High-profile investment research and products provider Morningstar will buy privately held Ibbotson Associates, an asset allocation service concern, for $83 million.

The market for mergers and acquisitions is expected to remain strong into 2006, according to a new study released by the corporate financial advising arm of KPMG International.

Fishbein & Co. PC has announced a merger with the corporate practice division of HJ Financial Group. The merger is expected to be completed in January 2006.

Enterprise software provider Epicor has acquired privately held CRS Retail Systems of Newburgh, N.Y., in an all-cash transaction valued at roughly $121 million.

The West Trenton-based firm of Manuel S. Newman & Co. CPAs has merged with WithumSmith+Brown. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Global Alliance and Moore Stephens North America Inc. will merge to create one of the largest CPA firm associations. To be known as Moore Stephens North America, the association represents 35 firms with gross revenues of over $600 million.Though the Global Alliance consists of larger firms, Moore Stephens is a more established name in the industry, and the new organization will remain a part of Moore Stephens International Ltd. According to the new association, its revenue base will place it within the top 10 of all U.S. CPA firms.

Xpert Business Solutions and Socius 1, two national technology consulting firms, announced a merger that will leave the two businesses operating under the name Socius. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Yount, Hyde & Barbour PC announced it will merge with its neighbor, Rose, Sanderson & Creasy LLC, a Richmond, Va.-based CPA firm.

St. Louis-based accounting firm RubinBrown LLP has acquired Henderson, Warren and Eckinger PC PA, one of the largest locally owned firms in Kansas City. Terms of the merger were not disclosed.

Accounting firm Weaver and Tidwell LLP has signed a merger deal with Dallas firm Brown & Nelson PC to add forensic accounting and litigation support expertise to the firm.Financial terms weren't disclosed, and the firm will be absorbed under the Weaver and Tidwell name. It's the second acquisition of the year for Weaver, which merged in Dallas' Brehm & Co., a firm specializing in construction accounting, in June.

Robert Redwitz & Co. acquired Coradino, Hickey and Hanson, a San Diego-based accounting firm, in a merger effective Oct. 1.The newly merged firm has relocated its offices, but will continue to operate in La Jolla under the name Robert Redwitz & Co. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Global Alliance and Moore Stephens North America Inc. will merge to create one of the largest CPA firm associations. To be known as Moore Stephens North America, the association is represented by 35 firms with gross revenues of over $600 million.

KraftCPAs PLLC announced it will purchase 40 percent of Axis Accounting Systems Inc., in a deal that goes into effect Nov. 1.

Shaw & Shaw, a Columbus, Ohio, CPA firm, will merge with Dayton's Brady Ware in a deal effective Jan. 1. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Regional CPA and business advisory firm The Bonadio Group, headquartered here, has agreed to merge with Buffalo-based Fiddler & Co., one of upstate New York's oldest firms, in a union that will be effective in December.

Moss Adams LLP announced that it expects to acquire Neff+Ricci LLP of Albuquerque, N.M., in a deal that would take effect Jan. 1.

Robert Redwitz & Co. acquired Coradino, Hickey and Hanson, a San Diego-based accounting firm, in a merger effective Oct. 1.

Accounting firm Weaver and Tidwell LLP has signed a merger deal with Dallas firm Brown & Nelson PC to add forensic accounting and litigation support expertise to the firm.

Deloitte Consulting, the consulting arm of the Big Four firm, has acquired Cresskill, N.J.-based Technology Consultants Inc., a provider of benchmarking and advisory services to the insurance industry.

RSM McGladrey announced that its $220 million acquisition of American Express Tax and Business Services is a done deal after receiving approval from the Department of Justice.