Howard Capital Management

What Howard Capital Management does

Howard Capital Management, Inc. (HCM) is a privately held, SEC-registered investment advisory firm founded in 1999 by Vance Howard and headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, managing approximately $8 billion in client assets as of March 2026. The firm's investment methodology is built around the HCM-BuyLine®, a proprietary, trademarked mathematical trend-following algorithm in continuous use since 1996 that measures new-high/new-low ratios across NYSE/NASDAQ on multiple rolling moving-average windows and signals systematic rotation between equities and cash equivalents to mitigate downside risk. This BuyLine® overlay is applied uniformly across the firm's product surface, which includes 11 separately managed account portfolio families (approximately 30 model variants), three proprietary mutual funds, two proprietary index ETFs, self-directed brokerage accounts within retirement plans, and a Private Wealth Services division for high-net-worth individuals and business owners.

HCM distributes primarily through an eight-region US territorial wholesaler network that partners with financial advisors and registered investment advisors, supplemented by self-serve retirement tools (401(k) Optimizer® and TSP Optimizer®) available directly to plan participants and by direct Private Wealth Services engagement. Revenue is generated via recurring investment advisory fees on AUM and subscription fees for the retirement optimization tools; specific fee schedules are not publicly disclosed but most separately managed accounts carry a $25,000 minimum (with the Ultra Aggressive portfolio requiring $500,000). The firm is family-led, with Vance Howard as CEO and Portfolio Manager, Karen Howard as COO, and Kathryn Howard as CMO, and added Dory Black as General Counsel/CCO in March 2026 to support governance as the firm scales. HCM claims GIPS compliance, has not been subject to SEC enforcement actions, and generates earned media visibility through CEO appearances on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox Business, and other major financial outlets.

Name

Howard Capital Management

Legal name

Howard Capital Management, Inc.

Website

https://howardcm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Howard Capital Management is a privately held, SEC-registered RIA managing approximately $8 billion via its proprietary HCM-BuyLine® trend-following algorithm, distributed through financial advisors, retirement plan tools, and Private Wealth Services for individuals and HNW clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Advisory & Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Open-End Investment Funds (525910)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantitative/Systematic Equity (Active) (FSAAAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Target-Risk / Risk-Managed Allocation Funds (FSAAAEAG), Discretionary Portfolio Management (Retail) (FSAAAAAH), Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD)

Keywords

• Investment advisory services
• Wealth management
• Separately managed accounts
• Retirement plan optimization
• Proprietary mutual funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Roswell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Investment Advisory Fees: HCM generates revenue through fees based on assets under management (AUM). The company manages approximately $8 billion in assets and operates as an SEC-registered investment advisory firm, earning management fees from separately managed accounts, proprietary mutual funds and ETFs, and retirement optimization services.
2. 401(k) Optimizer Subscription: The 401(k) Optimizer is described as a subscription service where plan participants pay to access the proprietary retirement allocation tool that includes the HCM-BuyLine for market timing signals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Howard Capital Management is an SEC-registered investment advisory firm that provides fee-based asset management, retirement plan optimization, and private wealth services to individual investors, high-net-worth clients, and financial advisors. Its investment platform is built around the proprietary HCM-BuyLine® trend indicator and delivered through separately managed accounts, proprietary mutual funds, proprietary ETFs, self-directed brokerage accounts, and the 401(k)/TSP Optimizer subscription tools.

Product overview

Howard Capital Management offers a comprehensive suite of proprietary investment management products and services. The core platform consists of the HCM-BuyLine® proprietary trend indicator (mathematical algorithm for market timing), which overlays all investment products. The main product lines include: (1) HCM Portfolios - 11 separately managed account models across 30 variations; (2) Retirement Tools - 401(k) Optimizer®, TSP Optimizer®, and HCM-Guided Retirement®; (3) Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts with access to proprietary mutual funds and ETFs; (4) HCM Mutual Funds (3 funds) and HCM ETFs (2 funds); and (5) Private Wealth Services for high-net-worth clients. Additional services include Wealth Watch market commentary and Global Outlook weekly summaries. All equity-focused products incorporate the HCM-BuyLine® for downside risk mitigation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HCM-BuyLine®: Proprietary trend indicator designed to mitigate downside risk and remove emotion from investing decisions using mathematical analysis of market ratios.
• HCM Portfolios
• HCM SDBA
• 401(k) Optimizer®
• TSP Optimizer®
• HCM-Guided Retirement®
• Private Wealth Services (PWS)
• HCM Mutual Funds
• HCM ETFs

Products and services

• HCM Portfolios Family of 11 separately managed account portfolio families with approximately 30 model variants (All American, All Weather, ALP, Dividend Income, Dynamic Conservative, Horizon Income, ILP ETF, ILP MF, MIP, Ultra Aggressive, Viper 2), each overlaid with the proprietary HCM-BuyLine® trend indicator for tactical downside risk management. Most portfolios require a $25,000 minimum; Ultra Aggressive requires $500,000. Designed for individual investors, high-net-worth clients, and financial advisor practices.
• HCM Mutual Funds Three proprietary mutual funds designed to seek growth while defending capital, with the HCM-BuyLine® trend indicator overlaid on each fund for systematic downside-risk management. Distributed to individual investors and through financial advisor and RIA partnerships.
• HCM ETFs Two proprietary index ETFs designed to seek growth while striving to defend capital, with the HCM-BuyLine® trend indicator overlaid for downside-risk management. Distributed to individual investors, advisors, and institutional clients with dedicated National VP of ETF Distribution.
• 401(k) Optimizer® Subscription-based online retirement allocation tool for employees with 401(k), 403(b), and/or 457 plans. Helps participants customize investment allocations within their company-sponsored plans, with HCM-BuyLine® overlay, rebalancing notifications, and quarterly portfolio update suggestions.
• TSP Optimizer® Online allocation tool for public-sector employees to actively manage Thrift Savings Plan fund options, using the same HCM-BuyLine® overlay as the 401(k) Optimizer®.
• HCM-Guided Retirement® Managed-model retirement plan service providing fiduciary coverage to Financial Professionals and Plan Sponsors. Selects and implements investment strategies inside company-sponsored retirement plans with active management and HCM-BuyLine® overlay.
• Self-Directed Brokerage Account (SDBA) Self-Directed Brokerage Account option within company-sponsored retirement plans, providing access to HCM's proprietary mutual funds, professional money management, and the HCM-BuyLine® trend indicator.
• Private Wealth Services (PWS) Tailored wealth management division for high-net-worth individuals and business owners, delivering custom portfolio design, tax-loss harvesting, fund analysis, tax mitigation strategies, income strategies, business planning, and legacy/estate/charitable giving planning, with the HCM-BuyLine® overlay for risk management.
• HCM-BuyLine® Proprietary Trend Indicator Proprietary mathematical trend indicator that overlays every HCM equity product. Uses market-breadth analysis of new highs vs. new lows across NYSE and NASDAQ on 10-, 20-, 30-, 90-, 180-, and 365-day rolling moving-average bases to systematically signal when to be fully invested, reduce equity exposure (3.5% below BuyLine), or further de-risk (6.5% below BuyLine), with re-entry after five consecutive S&P 500 closes above the BuyLine.

Quantifiable outcome

• HCM-BuyLine® signaled exit from equity markets on June 27, 2008, helping preserve client capital during the financial crisis
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Dory BlackcoreOthers · 24 March 2026Dory Black appointed as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, bringing over 25 years of experience in legal and compliance roles across financial services and investment management firms. She will focus on compliance and governance as the firm grows.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Litman Gregory Asset Management: Multi-strategy asset manager with tactical and risk-managed offerings distributed primarily through advisors, with a comparable RIA-aligned go-to-market motion.
• Stadion Money Management: Tactical asset manager specializing in risk-managed strategies for retirement plans and individual investors, with products overlaid with proprietary trend signals — directly comparable to HCM's BuyLine-driven approach.
• Clark Capital Management Group: Tactical asset allocation firm serving advisors and institutions with quantitative and rules-based strategies — closely aligned with HCM's math-driven trend-following methodology and advisor distribution model.
• Horizon Investments: Multi-asset tactical manager that distributes ETF and SMA strategies through RIAs and advisors, offering risk-managed portfolios comparable to HCM's product set.
• Leuthold Group: Systematic, research-driven investment manager with tactical equity strategies — comparable to HCM's quantitative BuyLine philosophy and advisor-channel focus.
• Toews Corporation: Tactical trend-following manager offering risk-managed portfolios to advisors and retail investors — directly aligned with HCM-BuyLine's systematic trend methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Fisher Investments: Large, established equity-focused RIA with proprietary global investment research and advisor-channel distribution — comparable in offering breadth and client base, but materially larger and broader in scope.
• Carson Group: Wealth management platform supporting financial advisors with model portfolios, technology, and turnkey practice services — adjacent competitor for the same advisor channel HCM serves.
• Creative Planning: Large independent RIA offering comprehensive wealth management including proprietary model portfolios — comparable customer segments and HNW service offering, though much larger scale.
• Manning & Napier: Diversified asset manager with tactical and fundamental equity strategies distributed through advisors and institutions — comparable product mix and advisor-aligned distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/howardcapmgmt
• Facebookfacebook.com/howardcapitalmanagementinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/howard-capital-management
• Instagraminstagram.com/howardcapitalmanagement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Howard Capital Management