– WisdomTree, Inc. announced the acquisition of Ceres Partners, LLC, a U.S.-based alternative asset manager specializing in farmland investments
– Marks WisdomTree’s entry into private asset markets, beginning with real estate and farmland
– Positions WisdomTree as a category leader in farmland and private asset investment
– Ceres brings $1.85 billion in assets under management across 545 U.S. farmland properties in 12 states, primarily in the Midwest
– Ceres has delivered a 10.3% net average annual return since 2007, outperforming farmland benchmarks
– Farmland is one of the largest and most underpenetrated real asset classes in the U.S., offering resilient, inflation-protected, and uncorrelated returns
– The acquisition capitalizes on rising demand for income-generating, inflation-hedged private investments
– Strategic growth opportunities include solar energy, AI data infrastructure, and water rights
– Jonathan Steinberg, Founder and CEO, WisdomTree, stated the acquisition supports long-term value creation and accelerates the firm’s entry into private markets
– Perry Vieth, Founder and CEO, Ceres Partners emphasized the partnership’s ability to bring innovation and scale to farmland investment
– WisdomTree’s 2030 goals include raising over $750 million in farmland assets, doubling base fee revenue, and growing performance fee revenue by 1.5x–2x
– Acquisition expected to accelerate WisdomTree’s margin expansion and contribute to strategic growth areas like ETPs, managed models, and tokenization
– Transaction terms include $275 million in upfront cash and up to $225 million earn-out in 2030 based on 12–22% compound annual revenue growth
– Deal expected to close in Q4 2025, pending approvals and customary closing conditions
– WisdomTree will discuss the deal during its Q2 2025 earnings call on August 1, 2025
