AST

In 1971, the world of corporate finance looked very different. That year, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, or AST, was founded. While not a household name, AST became a critical piece of financial infrastructure. The company's core business is providing services like stock transfer, acting as a registrar, and managing employee equity plans. Essentially, they handle the complex and regulated process of tracking who owns shares of a company. For decades, AST operated as a key, though often invisible, partner to corporations and their shareholders. The company's journey reflects the broader shifts in financial technology. It provides tech-enabled services for managing ownership data, analytics, and advisory services. A major turning point came in December 2021 when the private equity firm Siris Capital Group acquired AST. In a strategic move, Siris simultaneously acquired Equiniti (EQ), a UK-based counterpart, and combined the two entities. This combination aimed to create a leading international provider of shareholder and regulatory technology, leveraging the complementary strengths of both firms. The move signaled a consolidation in the industry, creating a global player with an expanded portfolio of services.