expected timelines
• Middle-market focus may not fit very small businesses or very large enterprises
• Transaction-based model means engagement ends when the deal closes
• No day-to-day financial management support for operating businesses
• May be overqualified (and overpriced) for businesses that just need bookkeeping
How It Compares to Eagle Rock CFO
Acuity Advisors and Eagle Rock CFO serve completely different needs. Acuity Advisors helps business owners exit their companies or navigate major ownership transitions. Eagle Rock CFO helps businesses build and operate a complete finance function—outsourced accounting services, controller services, treasury management, FP&A, and CFO advisory.
If you're building your business, running it profitably, and need your finance function to support growth and decision-making, you need Eagle Rock CFO. If you're selling, acquiring, or transitioning ownership, you need an M&A advisor like Acuity Advisors.
The two can even be complementary: a business owner might use Eagle Rock CFO to optimize their business operations and financials before engaging Acuity Advisors for a sale process.
Key Takeaways
- •Acuity Advisors is an investment banking and M&A advisory firm—not a fractional CFO or finance office provider
- •The firm specializes in ownership transitions for middle-market companies: M&A, ESOP, and valuation
- •Founded in 1989, the firm has over 30 years of experience in ownership transition advisory
- •No ongoing accounting, bookkeeping, or CFO advisory services are offered
- •Eagle Rock CFO provides a complete finance office for businesses that need to run and grow—not sell
- •If you're preparing for a transaction, Acuity Advisors is a strong choice; for day-to-day financial operations, you need Eagle Rock CFO
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Acuity Advisors offer fractional CFO or bookkeeping services?
No. Acuity Advisors is exclusively an M&A advisory and investment banking firm. It does not provide ongoing accounting, bookkeeping, controller, or CFO advisory services.
What types of ownership transitions does Acuity Advisors handle?
The firm handles sell-side M&A (business sales), buy-side M&A (acquisitions), ESOP transactions (partial/full exits, fiduciary acquisitions), and complex business valuations for estate, gift, stock-based compensation, and financial reporting.
What size companies does Acuity Advisors work with?
Acuity Advisors focuses on closely held, middle-market companies—typically companies valued from $20M to $500M preparing for ownership transitions.
How long does an Acuity Advisors engagement typically last?
M&A processes vary widely. A sell-side engagement might take 6–18 months from engagement to close, depending on deal size, market conditions, and seller readiness. ESOP transactions have their own timelines.
What is the firm's fee structure?
M&A advisory fees are typically priced as a percentage of transaction value. Valuation engagements may use hourly or fixed-fee structures. Exact terms are negotiated individually.
How does Eagle Rock CFO differ from Acuity Advisors?
Eagle Rock CFO provides a complete finance office for businesses that need to operate and grow—accounting, controller, treasury, FP&A, and CFO advisory. Acuity Advisors specializes in helping business owners exit through M&A and ESOP transactions.
Can I use both Acuity Advisors and Eagle Rock CFO?
Yes. A business owner might use Eagle Rock CFO to optimize operations and financial reporting, then engage Acuity Advisors when preparing for a sale or ownership transition. The two serve complementary needs.
Does Acuity Advisors handle post-transaction integration?
The firm's focus is on transaction execution and valuation. Post-transaction integration support (such as M&A due diligence during acquisition) may be part of a buy-side engagement, but ongoing integration management is not the primary service.
See our outsourced controller services and accounting services for what that includes.