Memphis, Tennessee — Veteran bank analyst and SNL Financial editorial contributor Jeff K. Davis, CFA has rejoined Mercer Capital as Managing Director of the Financial Institutions Group.
Prior to rejoining Mercer Capital, Davis spent 13 years as a sell-side analyst providing coverage of publicly traded banks and specialty finance companies to institutional investors evaluating common equity and fixed income investment opportunities. Davis was most recently Managing Director of Guggenheim Securities, LLC, and was previously head of the Financial Institutions Group at FTN Equity Capital Markets. While at Mercer Capital in the 1990s, Davis led the firm’s financial institutions practice, providing valuation and transaction advisory services.
Financial services represents Mercer Capital’s largest sector concentration. The firm works with banks, thrifts, asset managers, insurance companies and agencies, BDCs, REITs and financial technology companies for purposes of mergers and acquisitions, internal shareholder transactions, capital raising, employee stock ownership plans, impairment testing, tax compliance, purchase price allocations, loan portfolio valuation, litigation and other matters.
Davis said, “Mercer Capital has a comprehensive suite of transaction and valuation-related services for financial institutions. My charge is to bring the collective know-how of the firm together for our clients in order to help them through this current environment and benefit from future opportunities. That means different things for different clients. For some, opportunity may result in a renewed interest in acquiring; others may look to sell due to regulatory, revenue and/or other challenges. However, many more will continue to evaluate an evolving landscape while planning a potential move. Value-related matters will run the gamut from ESOPs to setting an exchange ratio for a merger. I’m here to help clients determine their best course of action and then execute on that.”
“Jeff’s capital markets expertise makes him the perfect lead to leverage our extensive analytical bench and research capabilities,” said Matt Crow, Mercer Capital’s president. “All spaces in the financial services industry are facing great strategic challenges. With Jeff on board, we have the right team to help clients navigate their channel at a time when the buoys which used to mark deep water have all but disappeared.”
Andy Gibbs will continue to lead Mercer Capital’s Depository Institutions practice. “Jeff’s experience is complementary to our practice,” he said. “We are excited about the depth of expertise and knowledge he brings to our group, as well as his unique perspective on the financial services industry.”
Davis is based in Nashville, Tennessee.