Profile: National Financial Partners Corp (NFP.N)

National Financial Partners Corp. (NFP) is an independent distributor of financial services products primarily to high net worth individuals and companies. NFP operates a national distribution network with over 175 owned firms. The Company targets the high net worth and growing entrepreneurial corporate markets. The Company operates as a bridge between large financial services products manufacturers and its network of independent financial services distributors. NFP also provides financial and intellectual capital. The Company’s firms, including NFP Securities, Inc. (NFPSI), its principal broker-dealer subsidiary, serves its client base, both directly and indirectly, by providing products and services in one or more of the primary areas, including life insurance and wealth transfer, corporate and executive benefits, and financial planning and investment advisory services.

Corporate and executive benefits

The Company’s firms distribute corporate and executive benefit products and offer related services to corporate clients. Using these products and services, the firms help clients design, fund, implement and administer benefit plans for their employees. Corporate benefit plans are targeted at a base of employees within an organization and include, among others, products, such as group life, medical and dental insurance. Executive benefit programs are used by companies to compensate key executives often through non-qualified and deferred compensation plans. The Company’s firms provides corporate benefits products and services, such as fully insured health plans, group dental insurance, group life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, 401(k), 403(b) plans, prescription plans, international employee benefit consulting, human resource consulting and consolidated billing.

Life insurance and wealth transfer services

The Company’s firms evaluate the near-term and long-term financial needs of clients. The life insurance products that the Company’s firms distribute provide clients with a number of investment, premium payment and tax deferment alternatives in addition to tailored death benefits. NFP’s products and services include individual whole, universal and variable life insurance, private placement variable life insurance, term life insurance, estate planning, retirement distribution and charitable giving planning.

Financial planning and investment advisory services

The Company’s firms help high net worth clients evaluate their financial needs and goals and design plans to reach those goals through the use of third-party managed assets. The Company contracts with third-party asset managers to provide separately managed accounts, wrap accounts and other investment alternatives to its clients. The products and services the Company’s firms offer include separately managed accounts, mutual funds wrap accounts, investment consulting, trust and fiduciary services, and broker-dealer services.

The Company competes with M Financial Group, The BISYS Group, Inc., Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., Aon Corporation, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., U.S.I. Holdings Corp., Brown & Brown, Inc., Willis Group Holdings, Raymond James Financial, Inc., LPL Financial Services, FSC Securities Corporation, Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., Commonwealth Financial Network, Financial Network Investment Corporation, Walnut Street Securities, Inc., Securities America and Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.