What Moelis & Company does

Moelis & Company (NYSE: MC) is a global independent investment bank founded in 2007 by Ken Moelis and headquartered in New York City. The firm provides strategic financial advisory services across four core product lines — M&A and Strategic Advisory, Capital Markets, Capital Structure Advisory, and Private Capital Advisory — augmented by sub-products including Special Committee Advisory, Shareholder Advisory, Risk Advisory, and Dispute Advisory. Moelis covers more than 15 industry sectors (Energy, Healthcare, Technology, Financial Institutions, Infrastructure, Media/Sports/Entertainment, Blockchain, Data Centers, and others) and serves three primary client segments: corporations, financial sponsors (PE firms, sovereign wealth funds, family offices), and governments and government-related entities.

The firm operates an integrated advisory platform supported by senior banker–led client coverage, with technology infrastructure that includes AI meeting documentation tools and a Banker Innovation Committee overseeing AI deployment across advisory workflows. Moelis runs 23 offices across 13 countries — including eight US cities, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Dubai, Riyadh, Tel Aviv, Hong Kong, Beijing, Mumbai, São Paulo, Mexico City, and Monterrey — supplemented by strategic alliances with MA Moelis Australia and ADS in Mexico. The firm has advised on more than $5.8 trillion in transactions since founding and employs 1,450 people globally, including 180 Managing Directors.

Moelis generates revenue through transaction-based advisory fees, placement and bookrunning fees, and success fees negotiated per engagement; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Revenue is structurally lumpy given its dependence on M&A closings (estimated 65-75% of revenues come from M&A advisory) and the timing of large mandates. In FY 2025 the firm generated approximately $1.5 billion in adjusted revenues (+28% YoY) with a 21.6% pre-tax margin and $848.8 million of cash with no debt. The company is publicly traded since its 2014 IPO and is led by CEO and Co-Founder Navid Mahmoodzadegan (appointed October 2024), with Founder Ken Moelis serving as Executive Chairman.

Name

Moelis & Company

Legal name

Moelis & Company

Website

https://moelis.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Moelis & Company is a global independent investment bank advising corporations, financial sponsors, and governments on M&A, capital markets, capital structure, and private capital transactions across 23 offices and 15+ industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices23 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. M&A and Strategic Advisory: Moelis provides comprehensive advisory services on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, joint ventures, fairness opinions, and shareholder advisory across all sectors in every major market around the world. Revenue is earned through advisory fees tied to transaction completion and complexity.
2. Capital Markets: The Capital Markets team structures and executes customized financing solutions including IPOs, follow-ons, PIPEs, preferred equity, debt financing, and equity derivatives. Revenue is generated through placement fees, bookrunning fees, and advisory fees on public and private transactions.
3. Capital Structure Advisory: The Capital Structure Advisory team helps clients address complex capital structure matters including liquidity enhancement, debt management, liability management transactions, restructurings, and recapitalizations. The team has executed over 600 engagements globally totaling $1.2 trillion in value.
4. Private Capital Advisory: The Private Capital Advisory team advises financial sponsors and institutional investors on secondary market and primary fundraising solutions including co-investments, GP-led continuation funds, direct secondaries, tender offers, and primary capital raising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Moelis & Company is a global independent investment bank delivering strategic advisory services across four core practice areas: M&A and Strategic Advisory (mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, joint ventures, fairness opinions), Capital Markets (IPOs, follow-ons, PIPEs, preferred equity, debt financing, equity derivatives), Capital Structure Advisory (liquidity enhancement, liability management, restructurings, recapitalizations), and Private Capital Advisory (GP-led secondaries, co-investments, fund placements, tender offers). Services are delivered by 180 Managing Directors across 23 offices in 13 countries, with sector coverage spanning 15 industries including Energy, Healthcare, Technology, Financial Institutions, and Infrastructure.

Product overview

Moelis & Company is a leading global independent investment bank offering a unified advisory platform across four core service lines: M&A and Strategic Advisory, Capital Markets, Capital Structure Advisory, and Private Capital Advisory. The firm provides innovative, unconflicted strategic advice through specialized teams covering over 15 industry sectors including Energy, Healthcare, Technology, Financial Institutions, and Infrastructure. With operations across 23 global locations, the firm has advised on over $5.8 trillion in transactions since its founding in 2007. The platform integrates specialized product capabilities including Special Committee Advisory, Shareholder Advisory, Risk Advisory, and Dispute Advisory, supported by sector-specific teams that deliver tailored solutions across the full business cycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MA Moelis Australia: Strategic alliance providing corporate advisory and equities in Australia through MA Financial Group
• Moelis@Wharton
• Moelis Compass
• Moelis Academy

Products and services

• M&A and Strategic Advisory Comprehensive advisory services covering mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, spin-offs, joint ventures, fairness opinions, and shareholder advisory across all sectors globally. Offered to corporations, governments, and financial sponsors by 180 Managing Directors across 23 global offices.
• Capital Markets Structures and executes customized financing solutions including IPOs, follow-ons, PIPEs, preferred equity, debt financing, and equity derivatives for public and private transactions. Revenue is generated through placement fees, bookrunning fees, and advisory fees.
• Capital Structure Advisory Helps clients address complex capital structure matters including liquidity enhancement, capital optimization, debt management, liability management, and restructurings (out-of-court and in-court). The team has executed over 600 engagements globally totaling $1.2 trillion in value.
• Private Capital Advisory Advises financial sponsors and institutional investors on secondary market and primary fundraising solutions including GP-led secondaries, co-investments, fund placements, and tender offers.
• Special Committee Advisory Partners with special and independent committees of boards of directors to evaluate strategic alternatives in situations involving potential conflicts of interest, providing guidance on decision-making frameworks.
• Shareholder Advisory Provides strategic counsel to public companies and boards in navigating complex M&A and unsolicited approaches from hostile acquirers and activist shareholders.
• Risk Advisory Advises financial services clients on intricate risk exposures by evaluating balance sheets, portfolios and large transactions, specializing in structured products, securitization, and derivatives.
• Dispute Advisory Specializes in helping companies, investors, governments and government-related entities navigate and resolve complex high-stakes international arbitrations and commercial disputes.
• Out-of-Court Liability Management Market-leading capability in out-of-court transactions including debt exchanges, consent solicitations, and negotiations to secure bank amendments and waivers, with over 60% of company-side engagements completed out-of-court.
• Industry Expertise Coverage Deep sector-specific expertise across 15 industry sectors including Blockchain, Business Services, Clean Technology, Consumer & Retail, Data Centers & Emerging Telecom, Energy, Financial Institutions, Healthcare, Industrials, Infrastructure, Media/Sports/Entertainment, Power & Utilities, Real Estate/Gaming/Lodging/Leisure, and Technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $5.8 trillion in transactions advised since 2007
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MA Moelis Australia (MA Financial Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance providing investment banking advice in Australia through MA Moelis Australia, the Corporate Advisory and Equities division of MA Financial Group, an ASX-listed firm. MA Moelis Australia provides financial advice for clients across M&A and strategic advisory, equity and debt capital markets, capital structure advisory, equities research and trading.
• Alfaro, Dávila y Scherer, S.C. (ADS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance with ADS, the leading independent strategic and financial advisory firm in Mexico, to provide advisory services to global clients with a focus on Mexican cross-border transactions. Founded in 2003, ADS advises on strategic mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, capital raising and financial restructurings.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Evercore: Evercore is a leading independent investment banking advisory firm, directly comparable to Moelis in M&A advisory, restructuring, and equity capital markets. Both firms compete for similar sponsor and corporate mandates and operate with similar senior-led, independent advisory models.
• Lazard: Lazard is a global independent financial advisory and asset management firm with a strong M&A advisory franchise that directly competes with Moelis for corporate and sponsor advisory mandates, particularly in cross-border transactions.
• Centerview Partners: Centerview is a top-tier independent advisory firm that competes head-to-head with Moelis for premium M&A, shareholder advisory, and special-committee mandates across large-cap and complex situations.
• PJT Partners: PJT Partners is an independent advisory-focused investment bank with strong overlap in M&A, restructuring, and private capital advisory — directly competing with Moelis for sponsor-driven and corporate restructuring mandates.
• Houlihan Lokey: Houlihan Lokey is a global independent investment bank with a particularly strong restructuring practice that overlaps with Moelis's Capital Structure Advisory franchise, alongside M&A and capital markets services for middle-market and large-cap clients.
• Allen & Company: Allen & Company is a closely held independent advisory firm that competes with Moelis for premium M&A and strategic advisory mandates, particularly in media, technology, and large-cap situations.
• Rothschild & Co: Rothschild & Co is a global independent financial advisory group with deep M&A and restructuring capabilities, providing comparable advisory services to corporates and sponsors — particularly strong in European cross-border mandates where Moelis also competes.
• Perella Weinberg Partners: Perella Weinberg Partners is an independent global advisory firm offering M&A, restructuring, and capital markets advisory, directly comparable to Moelis across its four core service lines and competing for similar sponsor and corporate relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Jefferies Financial Group: Jefferies is a full-service investment banking and capital markets firm that competes with Moelis in mid- and large-cap M&A advisory while also offering broader trading, lending, and equity research capabilities that sit outside Moelis's pure-advisory model.
• Goldman Sachs Investment Banking Division: Goldman Sachs is a bulge-bracket incumbent competing with Moelis across M&A advisory, capital markets, and restructuring as part of a much broader full-service platform, often winning the largest league-table mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Moelis-Co
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moelis-&-company
• Xx.com/Moelis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments4 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Moelis & Company