UPDATE 2-Macquarie buys Blackmont Capital for C$93.3 mln
* Acquires Blackmont from CI Financial
* Blackmont to be rebranded Macquarie Private Wealth
* Marks end of Canadian shopping spree, for now (Recasts, adds details)
TORONTO, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Australian investment bank Macquarie Group (MQG.AX) said on Monday it would buy Canada's Blackmont Capital for C$93.3 million ($87.2 million), adding key retail distribution as it ended a two-year Canadian shopping spree.
Toronto-based Blackmont, which employs over 450 people, is one of the largest independent, full service investment dealers in Canada.
Blackmont will become part of Macquarie's Banking and Financial Services Group and will be rebranded Macquarie Private Wealth.
Sydney-based Macquarie said the acquisition of Blackmont from CI Financial (CIX.TO) was likely the last it would do in Canada, for the time being, after rapid growth since 2007.
"Never say die, but I would be surprised if we made another acquisition, because I think we are close enough to where we want to be in Canada," said Paul Donnelly, president and chief executive of Macquarie Capital Markets Canada.
Macquarie has been in Canada for about 12 years, but has built its presence more aggressively since 2007, when it bought investment bank Orion Financial Ltd and rebranded it under the Macquarie banner.
In September Macquarie bought Tristone Capital Global Inc, a Canadian energy advisory group.
"This acquisition rounds out Macquarie's capital markets capability in Canada by adding retail distribution," Donnelly said.
"We've built a deeper understanding of the Canadian market and our confidence in our place in that market has increased," he added.
In a recent interview, Macquarie's top U.S. executive told Reuters that the bank planned to keep its eyes open for more boutique acquisitions. [ID:nSP467404]
($1=$1.07 Canadian) (Reporting by Euan Rocha and Pav Jordan; editing by Rob Wilson)
© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved

