Cetera Adds $1.9B RIA in Darnall Sikes Deal
Cetera has acquired Darnall Sikes Wealth Partners, a Louisiana-based wealth management firm, adding approximately $1.9 billion in assets to Cetera’s RIA model and extending a longstanding affiliation with Avantax, a Cetera community. Darnall Sikes serves high-net-worth individuals, business owners, and their families.
The wealth business will join Avantax Planning Partners within Cetera’s RIA framework, while affiliated CPA firm Darnall Sikes & Frederick will remain independent under a new long-term strategic partnership intended to support shared clients.
“This next chapter reflects our shared commitment to putting clients first, and we are confident that expanding our collaboration with Cetera provides a strong foundation for the future,” said John P. Armato, president of Darnall Sikes & Frederick.
Jen Hanau, RIA & Branches channel leader at Cetera, framed the deal as evidence of the firm’s positioning in the advisor consolidation cycle: “More than ever, financial advisors and institutions are choosing Cetera as their ‘forever home’ – a place where they can grow, evolve, and ultimately transition their practices with confidence.”
The Darnall Sikes team serves clients in more than 40 states from four Louisiana locations, giving Cetera additional geographic reach and a scaled, CPA-affiliated footprint at a time when tax-aware wealth advice is in high demand.
Launched in June 2025, Cetera’s RIA & Branches channel is its newest dedicated platform for independent RIAs, owned W-2 RIA businesses, and supported-independence branches; as of September 30, 2025, Cetera firms oversaw roughly $625 billion in assets under administration and $284 billion in assets under management.
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