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WATERS, PARKERSON & CO.
Waters, Parkerson & Co., founded in 1875, is a New Orleans-based municipal bond specialist and one of the oldest fixed-income houses in the American South.
WATERS, PARKERSON & CO.
WATERS, PARKERSON & CO., LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser based in NEW ORLEANS, LA, registered since 1972. The firm reports approximately $2.9 billion in regulatory assets under management ($2.7 billion managed on a discretionary basis). It employs 12 employees and 6 investment advisers.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
1875
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New Orleans
Corporate office
New Orleans, LA, United States
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What is the core investment strategy at Waters, Parkerson & Co.?
The firm builds and manages portfolios of primarily tax-exempt municipal bonds. Its strategy emphasizes credit quality, income generation, and capital preservation. Most portfolios are structured as separately managed bond ladders tailored to the after-tax yield requirements of individual clients.
Who runs investment decisions at the firm?
Van R. Mayhall Jr. serves as president and is the senior figure responsible for portfolio strategy and credit oversight. As a small partnership, the investment decisions rest with Mayhall and a handful of portfolio managers who operate without a formal investment committee.
Is Waters, Parkerson & Co. structured as a single family office?
No. While it manages intergenerational capital for a concentrated group of Southern families, it operates as a registered investment advisory and broker-dealer serving high-net-worth individuals and institutions. It is not the dedicated office of a single family.
Does the firm invest in private equity or venture capital?
There is no public record of Waters Parkerson committing capital to private equity, venture capital, or direct company investments. The firm's expertise resides exclusively in fixed-income markets, principally municipal securities.
How does Waters, Parkerson & Co. source the bonds it buys?
The firm sources municipal bonds through primary-market new-issue allocations and secondary-market trading desks. Its proximity to issuers in Louisiana and the Gulf South provides access to local general-obligation and revenue-bond offerings that national managers may overlook.
Where does Waters, Parkerson & Co. operate geographically?
Its sole office is in New Orleans, Louisiana. Portfolios are concentrated in bonds issued by municipalities and authorities in Louisiana and contiguous Gulf South states, with limited exposure to nationally traded credits.
What risks are specific to Waters Parkerson's concentrated strategy?
The firm's entire value proposition is tied to the municipal bond market and Louisiana's regional economy. Tax reforms that reduce the benefit of tax-exempt income, a credit deterioration among Gulf South obligors, or a sustained period of interest-rate dislocation would each represent a direct challenge to its model. Succession risk is also material, given the firm's reliance on a single named leader for strategic continuity.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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