What STOUT does

STOUT is a global advisory firm specializing in corporate finance, valuation, accounting and transaction advisory, strategy consulting, and financial disputes, claims, and investigations. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Chicago with primary legal entity Stout Risius Ross, LLC registered in Royal Oak, Michigan, the firm serves public corporations, privately held companies, private equity firms, and legal professionals across industries including plastics and manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, technology, automotive, industrials, financial services, energy, consumer, real estate, and government. Service lines comprise Investment Banking (industry-focused M&A, private capital raising), Valuation Advisory (businesses, complex securities, IP, real estate), Transaction Advisory (due diligence, transaction opinions, integration/separation), Accounting & Reporting Advisory (technical accounting, SEC filings, IPO readiness), Disputes, Claims & Investigations (expert testimony, claims recovery, compliance), Strategy (commercial diligence, growth strategy), Specialty & Industry Services (automotive recall, construction, digital analytics, fund advisory), and the newly launched ESOP Advisory practice.

The firm operates proprietary client portals and tools that embed workflow into service delivery: AlphaPipe (deal sourcing and origination platform for investment banking), Automated FMV Solutions (healthcare fair market value compliance), DXCDA Results and DXDocs Access (loan portfolio valuation, CECL analysis, document management, integrated through the 2024 DebtX Analytics acquisition), and Secura/Simplify Risk (risk management membership, currently powering tariff refund advisory). These platforms are integrated components of the advisory delivery model rather than standalone software products; the firm is a professional services business, not a software company. STOUT is a FINRA-regulated broker-dealer via its affiliate Stout Capital, LLC, and operates 7 legal entities across the USA, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Singapore.

STOUT monetizes through project-based professional fees on quote-driven, individually scoped engagements ranging from specific transaction opinions to comprehensive multi-year advisory mandates. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by transaction size, complexity, and scope; billing cadence runs across multi-year contracts. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales delivered by senior professionals, supplemented by industry referral networks (legal advisors, accountants, bankers) and direct engagement of senior professionals with clients. The firm is a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity (since 2021) and received a strategic investment from Integrum Holdings in 2026. Since 2022, STOUT has expanded through five acquisitions (Genova Group, The Claro Group, Vantage Point Advisors, Financial Research Associates, and DebtX Analytics) to broaden geographic coverage across the US and deepen capabilities in financial services, life sciences, and technology verticals.

Name

STOUT

Legal name

Stout Risius Ross, LLC

Website

https://stout.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

STOUT is a global advisory firm founded in 1989 providing investment banking, valuation, transaction, accounting, disputes, and strategy advisory services to public corporations, private companies, PE firms, and legal professionals across multiple industries, supported by proprietary client portals including AlphaPipe and Automated FMV Solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Banking & Advisory Services

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specialist / Sector-Focused M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

M&A Advisory (Buy-Side & Sell-Side) (BPAHAOAA), Buy-Side Search & Acquisition Advisory (FSAEAIAD), Pricing, Revenue & Commercial Analytics (BPAHALAM)

Keywords

• Investment banking advisory
• Valuation advisory services
• Transaction advisory
• Financial disputes consulting
• Accounting advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consulting Services: Professional fees generated from providing advisory services including investment banking, valuation advisory, accounting and reporting advisory, transaction advisory, disputes and claims consulting, strategy consulting, and specialty industry services. Revenue is primarily project-based with engagements ranging from specific transaction opinions to comprehensive advisory mandates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

STOUT is a global advisory firm that sells professional services across investment banking (industry-focused M&A, private capital raising, capital markets), valuation advisory (businesses, complex securities, IP, real estate, financial instruments), transaction advisory (due diligence, transaction opinions, integration/separation), accounting and reporting advisory (technical accounting, SEC filings, IPO readiness), disputes/claims/investigations (expert testimony, damages analysis, forensic accounting), strategy consulting, ESOP advisory, and specialty industry services (automotive recall, construction, digital/data analytics). The firm's proprietary platforms—AlphaPipe, Automated FMV Solutions, DXCDA Results, DXDocs, and Simplify Risk—are components of the advisory service delivery model, not standalone software products.

Product overview

STOUT is a global advisory firm (not a traditional software company) that offers a unified platform of professional services spanning investment banking, valuation advisory, transaction advisory, accounting and reporting advisory, disputes and investigations, strategy, and specialty industry services. The core offering is advisory expertise organized into service lines, supplemented by specialized tools and portals including AlphaPipe (deal sourcing), Automated FMV Solutions (healthcare valuation compliance), DXCDA Results (loan portfolio analytics), DXDocs (document management), and Secura (risk management). An ESOP Advisory practice provides dedicated employee ownership consulting. These tools and portals function as integrated components within the advisory service delivery model rather than standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment Banking Industry-focused M&A advisory, private capital raising, and capital markets services for middle-market companies and other clients. Delivered by senior professionals with sector expertise, covering buy-side and sell-side transactions, leveraged buyouts, and strategic advisory assignments.
• Valuation Advisory Comprehensive valuation services for businesses, complex securities, intellectual property, real estate, and financial instruments. Includes independent fairness opinions, ESOP valuations, IP valuations, and specialized loan and securities valuations.
• Transaction Advisory Due diligence, transaction opinions, integration and separation services, and business transformation support for clients completing critical transactions. Includes AlphaPipe-enabled transaction opinions and structured diligence support.
• Accounting & Reporting Advisory Technical accounting advisory, financial statement preparation, SEC filings, public company readiness (IPO readiness), and risk advisory services for clients navigating complex accounting issues.
• Disputes, Claims, & Investigations Expert testimony, investigative services, claims preparation and recovery, and compliance services for legal and regulatory matters. Includes damages expert services (e.g., John Bone), forensic accounting, and IP litigation support (e.g., Melissa Bennis).
• Strategy Consulting Strategy consulting, commercial diligence, growth strategy, market analysis, and customer insights services supporting clients' strategic decisions, complemented by Stout's 20 years of relevant experience.
• ESOP Advisory Employee Stock Ownership Plan advisory services offering ESOP valuation, investment banking, and consulting throughout the full ESOP lifecycle, from formation and transactions to ongoing sustainability and capital allocation.
• Specialty & Industry Services Specialized services including automotive recall consulting, construction services, digital and data analytics, fund advisory, and transformative change consulting, focused on helping companies optimize operations, reduce risk, make informed decisions, and enhance value.
• Tariff Refund Recovery and Monetization Advisory Advisory offering for US importers on tariff refund eligibility assessment, recovery, and monetization strategies following recent Supreme Court ruling, delivered as a specialized engagement within the firm's disputes and investigations practice.

Quantifiable outcome

• Completed 75+ investment banking transactions in plastics sector
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered exclusive, flagship, minor and core.

• Harbour ResultsexclusiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive industry partnership providing Stout with proprietary database of plastics manufacturing industry data for use in advisory services and market analysis.
• MAPP (Manufacturer's Association for Plastics Processors)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStout has served on the MAPP Board and is a proud sponsor. MAPP is comprised of over 400 of the nation's most successful plastics manufacturing companies, providing Stout with deep industry connectivity and deal flow visibility.
• Cresset CapitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCresset Capital hosted an 'AI in Action' event featuring Stout experts discussing how AI is transforming the M&A process, indicating collaborative thought leadership in the advisory space.
• Stout Capital, LLCcoreOthersFINRA-registered broker-dealer and SIPC member firm within the Stout organization, enabling securities-related advisory services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kroll: Kroll (formerly Duff & Phelps) provides valuation, expert services, investigations, cyber risk, and corporate finance advisory globally — directly comparable to Stout's Valuation Advisory, Disputes & Investigations, and Investment Banking service lines.
• FTI Consulting: FTI Consulting is a global business advisory firm providing corporate finance, restructuring, disputes, and forensic services — directly overlapping with Stout's Investment Banking, Disputes, Claims & Investigations, and Transaction Advisory practices across comparable mid-market and enterprise clients.
• Alvarez & Marsal: Alvarez & Marsal is a global professional services firm specializing in turnaround management, restructuring, performance improvement, and disputes consulting — competing directly with Stout's restructuring capabilities (acquired via The Claro Group) and transaction advisory practices.
• Ankura Consulting: Ankura is a global expert services and advisory firm focused on disputes, investigations, restructuring, and valuation — directly competing with Stout in expert testimony, damages calculation, and transaction-related consulting engagements.
• Huron Consulting Group: Huron is a global professional services firm providing consulting across healthcare, education, and commercial sectors — comparable to Stout's Strategy, Specialty Industry Services, and Accounting & Reporting Advisory practices, particularly in healthcare and life sciences.
• Houlihan Lokey: Houlihan Lokey is a global investment bank specializing in M&A advisory, capital markets, and valuation services — directly comparable to Stout's Investment Banking and Valuation Advisory service lines, particularly in middle-market transactions.

Broad incumbents

• BDO USA: BDO USA is a major accounting and advisory network offering assurance, tax, transaction advisory, and consulting services — overlapping with Stout's Accounting & Reporting Advisory, Transaction Advisory, and Valuation practices as part of a broader professional services portfolio.
• Grant Thornton: Grant Thornton is a global audit, tax, and advisory firm serving mid-market clients — directly comparable to Stout's middle-market advisory positioning across transaction advisory, valuation, and accounting services.
• Deloitte (Deals & Advisory): Deloitte's Deals & Advisory practice competes with Stout across M&A advisory, valuation, transaction services, and disputes consulting — as a Big 4 incumbent with substantially greater resources but a broader portfolio focus.

Emerging players

• Resources Connection (RGP): RGP is a global consulting firm providing on-demand professional services across finance, accounting, and advisory engagements — adjacent to Stout's Accounting & Reporting Advisory and Transaction Advisory practices with overlapping mid-market client base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stout
• Xx.com/StoutAdvisory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A4 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about STOUT