Business as usual? The impact of Covid-19 on advice M&A

clock • 8 min read

As the UK slowly tries to rid itself of the novel coronavirus, is it business as usual for financial advice consolidators? Or will these merger and acquisition growth strategies see long-term changes as a result of the pandemic?

For David Lawrence, UK CEO of Kingswood, which made several acquisitions last year, including an £18m Yorkshire IFA purchase in June 2020, the market is a mixed bag at the moment. "The opportunity to consolidate in what is a very fragmented marketplace remains strong, and in many ways has not been interrupted by the pandemic," says Lawrence. "Some owners have seen revenues dip during 2020 leaving them thoughtful about the timing of a sale, but this is often overcome by valuing the business on a sustainable basis and with the addition of an incentive for growth as we come out of the pa...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

Robert Peston: Middle East conflict 'particularly problematic' for UK growth

Robert Peston: Middle East conflict 'particularly problematic' for UK growth

Robert Peston discusses at PA360

Sophia Panayi
clock 29 April 2026 • 4 min read
Dynamic Planner launches Financial Happiness Index for advisers

Dynamic Planner launches Financial Happiness Index for advisers

Consumer Duty aligned adviser benchmark based on a data set and behavioural model

Sophia Panayi
clock 29 April 2026 • 2 min read
PFS's Pathway to the Profession project hits  500-member target

PFS's Pathway to the Profession project hits 500-member target

A third of new members are women

Sophia Panayi
clock 28 April 2026 • 2 min read