M.S. Howells
M.S. Howells & Co. is a privately held, FINRA-registered full-service broker-dealer serving independent RIAs, emerging hedge funds, and institutional clients with Hybrid RIA support, prime brokerage, and institutional trade execution via Pershing clearing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersScottsdale, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What M.S. Howells does
M.S. Howells & Co. is a privately held, FINRA- and SEC-registered full-service broker-dealer founded in 2000 by Mark S. Howells and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, with a regional office in New York. The firm operates three core service lines: a Hybrid RIA platform serving independent registered investment advisors; a Prime Brokerage offering for new and emerging hedge funds covering fund formation, trade execution, back-office support, and soft-dollar arrangements; and a Professional Trade Desk providing institutional execution across equities, options, debt, and derivatives, with extended-hours trading (8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET) and connectivity to over 35 foreign exchanges. The firm is affiliated with MSH Capital Advisors LLC (an SEC-registered investment adviser) and MS Insentra LLC (an insurance marketing organization), enabling cross-sell of wealth management and insurance solutions alongside broker-dealer services, and operates the PartnersAdmin LLC back-office subsidiary for hedge fund, private equity, real estate, and venture capital fund managers.
The firm's technology stack is anchored by a fully disclosed clearing arrangement with Pershing LLC (a BNY Mellon company), with trade execution routed through Pershing and Coda Markets across exchanges, alternative trading systems, and electronic communications networks. Internal capabilities include an integrated software platform combining communication, compliance, commission tracking, and audit trails; direct market access via execution platforms (e.g., FixQ); consolidated portfolio reporting with mobile access; and a direct data-feed integration with Gentech for consolidated portfolio views. The firm serves a network of more than 40 affiliated RIA offices across North America and supports clearing and execution activity across all U.S. states and jurisdictions.
M.S. Howells generates revenue primarily through transaction-based commissions on brokerage activity in equities, options, mutual funds, ETFs, bonds, variable annuities, and alternative investments, supplemented by fees from prime brokerage and back-office services. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but is described as competitive, with commission-based compensation for registered representatives paid twice monthly. Go-to-market is relationship-driven and field-led, leveraging senior leadership involvement in business development, industry event sponsorships (e.g., iConnections Global Alts Conference), and referral-based client acquisition, with approximately 27 team members delivering service across trading, operations, compliance, technology, and client service functions.
M.S. Howells firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- M.S. Howells
- Legal name
- M.S. Howells & Co.
- Website
- https://mshowells.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- M.S. Howells & Co. is a privately held, FINRA-registered full-service broker-dealer serving independent RIAs, emerging hedge funds, and institutional clients with Hybrid RIA support, prime brokerage, and institutional trade execution via Pershing clearing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
M.S. Howells industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Broker-Dealer Services
- NAICS
- Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)
- SIC
- Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Independent Broker-Dealer / Registered Representative Networks (FSAEACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers (FSAAACAA)
Keywords
Where M.S. Howells is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Scottsdale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
M.S. Howells business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Brokerage Services: Transaction-based brokerage services for securities including mutual funds, ETFs, stocks, bonds, options, variable annuities, and alternative investment products. Revenue generated through commissions on executed trades.
- Prime Brokerage Services: Comprehensive prime brokerage services for hedge funds including operations support, trading, and back-office services with associated fees
- Hybrid RIA Support Services: Broker-dealer services for independent registered investment advisors with competitive payout structures and commission-based compensation for registered representatives
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Competitive commission structure for registered representatives |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
M.S. Howells product offering
Product offeringCore offering
M.S. Howells & Co. is a full-service registered broker-dealer founded in 2000 that provides three interconnected core services: a Hybrid RIA Platform supporting independent registered investment advisors with broker-dealer services, payouts, and back-office support; Prime Brokerage Services for new and emerging hedge funds including fund formation, trade execution, portfolio reporting, and soft dollar programs; and a Professional Trade Desk offering institutional-grade execution across equities, options, debt, and derivatives with direct market access to over 35 foreign exchanges. The firm is affiliated with MSH Capital Advisors LLC (SEC-registered RIA) and MS Insentra LLC (insurance marketing organization), and routes all clearing through Pershing LLC (BNY Mellon).
Product overview
M.S. Howells & Co. is a full-service registered broker-dealer founded in 2000, offering a platform of three interconnected core services: (1) the Hybrid RIA Platform for independent registered investment advisors featuring competitive payouts, integrated technology, and operational support; (2) Prime Brokerage Services for new and emerging hedge funds including fund formation, trade execution, portfolio reporting, and soft dollar programs; and (3) a Professional Trade Desk for institutional clients providing execution across equities, options, debt, and derivatives with direct market access. The firm is affiliated with MSH Capital Advisors LLC (SEC-registered RIA for wealth management) and MS Insentra LLC (insurance marketing), enabling a full-service offering. Clearing services are provided through Pershing LLC (BNY Mellon). The firm supports operations across all U.S. states and maintains regional offices in Arizona and New York.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Professional Trade Desk Specialized trade desk for institutional clients combining expert trader support with advanced technology. Offers equity, options, debt, and derivative execution; direct market access; and extended market hours (8:00 am to 6:00 pm ET) with connections to over 35 foreign exchanges.
- Hybrid RIA Platform Broker-dealer services designed for independent registered investment advisors, offering competitive payout structures, commission transparency, integrated technology platform, and operational support. No override on fee-based business with hybrid RIAs.
- Prime Brokerage Services Comprehensive services for new and emerging hedge funds including hedge fund formation guidance, full-service trade desk, direct market access, dedicated operations team, portfolio reporting and risk analysis tools, technology assistance, soft dollar programs, and referral network of seasoned professionals. Supports both domestic and offshore start-up funds.
- PartnersAdmin, LLC (Back-Office Support) Back-office support subsidiary providing comprehensive administrative, accounting, and operational services to hedge fund managers, private equity, real estate, and venture capital funds.
Quantifiable outcome
- Named Best Places to Work by Phoenix Business Journal for 3 years (2021, 2022, 2025) - indicating strong employee retention and culture
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use M.S. Howells
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
M.S. Howells technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature4 records
M.S. Howells partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- iConnectionsminorContributing sponsor of iConnections 2025 Global Alts Conference (January 27-30, 2025) in Miami. Provides networking opportunity with hundreds of allocators and fund managers, with access to panels, fireside chats, and over 90 speakers.
- Pershing LLCcoreFully disclosed clearing arrangement with Pershing LLC, a BNY Mellon company. This relationship allows MSH to extend benefits of respected institutional firms to customers while maintaining personalized customer service. MSH routes all option and equity orders through Pershing for execution at market centers including national securities exchanges, alternative trading systems, and electronic communications networks.
- MSH Capital Advisors LLCcoreAffiliated registered investment adviser offering complete wealth management solutions to independent RIAs, tuck-ins, and hybrid RIAs. This affiliation rounds out MSH's full-service platform, enabling comprehensive financial services delivery.
- MS Insentra LLCcoreAffiliated insurance marketing organization providing risk management and insurance solutions. Part of the integrated full-service platform for financial professionals offered through MSH ecosystem.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
M.S. Howells competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Apex Clearing: Clearing and custody provider serving independent broker-dealers, RIAs, and fintechs. Comparable as an ecosystem infrastructure counterpart to Pershing, which is MSH's clearing partner, rather than a direct sales competitor.
- Pershing Advisor Solutions: BNY Mellon-owned clearing and custody platform that provides MSH with clearing services. Adjacent participant in the same ecosystem rather than a direct competing broker-dealer to MSH.
Direct peers
- Kestra Financial: Mid-size independent broker-dealer built around an integrated platform for hybrid RIAs and financial professionals — directly mirrors MSH's hybrid RIA focus with comparable payout model and technology emphasis.
- Interactive Brokers: Large independent broker-dealer offering prime brokerage, institutional trade execution, and direct market access across global exchanges — directly comparable to MSH's institutional and hedge fund-facing service lines, though materially larger in scale.
- Sanctuary Wealth: Independent broker-dealer and RIA platform serving breakaway advisors and hybrid practices with custody, technology, and consulting support. Comparable mid-market scale and hybrid-RIA focus.
- Wedbush Securities: Mid-size independent broker-dealer with a dedicated prime brokerage and institutional execution business, including equities, options, and global execution. Similar in scale and service mix to MSH's Professional Trade Desk and Prime Brokerage.
- Cambridge Investment Research: Large independent broker-dealer focused on supporting independent RIAs and hybrid advisors with competitive payouts and an integrated technology platform — closely parallels MSH's Hybrid RIA Platform in target customer and value proposition.
- First Allied Securities: Independent broker-dealer focused on supporting independent financial advisors and hybrid RIAs through a clearing, technology, and back-office platform. Direct competitor in MSH's Hybrid RIA Platform segment.
Broad incumbents
- LPL Financial: Largest independent broker-dealer in the U.S., supporting RIAs and hybrid advisors with a full technology, custody, and advisory platform. Operates in the same independent-RIAs segment as MSH but with materially greater scale and brand recognition.
- Cetera Financial Group: Large independent broker-dealer and RIA network serving hybrid advisors and independent practices. Comparable target customer base (independent RIAs) and a similar multi-affiliate platform structure (BD + RIA), though at significantly larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
M.S. Howells social profiles
Digital presenceM.S. Howells compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
M.S. Howells financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
M.S. Howells leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
M.S. Howells subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
M.S. Howells funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
M.S. Howells M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about M.S. Howells
What does M.S. Howells do?
M.S. Howells & Co. is a full-service registered broker-dealer founded in 2000 that provides three interconnected core services: a Hybrid RIA Platform supporting independent registered investment advisors with broker-dealer services, payouts, and back-office support; Prime Brokerage Services for new and emerging hedge funds including fund formation, trade execution, portfolio reporting, and soft dollar programs; and a Professional Trade Desk offering institutional-grade execution across equities, options, debt, and derivatives with direct market access to over 35 foreign exchanges. The firm is affiliated with MSH Capital Advisors LLC (SEC-registered RIA) and MS Insentra LLC (insurance marketing organization), and routes all clearing through Pershing LLC (BNY Mellon).
Is M.S. Howells a public or private company?
M.S. Howells is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was M.S. Howells founded?
M.S. Howells was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is M.S. Howells based?
M.S. Howells is headquartered in Scottsdale, United States, in the North America region.
How does M.S. Howells make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Brokerage Services are the primary driver. The others are prime Brokerage Services and hybrid RIA Support Services.
Who are M.S. Howells's main competitors?
Others on record are Apex Clearing and Pershing Advisor Solutions. Direct peers are Kestra Financial, Interactive Brokers, Sanctuary Wealth, Wedbush Securities, Cambridge Investment Research and First Allied Securities. Broad incumbents are LPL Financial and Cetera Financial Group.
Does M.S. Howells have an API?
No public API is recorded for M.S. Howells.
What industry is M.S. Howells in?
M.S. Howells's product category is Broker-Dealer Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEACAG, Independent Broker-Dealer / Registered Representative Networks, with a secondary code of FSAAACAA, Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers. Its NAICS code is 5231 and its SIC code is 6211.