The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, Feb. 27, edition that iA Financial chief executive officer Denis Ricard is actively seeking acquisitions with $1.4-billion in capital to enhance the company's U.S. insurance operations and attract independent advisers for its Canadian wealth-management division. The Globe's Clare O'Hara writes that Mr. Ricard emphasized that capital deployment is a top priority as the company aims to raise its core return-on-equity target from 15 per cent to 17 per cent. Over the past decade, iA Financial has grown into a leading insurance and wealth management firm, managing $259.4-billion in assets as of the end of 2024, up from $173-billion in 2018. The company ranks third in market share for segregated funds and is a dominant player in Canadian individual life insurance. However, unlike most of its peers in the financial-services industry, it also operates independent businesses in property and casualty insurance, group health benefits, retirement savings and auto-dealer services -- where iA partners with car dealerships to offer extended warranty protection for vehicle buyers. Mr. Ricard said, "We would be interested to grow in all the businesses we're in now."