Adviser firms looking to expand will be pushing on open doors over the next few years when it comes to finding advisers ready to sell, according to research by leading adviser software company Intelliflo.
In a recent poll among 51 advisers who own their own business or are major shareholders, more than two in five (43%) plan to sell up within five years, with almost one in five (18%) undecided about the exact timing.
More than two thirds (69%) said it was their goal to one day sell up, with the majority of the rest (29%) saying it was a possibility.
Almost four out of five (78%) plan to sell to retire, with more than half (54%) expecting to hand over the reins within a year of doing a deal.
None of those polled said they would sell up due to challenges with operating a profitable business post-RDR, although one in 10 (12%) said they would consider leaving because regulatory and compliance reporting are taking up too much of their time.
Jo Gilbey, Intelliflo’s Marketing Director says:
“Although the FCA reported a five per cent drop in registered advisers between July 2013 and January 2014 (32,690 to 31,220), the majority of those were due to layoffs by banks and building societies. Movement among independent advisers appeared to be flat but our poll shows many are now considering their exit plan. Whether this has been fuelled by the changes to issues like legacy commission is open to speculation but it may well have prompted advisers who are considering retirement to bite the bullet and seek buyers.
“For advisers considering selling their businesses, whether to exit the industry or to become part of a larger organisation, knowing how to go about it can be challenging. Our poll highlighted that only one in five (20%) are very confident they know the value of their business or shares in it and a quarter (24%) really aren’t sure.”
To help advisers who are considering selling their business, Intelliflo has commissioned Roderic Rennison of Rennison Consulting, an expert in adviser acquisitions and the impact of regulatory change, to put together his 10 ten tips for doing so successfully.
The paper, entitled Selling your business: Top 10 tips for getting it right can be downloaded free from www.intelliflo.com/sellingyourbusiness. It succinctly outlines the key stages involved in preparing for a sale, some case studies and a typical due diligence request form.
*Intelliflo polled 51 advisers who own their business or are major shareholders/partners during July 2014.
Notes to Editors:
Intelliflo (www.Intelliflo.com) has been providing information technology services to financial services companies since its formation in 2004. Its leading web-based business management software, Intelligent Office, helps financial businesses large and small to improve efficiency and increase profits. Intelligent Office supports over 1,250 firms and 11,200 users with assets under advice of £162 billion (as at 30 June 2014).
In July 2013 HgCapital, a leading European private equity investor in B2B technology companies, became a majority shareholder in Intelliflo Ltd. HgCapital has a wealth of expertise in developing web-based software businesses and is committed to supporting the next phase of Intelliflo’s growth.
Intelliflo has won the Professional Adviser ‘Best Technology/Software Provider’ award, voted for by Financial Advisers, every year since 2010.
Jo Gilbey
Marketing Director
Intelliflo
Tel: +44 (0)208 481 1111
jo.gilbey@intelliflo.com
