Pacific Crest Securities
Pacific Crest Securities is a Portland-based boutique investment bank founded in 1990, focused exclusively on technology-sector M&A advisory and capital markets mandates for issuers and acquirers. It was backed by CIVC Partners and acquired by KeyBanc Capital Markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pacific Crest Securities does
Pacific Crest Securities is a Portland, Oregon-based boutique investment bank founded in 1990 that positioned itself as a specialist intermediary focused exclusively on the technology sector. The firm built a concentrated team of 51-100 employees executing sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory, equity capital markets, and lead-arranger mandates for technology issuers, acquirers, and growth-stage companies; leadership included Scott Sandbo as Chairman and CEO. Its distribution was relationship-driven, leveraging two decades of accumulated sector coverage and analyst networks to win mandates in a narrow, high-margin vertical.
The firm's revenue mechanics were those of a traditional advisory boutique — episodic transaction fees on completed M&A, IPO, follow-on, and debt financings — supplemented by institutional research distribution. In February 2008, the firm raised $30,000,000 in growth capital from CIVC Partners (with CIVC as lead investor) to scale the technology banking franchise. In May 2011 it executed a tuck-in acquisition of Pacific Epoch to extend coverage into research and trading-adjacent services. The franchise was ultimately absorbed into KeyBanc Capital Markets, the investment banking and capital markets arm of KeyBank (NYSE: KEY), which provided the scale, balance-sheet, and cross-vertical distribution that a standalone boutique could not replicate. As such, current operating data for Pacific Crest Securities as an independent entity is not separately disclosed.
Pacific Crest Securities firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pacific Crest Securities
- Website
- https://pacific-crest.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Pacific Crest Securities is a Portland-based boutique investment bank founded in 1990, focused exclusively on technology-sector M&A advisory and capital markets mandates for issuers and acquirers. It was backed by CIVC Partners and acquired by KeyBanc Capital Markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Pacific Crest Securities is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pacific Crest Securities business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Commercial Banking: Provides end-to-end banking solutions for middle market companies including checking, savings, loans, and lines of credit.
- Investment Banking & Capital Markets: KeyBanc Capital Markets (KBCM) provides M&A advisory, debt capital markets, equity capital markets, and institutional equities services generating fees from transactions.
- Financing & Lending: Asset-based lending, equipment finance, specialty finance lending, and loans for commercial real estate and corporate clients.
- Commercial Payments: Payment and transaction services including payables, receivables, card services, foreign exchange, and merchant services.
- Institutional Advisors: Wealth management and institutional advisory services for corporations, nonprofits, and healthcare institutions.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Pacific Crest Securities product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pacific Crest Securities is a Portland, Oregon-based investment bank that provides investment banking, equity research, and capital markets services exclusively to technology companies. Founded in 1990, the firm focuses on the technology sector as its sole area of expertise.
Product overview
KeyBank offers a comprehensive financial services portfolio through multiple divisions and product lines. KeyBanc Capital Markets (KBCM) serves as the investment banking arm providing capital markets solutions, while Cain Brothers (a specialized healthcare M&A division) and the broader Commercial Banking division provide complementary services. The core offerings include Commercial Banking (checking, savings, derivatives), Capital Markets & Investment Banking (debt/equity capital markets, M&A advisory), Commercial Payments (payables, receivables, foreign exchange, KeyNavigator online banking), and Financing Solutions (asset-based lending, equipment finance, specialty lending). The company operates primarily for middle market and larger companies, with additional services for employers and institutional clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Technology Investment Banking Investment banking advisory and capital markets services for technology companies, including M&A advisory, equity and debt offerings, and strategic transaction execution.
- Equity Research Equity research coverage of technology companies, including analysis and insights for institutional clients, expanded through the 2011 acquisition of Pacific Epoch.
Quantifiable outcome
- $3.3 billion in financing transactions (Forgent Power Solutions)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Pacific Crest Securities
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Pacific Crest Securities technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Pacific Crest Securities partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Redding RancheriacoreKeyBank and Key Government Finance closed $80 million Senior Secured Credit Facilities for Redding Rancheria to support construction of Redding Rancheria Health Village. Key serves as Sole Lender and Structuring Agent.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Pacific Crest Securities competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Needham & Company: A boutique investment bank exclusively focused on technology and life sciences, with comparable equity research, capital markets, and M&A advisory franchises. Closest like-for-like comp to Pacific Crest Securities given the technology-only niche positioning.
- Roth Capital Partners: A small/mid-cap focused investment bank with a heavy emphasis on technology, healthcare, and growth companies. Directly comparable in niche focus, transaction size, and target issuer profile.
- Canaccord Genuity: Global capital markets group with a strong technology and growth company advisory practice. Comparable in serving emerging and mid-market technology issuers across equity capital markets and M&A.
- Cowen (TD Cowen): Historically a research-led, technology-focused investment bank (now part of TD Securities) with a deep franchise in tech equity research, capital markets, and M&A advisory.
- Wedbush Securities: Independent broker-dealer and investment bank with a strong technology sector focus in research and capital markets, comparable in client profile and product mix.
- JMP Securities: Growth-company focused investment bank with a dedicated technology and healthcare practice, comparable in targeting emerging and mid-market tech issuers.
Broad incumbents
- Stifel Financial: Diversified broker-dealer with a substantial technology, media, and telecom (TMT) investment banking group, overlapping with Pacific Crest on tech M&A and equity offerings at the mid-market level.
- D.A. Davidson: Middle-market investment bank with a dedicated technology investment banking group, providing M&A and capital raising services comparable to Pacific Crest's offerings.
- William Blair: Middle-market focused investment bank with a sizable technology group, comparable in serving growth-stage and mid-market tech clients across M&A and equity capital markets.
- Robert W. Baird: Diversified wealth management and investment bank with a robust technology M&A practice, providing a useful comparability benchmark for a mid-market tech-focused boutique I-bank in size and franchise scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights4 records
Customer concentration
Pacific Crest Securities social profiles
Digital presencePacific Crest Securities financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pacific Crest Securities leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Pacific Crest Securities funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pacific Crest Securities M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pacific Crest Securities
What does Pacific Crest Securities do?
Pacific Crest Securities is a Portland, Oregon-based investment bank that provides investment banking, equity research, and capital markets services exclusively to technology companies. Founded in 1990, the firm focuses on the technology sector as its sole area of expertise.
When was Pacific Crest Securities founded?
Pacific Crest Securities was founded in 1990. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Pacific Crest Securities based?
Pacific Crest Securities is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pacific Crest Securities make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Commercial Banking is the primary driver. The others are investment Banking & Capital Markets, financing & Lending, commercial Payments and institutional Advisors.
Who are Pacific Crest Securities's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Needham & Company, Roth Capital Partners, Canaccord Genuity, Cowen (TD Cowen), Wedbush Securities and JMP Securities. Broad incumbents are Stifel Financial, D.A. Davidson, William Blair and Robert W. Baird.
Does Pacific Crest Securities have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pacific Crest Securities.