September 2019 Price Guide

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Radar Results Price Guide to September 2019: –

Revenue Type Recurring Revenue Multiple
Investment and super clients (aged 80 yrs+) 1.0x to 1.2x
Investment and super clients (aged 65 -79 yrs) 1.8x to 2.3x
Investment and super clients (aged up to 64 yrs) 2.3x to 2.8x
Risk clients (under 55 yrs) 2.3x to 2.8x
Risk clients (aged 55 – 60 yrs) 2.0x to 2.3x
Risk clients (aged 61 yrs+) 1.0x to 1.5x
Corporate super plans – commission switched off Negotiable
Grandfathered investment trail commissions Nil to 1.0x
Mortgage clients – home loan trails 1.8 to 2.2x
Accounting fees – business clients 0.75 x to 1.2x
Accounting fees – individual returns 0.5x to 0.9x

The multiples above can vary depending on the terms offered by the vendor, actual location of the clients, client ages and the investment products recommended. In relation to multiples paid for risk books or insurance-revenue based practices, the client’s occupation, age, premium size, policy type and the geographic location of the clients is critical. The multiples displayed above are for high-quality risk clients.

Price Guide – March 2019

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Revenue Type Recurring Revenue Multiple
Investment and super clients (aged 80+ years) Fee for service 1.0x to 1.2x
Investment and super clients (aged 65 -79 years) Fee for service 1.8x to 2.5x
Investment and super clients (aged up to 64 years) Fee for service 2.5x to 2.8x
Risk clients (aged under 55 years) 2.5x to 3.0x
Risk clients (aged 55 – 60 years) 2.0x to 2.5x
Risk clients (aged 61+ years) 1.0x to 1.5x
Corporate super plans – commission switched off* Negotiable 
Corporate super plans – commission converted to a flat fee for each employee 1.5x to 2.0x
Grandfathered investment trail commissions 1.0x to 1.5x
Mortgage clients – home loan trails 1.7x to 2.0x
Accounting fees – business clients 0.75 x to 1.2x
Accounting fees – individual returns 0.5x to 0.9x

Grandfathered trail commission clients (Down another 33%)

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Grandfathered trail commission clients (Down another 33%)

Radar Results (Radar) had seen recent sale transactions of grandfathered trail commission clients trade between 1.5x and 2.0x the annual trail amount, but now that the Royal Commission has recommended trails cease on 1 Jan 2021, Radar Results believe the multiple has now fallen further.

These books are most likely to trade between 1.0 times and 1.5 times trails, giving buyers approximately 22 months of income. Previously these had been selling for as high as 3 times trail, but more commonly at a high of 2.7 times trail during the period 2013-2017. In 2013 these trail commissions books were sought after because no FDS (Fee Disclosure Statement) was required and the Opt-in requirement for new clients from 1 July 2013, didn’t apply. Radar Results expect a lot of grandfathered books to now come onto the market for sale.

The Royal Commission may not have explained the reasoning behind the recommended cessation of the trail commission, except to say it’s conflicted. They also feel that the financial planners have been receiving revenue without providing a service. Whilst in many situations this is correct, it’s not the situation across the industry. The Royal Commission would like the financial planners who own grandfathered clients, to make contact where possible, and try and convert them into fee-paying clients. If the grandfathered client is receiving a service already, then the trail commission needs to be changed to a fee, paid by the client and not by the product provider.

The principal of Radar Results, John Birt said, “I feel sorry for those planners who had borrowed money over the past 5 years to specifically buy grandfathered trail commission clients, thinking they would have an income for life.”

Radar Results was told that banks are not placing any value on these grandfathered clients now; basically, they do not see them as an asset. Radar Results does not hold this view, as with some effort, clients can be moved to fee paying.