Rankings

The top municipal bond counsel firms easily surpassed 2019's pace of par amount. Year-to-date, the top-ranked firms have totaled $326.46 billion compared with last year's number of $265.99 billion.

The two active municipal bond insurers wrapped $25.22 billion in the first three quarters of 2020, a 62% surge from the $15.57 billion of deals done in the first nine months of 2019.

Municipal bond issuers are coming market at a 26.2% faster pace than they were at this point last year.

Financial advisors in the municipal bond market accounted for $281.23 billion so far in 2020, more than the $225.54 billion in the first nine months of 2019. The top three spots remained the same, followed by some changes in the rankings from last year.

Municipal bond underwriters are on pace to easily surpass last year's total, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Top bookrunners have accounted for a total of $328.60 billion through the first three quarters of the year, up from the $267.91 billion in the first nine months of 2019. The top five saw small changes compared to a year ago, while spots six through 10 saw more of a mix.

COVID-19 has put large burdens on state and local coffers and new business for the municipal bond insurers, generally, has increased.

There were a few changes in the top municipal bond counsel rankings, with the only spots staying the same numbers one and 10.

Despite the coronavirus wrecking havoc all over the world and with the brunt of the damage occurring in the second quarter of the year, municipal bond issuers have sold just over $23 billion more than they did at this time last year.

The top 10 saw three firms that were not in it last year and only one firm remained in the same position compared to the previous year's first six months.

Financial advisors in the municipal bond market accounted for $159.85 billion so far in 2020, more than the $138.61 billion in the first six months of 2019. There was only one change in the top-five year-over-year.