24 Merrill Advisors Recognized on Financial Planning's Top 40 Brokers Under 40 List

Rhea-AI Summary

Merrill (NYSE: BAC) had 24 advisors named to Financial Planning's Top 40 Brokers Under 40, the most of any firm for the seventh consecutive year.

Rankings published February 10, 2026 used data as of September 30, 2025. The list highlights high-producing advisors age 39 and under and uses employer-verified production and AUM.

Key Figures

Recognized Merrill advisors: 24 advisors Years leading list: Seventh consecutive year Age cutoff: 39 years old +5 more

8 metrics

Recognized Merrill advisors 24 advisors Named on Financial Planning's Top 40 Brokers Under 40 list

Years leading list Seventh consecutive year Merrill having more advisors on the list than any other firm

Age cutoff 39 years old Nominees age 39 or younger by December 31, 2025

U.S. clients served Nearly 70 million clients Bank of America U.S. retail footprint

Retail financial centers Approximately 3,600 Bank of America retail financial centers in the U.S.

ATMs Approximately 15,000 ATMs Bank of America automated teller machines

Digital users Approximately 59 million Verified digital banking users

Small business households Approximately 4 million Small business households supported by Bank of America

Market Reality Check

Price: $52.77 Vol: Volume 45083594 is at 1.1...

normal vol

$52.77 Last Close

Volume Volume 45083594 is at 1.19x the 20-day average of 38008433, indicating elevated trading ahead of this recognition news. normal

Technical Shares at 52.77 are trading above the 200-day MA of 50.08 and about 8.31% below the 52-week high of 57.55.

Peers on Argus

BAC fell 1.11% while key peers were mixed: WFC -0.3%, HSBC +0.39%, JPM +0.29%, C...

BAC fell 1.11% while key peers were mixed: WFC -0.3%, HSBC +0.39%, JPM +0.29%, C +0.49%, and RY was flat. This pattern suggests stock-specific dynamics rather than a unified sector move.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Feb 18 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Feb 18	Loyalty program launch	Positive	+1.2%	Launch of no-fee BofA Rewards expanding eligibility to 30M+ clients.
Feb 18	New client service	Positive	+1.2%	Introduction of Art Consulting service for wealth clients via Private Bank and Merrill.
Feb 12	Community financing impact	Positive	-2.5%	$7.4B in 2025 financing creating 11,000+ affordable housing units.
Feb 10	Advisor recognition	Positive	-1.8%	Forbes recognition of 539 Merrill advisors on Top Women Wealth lists.
Feb 05	Preferred redemption	Neutral	+2.9%	Redemption of Series DD preferred and related depositary shares on Mar 10, 2026.

Pattern Detected

Reputational and franchise-strength announcements often coincided with mixed price reactions, with some positive brand news aligning with gains and others seeing short-term selloffs.

Recent Company History

Recent BAC news has highlighted franchise expansion and capital actions. On Feb 18, BofA announced the BofA Rewards launch and a new Art Consulting service, both followed by a 1.18% gain. Earlier, on Feb 12, Community Development Banking detailed $7.4 billion in 2025 financing, yet shares fell 2.47%. Recognition of 539 Merrill advisors on Feb 10 saw a 1.81% decline, while a preferred stock redemption on Feb 5 coincided with a 2.89% rise. Today’s advisor recognition fits this pattern of brand-focused updates.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2025-10-01

An effective S-3 shelf filed on 2025-10-01 allows Bank of America and BofA Finance LLC to issue various securities, including debt, warrants, preferred stock, depositary shares and common stock. The registration has been used multiple times, with 10 recorded 424B prospectus supplements and recent usage on 2026-02-19, indicating an active issuance framework.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights recognition of 24 Merrill advisors on a prominent industry list and rei...

Analysis

This announcement highlights recognition of 24 Merrill advisors on a prominent industry list and reinforces Merrill’s multi-year lead in young high-producing talent. Combined with Bank of America’s large footprint—nearly 70 million clients, about 3,600 centers and roughly 15,000 ATMs—it underscores the depth of its wealth platform. Investors may monitor how these brand and talent advantages interact with ongoing capital markets activity under the existing S-3 shelf and future earnings disclosures.

Key Terms

AUM, ATMs, FDIC, SIPC

4 terms

AUM financial

"The reported trailing 12-month production and AUM were by September 30, 2025."

Assets under management (AUM) is the total market value of investments that a financial firm or fund manages on behalf of clients. Investors watch AUM like the size of a shop: larger AUM can mean more fee revenue, greater market influence and perceived stability, while rapid changes in AUM signal growing popularity or redemptions that may affect future earnings and investment strategy.

ATMs technical

"serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,600 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines)"

ATMs are “at‑the‑market” equity programs that let a company sell new shares directly into the open market over time at prevailing prices through a broker. For investors, ATMs matter because they offer companies a flexible way to raise cash without a large, one‑time offering, but they also dilute existing shareholders gradually — like adding more slices to a pie while the pie size may or may not grow.

FDIC regulatory

"Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not Bank Guaranteed | May Lose Value"

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is a U.S. government agency that protects individual and business bank deposits by insuring accounts up to a set limit, acting like a safety net for savers if a bank fails. It matters to investors because FDIC insurance reduces the chance of sudden losses for depositors, supports confidence in the banking system, and can influence the perceived risk and stock value of banks and financial firms.

SIPC regulatory

"MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member SIPC"

The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) is a nonprofit organization that helps customers recover cash and securities if a registered brokerage firm fails and assets are missing. Think of it like an insurance backstop for your brokerage account—it can replace missing holdings up to legal limits but does not protect against losses from market movements or bad investment choices.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Merrill Leads List With Most Advisors Named for Seventh Consecutive Year

NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial Planning recognized 24 Merrill Wealth Management and Merrill Private Wealth Advisors on its annual Top 40 Brokers Under 40. For the seventh consecutive year, Merrill has had more advisors on the list than any other firm underscoring the strength of Merrill's talent and the company's commitment to advisor development at every stage of their careers. (Rankings published February 10, 2026, based on data as of September 30, 2025.)

"We're proud of these advisors and the strength of Merrill's next generation of talent," said Kenneth Correa, Head of Business and Client Development at Merrill. "Their recognition reflects Merrill's long‑standing focus on training and developing advisors who can help guide families across generations."

Financial Planning honored the following Merrill advisors to its list of the Top 40 Brokers Under 40:

• Jens Pascucci, Seattle, WA – #1
• Christian Kelly, Upper St. Clair, PA – #2
• Matthew Gallo, Walnut Creek, CA – #4
• Jeffrey Browne, Mount Laurel, NJ – #5
• Krystal Julius, Wayzata, MN – #8
• John Hudspeth, Naples, FL – #9
• Derek Jancisin, Pittsburgh, PA – #10
• Dominic Altobelli, Chicago, IL – #11
• Brendan Burke, Lake Mary, FL – #12
• Garrett Burke, Lake Mary, FL– #13
• Christopher Battaglia, New York, NY – #14
• Kyle Olson, New York, NY – #16
• Shyan Ardalan, Los Angeles, CA – #19
• Michelle Hanson, New York, NY – #23
• Spencer Marcus, Las Vegas, NV – #25
• Rodrigo Gonzalez, Miami, FL – #28
• Kurtis Finkel, Egg Harbor Township, NJ – #32
• David Hancock, Columbus, GA – #34
• Thomas Holder, Stuart, FL – #35
• Brian Sharp, North Bethesda, MD – #36
• Andrew Cottrell, Cincinnati, OH – #37
• Thomas Hurley, Cincinnati, OH – #38
• Kyle Kelley, Houston, TX – #39
• Brian Sliwinski, New York, NY – #40

Financial Planning's Top 40 Brokers Under 40

Financial Planning's Top 40 Brokers Under 40 is an annual, prestigious ranking of high-producing young financial advisors. Nominees for the rankings were age 39 or younger by December 31, 2025, and were registered with a wealth management firm in the employee channel. FP uses production totals that are verified by each broker's employer to determine the rankings. The reported trailing 12-month production and AUM were by September 30, 2025.

For the full list and methodology, visit: Financial Planning's Top 40 Brokers Under 40.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,600 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

Reporters may contact

Julia Ehrenfeld, Bank of America
Phone: 1.646.855.3267
julia.ehrenfeld@bofa.com

MAP #8767138

2026 Financial Planning "Top 40 Brokers Under 40" list is compiled using data solicited from advisors' employers. Opinions provided by Financial Planning considered advisors under 40 years old who work at an employee brokerage firm. Primary ranking is based on trailing 12-month production for each advisor. Financial Planning is a national publication serving the wealth management industry and retail brokers working in the employee channel for wirehouses and regional broker-dealers. Financial Planning's rankings do not reflect all client experiences, endorse any advisor, indicate future performance or future success and are available for client evaluation only. Compensation was not received from anyone for the study. Financial Planning is a trademark of Arizent. All rights reserved.

Important disclosures

Investing involves risk. There is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities. Past performance does not guarantee future results. 

Merrill, its affiliates, and financial advisors do not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and/or tax advisors before making any financial decisions.

This material does not take into account a client's particular investment objectives, financial situations, or needs and is not intended as a recommendation, offer, or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security or investment strategy. Merrill offers a broad range of brokerage, investment advisory and other services. There are important differences between brokerage and investment advisory services, including the type of advice and assistance provided, the fees charged, and the rights and obligations of the parties. It is important to understand the differences, particularly when determining which service or services to select. For more information about these services and their differences, speak with your Merrill financial advisor.

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as "MLPF&S" or "Merrill") makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation ("BofA Corp."). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

Investment products
Are Not FDIC Insured	Are Not Bank Guaranteed	May Lose Value

© 2026 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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SOURCE Bank of America Corporation

FAQ

How many Merrill advisors were named to Financial Planning's Top 40 Brokers Under 40 in 2026 (BAC)?

Merrill had 24 advisors named, the most of any firm for the seventh straight year. According to the company, the list used data as of September 30, 2025 and rankings were published February 10, 2026.

Who led the Financial Planning Top 40 Brokers Under 40 list and what does this mean for Merrill (BAC)?

A Merrill advisor, Jens Pascucci, was ranked #1 on the Top 40 list. According to the company, this underscores Merrill's emphasis on advisor development and talent retention across its wealth channels.

What criteria did Financial Planning use for the Top 40 Brokers Under 40 ranking referenced by Merrill (BAC)?

The ranking is based primarily on trailing 12-month production verified by each broker's employer. According to the company, nominees were age 39 or younger by December 31, 2025 and reported production/AUM by September 30, 2025.

When were the Financial Planning Top 40 Broker rankings published and what data cutoff did Merrill (BAC) cite?

The rankings were published February 10, 2026 using data through September 30, 2025. According to the company, Financial Planning solicited employer-verified production totals for the list.

Which Merrill advisors were top-ranked on the 2026 Top 40 Brokers Under 40 list (BAC)?

Top Merrill placements include Jens Pascucci #1, Christian Kelly #2, and Matthew Gallo #4. According to the company, 24 Merrill advisors in total made the Top 40 list published February 10, 2026.