M&A among small IFA firms set to increase - research

Retirement plan main driver, finds Investec W&I

Hannah Godfrey
clock • 2 min read

Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity is set to increase among small IFA firms over the next two years, with retirement plans the main driver, according to research from Investec Wealth & Investment.

More than half (55%) of advisers polled by the firm expected M&A activity would increase among smaller firms over the next two years, while more than a third (37%) forecast a rise in M&A among larger firms too as the industry continues to consolidate at pace. The main driver behind this, according to two-fifths (42%) of respondents, is owners looking to sell their businesses in order to retire or semi-retire. With almost a third (30%) of advisers found to be planning to sell their business entirely on retirement, the research suggests a steady stream of new firms will be coming on to the...

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