Stifel Financial is making another acquisition, in move that it says will further boost its private client business.

Stifel Financial Corp, which recently agreed to buy Barclays' US wealth management business, is to acquire Eaton Partners, the global fund placement and advisory firm.

The deal will enable Stifel - given Eaton's relationships with private equity firms, hedge funds, family offices and institutional investors - to further leverage its investment banking platform and private client business, which will include the Barclays unit upon closing in the fourth quarter.

Eaton has over 60 employees across six offices and relationships with over 4,000 active institutional investors. The firm will retain its brand name and will be run as a Stifel company upon closing, which is expected in early January 2016, subject to customary closing conditions.

“This strategic transaction brings together both companies' middle-market clients looking to raise public or private capital,” said Victor Nesi, co-president of Stifel. “This combination also presents an opportunity to grow our core advisory business at a time when private companies are raising multiple rounds of private capital prior to an IPO or merger.”

In June last year, St Louis, MO-headquartered Stifel Financial Corp also bolstered its global wealth management segment by agreeing to acquire Legg Mason Investment Counsel & Trust from the global asset manager Legg Mason.