Goldman Sachs to buy ETF sponsor Innovator in $2B cash-and-stock deal

Core Viewpoint - Goldman Sachs is acquiring Innovator Capital Management for approximately $2 billion to enhance its presence in the rapidly growing active exchange-traded fund (ETF) market [1][9]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition will be a cash-and-stock deal valued at around $2 billion [1]. - The transaction is anticipated to close in the second quarter of 2026 [9]. - Innovator Capital Management manages $28 billion in assets across 159 defined outcome ETFs as of September 30, 2025 [8]. Group 2: Market Context - Active ETFs have seen a resurgence as investors prefer a more hands-on investment approach due to lower returns from passive index products amid tighter monetary policies [1]. - Global assets in actively managed ETFs have reached $1.6 trillion, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 47% since 2020 [2]. - Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon highlighted that active ETFs are a dynamic and transformative segment in the public investment landscape [4]. Group 3: Personnel Changes - Innovator's co-founder and CEO Bruce Bond, along with other key executives, will join Goldman Sachs Asset Management following the acquisition [8]. - An additional 60 employees from Innovator are expected to integrate into Goldman Sachs Asset Management's Third-Party Wealth and ETF teams [8].