Barron’s Magazine
Top 100 Independent Advisors- Tom Moran (2019-2022, 2024)
Top 1,200 Financial Advisors – Tom Moran (2009-2022, 2024)
Top 100 Financial Advisors – Tom Moran (2010-2022)
Top 100 Private Wealth Management Teams (2019, 2021 – 2022)
Barron’s Hall of Fame – Tom Moran inducted in 2019
The selection methodology described below is for Barron’s which is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company, Moran Wealth Management, LLC (“MWM”) is not affiliated with Barron’s or Dow Jones & Company, L.P. “Top 100 Independent Advisors”, “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors”, “Top 100 Financial Advisors”, and “Top 100 Private Wealth Management Teams” bases the rankings upon data provided by individual advisers and their firms, including submissions by MWM. Barron’s confirms that data via regulatory databases, cross-checks with securities firms and conversations with individual advisers. MWM applied for consideration, and the result was independently granted. Advisors who wish to be ranked fill out a survey about their practice. Barron’s then verifies that data with the advisors’ firms and with regulatory databases and then applies its rankings formula to the data to generate a ranking. The formula Barron’s uses to rank advisers is proprietary. It has three major components: assets managed, revenue produced and quality of practice. Investment returns are not a component of the rankings because an adviser’s returns are dictated largely by the risk tolerance of clients. In addition, Barron’s also considers a wide range of qualitative factors, including the advisors’ experience, their advanced degrees and industry designations, the size and shape of their teams, their charitable and philanthropic work and regulatory compliance records. “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors” rank all advisors regardless of whether they are considered independent or not. “Top 100 Independent Advisors” only ranks advisors they consider “independent”. “Barron’s Hall of Fame” is a recognition honoring advisors who have appeared in a Barron’s annual Top 100 Advisors ranking for 10 or more years.
MWM is unaware, nor has Barron’s published, the number of nominees considered for the award rankings. Barron’s does not require membership or payment in order for award participants and/or applicants to be considered for an award designation. Moreover, neither MWM nor any other participating advisers paid a fee to be eligible for the “Top 100 Independent Advisors”, “Barron’s Hall of Fame”, “Top 1,200 Financial Advisors”, “Top 100 Financial Advisors”, and “Top 100 Private Wealth Management Teams”. However, MWM may pay a fee in exchange for plaques, logo licensing, a web link, or article reprints commemorating the designation. MWM would pay this fee only after receiving the designation and not as a condition precedent to receiving it. The fact that MWM pays any fee with respect to its receipt of the designation should be considered if such designation is a factor in a client’s or prospective client’s evaluation of whether to initially engage or continue to engage MWM for investment advisory services. Barron’s-ranked advisors may pay Barron’s a separate fee for special advertising to publish a Barron’s ranked advisor’s contact information including applicable phone numbers, email addresses, and website addresses. This publication option is offered on an annual basis and is limited to Barron’s-ranked advisors for that respective year. It should be noted that this type of payment creates an inherent conflict of interest because it provides the awarding entity with a monetary incentive to grant such ranking, recognition, or designation to participating advisors that submit such forms of consideration. After receiving the respective award designations, MWM did not pay a separate fee to Barron’s in exchange for publication of this information. Barron’s does not publish, nor is MWM aware of the percentage of other advisers that received the applicable rankings. MWM is unaware of any undisclosed facts that could potentially invalidate the appropriateness of the ranking. By virtue of disclosing this ranking, MWM is disclosing favorable ratings (to the extent that Thomas Moran or MWM is ranked above other advisors) and unfavorable ratings (to the extent that Thomas Moran or MWM is ranked below other advisors). By considering the compliance record, eligibility to appear on the rankings seeks to ensure that a participating advisor has an established and significant history and record free from regulatory sanctions. The rankings are not representative of any one client’s experience because of the way in which it is calculated. Inclusion on the above list is absolutely not indicative of MWM’s future performance, or any future performance pertaining to its clients’ investments; should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that they will experience a certain level of results if MWM is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services; and should not be construed as a current or past endorsement of MWM by any of its clients.
Additional information regarding the above rankings is available at the following links:
2024 Top Independent Advisors:
https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/independent?page=1&mod=faranking_subnav_independent
2024 Top Advisor Rankings by State:
https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/1000/2024?page=1&
2022 Top Private Wealth Teams:
https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/private-wealth/2022
2022 Top Financial Advisors:
https://www.barrons.com/advisor/report/top-financial-advisors/100/2022
Barron’s Financial Advisors Hall of Fame:
https://www.barrons.com/articles/barrons-financial-advisor-hall-of-fame-51572028751
https://www.barrons-advisor.com/hall-of-fame.html
Methodology:
https://www.barrons.com/articles/barrons-top-advisors-methodology-1534541819
Forbes/Shook Research
Best-In State Wealth Advisors – Tom Moran (2018 – 2022)
America’s Top 250 Wealth Advisors – Tom Moran (2018, 2020 – 2021)
Top RIA Firms (2023 – 2024)
“Forbes” is a registered mark of Forbes LLC. Moran Wealth Management (“MWM”) is not affiliated with Forbes. Data for the Forbes “America’s Top Wealth Advisors” and “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” are developed by “SHOOK Research.” Each advisor considered for the award was nominated by their respective firm, then vetted and ranked by SHOOK Research. Thomas Moran applied for consideration, and the result was independently granted. The Forbes “America’s Top Wealth Advisors,” and “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” rankings are based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. An advisor would meet basic requirements for consideration based on having a minimum of seven years experience, a minimum of one year at the current firm (with exceptions based on acquisitions, etc.), being nominated and recommended by a firm, completion of an online survey, over 50% of revenue / production must be with individuals, and an acceptable compliance record. The algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance record, industry experience, and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criterion due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. In developing its applicant pools for “America’s Top Wealth Advisors” and “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” SHOOK sets thresholds to limit nominations for consideration. For “America’s Top Wealth Advisors” Forbes and SHOOK may receive tens of thousands nominations (based on SHOOK thresholds), invited around 10,000 candidates to complete the online survey, conduct a lesser number of telephone interviews, and conduct a smaller sample of in-person interviews at the Advisor’s location. Forbes recognizes a couple hundred wealth advisors. For “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” Forbes and SHOOK may receive tens of thousands nominations (based on SHOOK thresholds), invite thousands of candidates to complete the online survey, conducted thousands of telephone interviews, and conducted a smaller sample of in-person interviews at the Advisors’ location. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee or require membership in exchange for rankings. Accordingly, neither MWM or Thomas Moran nor any other participating advisors paid a fee to be eligible for the “America’s Top Wealth Advisors” and “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” rankings. Based on its stated methodology, SHOOK does not name advisors if the ratings are not statistically valid; and there are no facts that would call into question the validity of the inclusion on the “America’s Top Wealth Advisors” and “Best-In-State Wealth Advisors” rankings or the appropriateness of MWM advertising the same. By considering the compliance record, eligibility to appear on the rankings seeks to ensure that a participating advisor has an established and significant history and record free from regulatory sanctions.
MWM is unaware of any undisclosed facts that could potentially invalidate the appropriateness of the above rankings. By virtue of disclosing the rankings, MWM is disclosing favorable ratings (to the extent that Thomas Moran or MWM is ranked above other advisors) and unfavorable ratings (to the extent that Thomas Moran or MWM is ranked below other advisors). The ranking may not be representative of any one client’s experience because of the way in which it is calculated. The ranking is not indicative of MWM’s and its advisors’ future performance, or any future performance pertaining to its clients’ investments, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement by any of its clients.
Additional information regarding the above rankings is available at the following links:
America’s Top Wealth Advisors List:
https://www.forbes.com/top-wealth-advisors/#7090fd611a14
Best-In-State Wealth Advisors List:
https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors/#4aefa6f4291d
Methodology:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/rjshook/2022/04/07/methodology-forbes-best-in-state-wealth-advisors-2022/?sh=2ab9cd727fee
NAPFA
Fee-Only Registered Financial Advisors
Both Ryan Frank & Corey Grant are National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (“NAPFA”), registered financial advisors. To qualify as a NAPFA registered financial advisor, the program requires individuals to be a fee only financial advisor subject to third party ADV review, have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, earned the Certified Financial Planner® certification, submit a comprehensive financial plan or participate in a peer review dialogue with a third party plan/peer reviewer both of which are reviewed using a check list, complete 60 continuing education credits in six subject areas every two years. Additionally, his/her Form ADV may be reviewed by NAPFA. NAPFA-registered advisors renew a fiduciary oath yearly, subscribe to NAPFA’s Code of Ethics and pay annual dues.
Additional information regarding the above NAPFA registration is available at the following link:
https://www.napfa.org/membership/our-standards
Naples Illustrated
The Faces of Wealth Management (2024)
The “Faces of Wealth Management” recognition was awarded to Moran Wealth Management, LLC by Naples Illustrated in 2024. This recognition is based on an editorial selection process conducted by Naples Illustrated and does not evaluate or consider the quality of investment advisory services, client experience, or performance results. This award is not indicative of Moran Wealth Management’s future performance or any individual client’s experience with the firm. Moran Wealth Management® did not pay to be included in this recognition but may have purchased advertising space or related materials following the award. For more information, please visit: https://www.naplesillustrated.com/faces-of-naples/
Investment News
Top Regional Fee-Only RIA (2023)
Top Regional Fee-Only RIA 2023 methodology selected the largest fee-only RIAs by region based on data reported to the Securities Exchange Commission on form ADV.
To qualify, firms must have met the following criteria: (1) latest ADV filing date is either on or after August 1, 2022, (2) total AUM is at least $100M, (3) does not have employees who are registered representatives of a broker-dealer, (4) managed assets for individual clients during its most recently completed fiscal year, (5) no more than 50% of amount of regulatory assets under management is attributable to pooled investment vehicles (other than investment companies), (6) no more than 25% of amount of regulatory assets under management is attributable to pension and profit-sharing plans (but not the plan participants), (7) no more than 25% of amount of regulatory assets under management is attributable to corporations or other businesses, (8) does not receive commissions, (9) provides financial planning services, (10) is not actively engaged in business as a broker-dealer (registered or unregistered), (11) is not actively engaged in business as a registered representative of a broker-dealer, and (12) has neither a related person who is a broker-dealer/municipal securities dealer/government securities broker or dealer (registered or unregistered) not one who is an insurance company or agency.
Financial Planning
Best RIAs to Work For (2024)
Best Places to Work in Money Management (2024)
Moran Wealth Management® has been recognized as one of Financial Planning’s “Best Places to Work in Money Management” for 2024 and one of the “Best RIAs to Work For” by Financial Planning for 2024.
Each recognition reflects workplace excellence based on specific eligibility requirements, anonymous employee feedback, and an evaluation of workplace policies and practices. These recognitions are not influenced by client outcomes, investment returns, or other measures of financial performance. Moran Wealth Management® did not pay a fee to participate in these survey rankings; however, award licensing rights may have been purchased after the recognition was granted.
To qualify for Financial Planning’s “Best Places to Work in Money Management,” organizations must:
- Be a for-profit or not-for-profit business or public agency.
- Have at least 10 U.S.-based employees and a minimum of one year in operation.
- Include money managers, investment consultants, or financial planners regulated by the SEC under the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
For additional information, visit: Best Places to Work in Money Management Eligibility.
To qualify for Financial Planning’s “Best RIAs to Work For,” organizations must:
- Be an independent registered investment advisory (RIA) firm.
- Have at least 10 full-time or part-time employees and a minimum of one year in operation.
- Operate as an independent RIA without a broker-dealer affiliation.
For more information, visit: Best RIAs to Work For Eligibility.
RIA Leaders: Top 150 Fee-Only RIA Firms
2024
2023
Moran Wealth Management® has been recognized as one of Financial Planning’s RIA Leaders: Top 150 Fee-Only RIA Firms in 2023 & 2024.
To be considered for Financial Planning’s “RIA Leaders” list, firms must meet the following criteria:
- Zero Broker-Dealer Affiliations: Firms must have no registered representatives of a broker-dealer.
- Individual Client Focus: At least 50% of the firm’s clients must be individuals or high-net-worth individuals.
- Fee-Only Compensation: Firms must not list commissions as a compensation arrangement.
- Financial Planning Services: Firms must have more than zero financial planning clients.
- No Commission-Taking Activities: Firms must not list commission-taking businesses in “other business activities.”
- Independence: Firms cannot be affiliated under common ownership with commission-taking businesses.
The selection process involves analyzing data from firms’ SEC Form ADV filings compiled by COMPLY to assess assets under management (AUM), client demographics, and adherence to fee-only compensation structures.
This evaluation aims to identify firms that exemplify excellence in financial planning and a commitment to fiduciary principles.
For more information on the methodology, please visit: Financial Planning’s RIA Leaders Methodology.
The above recognition is based on an evaluation of firm attributes and is not indicative of future performance or specific client experiences. It should not be construed as an endorsement or testimonial by any client.
Moran Wealth Management® did not pay a fee to participate in this ranking; however, award licensing rights may have been purchased after the recognition was granted. The receipt of such rankings or awards is not indicative of any specific client’s experience or a guarantee that the firm will be selected for similar rankings in the future.
Five Star Professional
Five Star Wealth Manager (2024)
This award was issued on 02/01/2024 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 05/15/2023 through 11/30/2023. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 769 Southwest Florida-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 76 (10% of candidates) were named 2024 Five Star Wealth Managers. Wealth managers do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final list of Five Star Wealth Managers. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility criteria – required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser (RIA) or a registered investment adviser representative; 2. Actively licensed as a RIA or as a principal of a registered investment adviser firm for a minimum of 5 years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria – considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.
Gulfshore Business
Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida
To be eligible for consideration for the Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida program, organizations must:
1. Be a publicly or privately held business
2. Be a for-profit, not-for-profit business or government entity
3. Have a facility in Southwest Florida (defined as Charlotte, Collier, De Soto, Glades, Hendry and Lee Counties along with the Fort Myers-Naples DMA)
4. Have a minimum of 15 full-time or part-time employees working in Southwest Florida
5. Must be in business a minimum of one year
All organizations will participate in one of three ways:
1. As an individual organization possessing one Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN).
2. As the parent/holding company of multiple organizations with one FEIN for all subsidiaries. The parent/holding company must register with all eligible employees working for that parent/holding company.
3. Subsidiaries of a parent/holding organization may register separately if each subsidiary organization possesses a separate FEIN. If the organization has multiple facilities, branches, factories, offices or stores, all locations must be included in the survey if they operate under the same FEIN.
Which employees to include:
Include all current, full- and part-time Southwest Florida employees in the survey process, from the CEO, partners, all the way to line-level employees, including remote employees. Remote employees are defined as employees that work from home or on the road who directly report to a supervisor in Southwest Florida.
Exclude all temporary, seasonal or per diem employees, PRN, 1099 employees/independent contractors, volunteers, interns, outside consultants or staffing employees placed by other organizations.
Assessment Process:
Best Companies Group conducts a simple yet thorough company assessment designed to gather detailed information about your workplace. Employers will complete an in-depth questionnaire and employees will have the opportunity to offer their honest feedback by taking part in a company-wide survey. Both portions of the assessment must be complete in order to be considered for the “best” list. Once both portions of the assessment are complete, we’ll analyze the data to determine if your organization has what it takes to be the “best.” From there, we’ll use the data to rank each participating organization and compile your BCG EnGauge Dashboard. That report will include responses from your employee surveys as well as benchmarking reports, allowing you to compare your organization to the current list-makers.
For more information: https://bestcompaniesgroup.com/best-places-to-work-in-southwest-florida/
For more information: https://www.gulfshorebusiness.com/best-places-to-work-in-southwest-florida-2024/
The Financial Times 400 Top Financial Advisors
We assess these advisers based on what investors care about and we use a quantifiable, objective methodology. The Financial Times and Ignites Research, the FT’s sister company, contacted the largest US brokerages in autumn 2019 to obtain practice information and data for their top advisers across the US. We asked for information on advisers with more than 10 years’ experience and that had $300m or more in assets under management. Such minimum criteria filtered out most advisers. The FT then invited qualifying advisers out of this group — a list that totaled about 940 — to complete a short questionnaire that gave us more information about their practices. We added that information to our own research on the candidates, including data from regulatory filings. The formula the FT uses to grade advisers is based on six broad factors and calculates a numeric score for each adviser These factors are: Assets under management can signal experience managing money and client trust. AUM growth rate can be taken as a proxy for performance, asset retention and ability to generate new business. Years of experience indicates experience of managing assets in different economic and interest-rate environments. Compliance record provides evidence of past client disputes. A string of complaints could signal problems. Industry certifications (CFA, CFP, etc.) demonstrate technical and industry knowledge and obtaining these designations shows a professional commitment to investment skills. Online accessibility illustrates commitment to providing investors with easy access and transparent contact information. Among the top factors in our scoring, assets under management accounted for an average of 70 per cent of each adviser’s score. Also, AUM growth rate (examined over a three-year period to June 30 2019, to emphasize long-term performance) accounted for an average of 18 per cent. The FT also places a cap on the number of advisers from any one state that corresponds to the distribution of millionaires across the US.