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Financial Asset Investing in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Matilda Reilly Matilda Reilly Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: June 2024 ANZSIC K6240

Revenue

$154.0bn

2024-25

$153.0bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

42,621

Businesses

60,285

Wages

$X.Xbn

Financial Asset Investing in Australia industry analysis

Financial asset investors have benefited from a generally strong domestic sharemarket performance and robust profit margins over the past five years. Typically, industry funds are invested in equities, and industry revenue depends on various sharemarket performances. The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing inflationary pressures significantly disrupted both local and global equity markets, which limited industry performance. Yet, total assets have continued to accumulate over recent years compounding returns for investors, assisted by previously low interest rates. Overall, industry revenue is expected to rise at an annualised 5.7% over the five years through 2023-24, to $154.0 billion.

Trends and Insights

  • Total industry assets have continued to accumulate despite economic headwinds. Previously low interest rates and an appetite for investment boosted interest in investment vehicles in recent years.
  • The most common products offered in the industry are unit trusts, whereby the general public can invest in the trust by purchasing units. The trust then manages the funds and invests them into various assets.
  • New South Wales and Victoria account for the highest amounts of financial asset investing activity. The volume and variety in potential clients are big motivators for financial asset investors to set up shop in these places.
  • The majority of financial asset investors earn less than $200,000 annually. Many small-scale investors use financial assets to diversify their portfolios.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 5.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $154.0bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Total assets are a useful measure of financial asset investment performance

  • The value of industry assets and the returns generated on those assets largely drive revenue for the industry, and industry performance has benefited from the expansion in total assets over the past five years.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Financial Asset Investing in Australia
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The industry being volatile is a near-certainty and that is likely to continue

  • Financial asset investment's annualised growth rate disguises the risk of large year-on-year increases and declines.

Biggest companies in the Financial Asset Investing in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Soul Patts
4,719.7
Australian Foundation Investment Company
4,423.8
Argo Investments
3,436.0

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Financial Asset Investing in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Cash management trusts, Common fund trusts and Friendly societies. Cash management trusts is the largest segment of the Financial Asset Investing in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Wider interest in the stock market has driven people to listed unit trusts

  • Listed unit trusts are public unit trusts with units listed on the stock exchange, whereby investors can freely trade the units on a secondary market like the ASX.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The Financial Asset Investing industry consists of trusts (except trusts of separately constituted superannuation funds) that primarily invest money on their own account in predominantly financial assets, including mortgages. The industry also includes investment-type unit trusts that hold financial assets. The funds of unlisted and listed property unit trusts are excluded from the industry.

What's included in this industry?

Cash management trustsCommon fund trustsFriendly societiesListed unit trustsUnlisted unit trusts

Companies

Soul PattsAustralian Foundation Investment CompanyArgo Investments

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

MANAGEMENT EXPENSE RATIOMSCI WORLD INDEXCLOSED-ENDINVESTMENT VEHICLE

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 6240 - Financial Asset Investing in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Total industry assets have continued to accumulate despite economic headwinds. Previously low interest rates and an appetite for investment boosted interest in investment veh...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The most common products offered in the industry are unit trusts, whereby the general public can invest in the trust by purchasing units. The trust then manages the funds and...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

New South Wales and Victoria account for the highest amounts of financial asset investing activity. The volume and variety in potential clients are big motivators for financi...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The majority of financial asset investors earn less than $200,000 annually. Many small-scale investors use financial assets to diversify their portfolios.

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Larger financial asset investors are typically trusts or companies with many unit holders or shareholders that pool funds together for investment purposes. These entities are...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Soul Patts's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Australian Foundation Investment Company's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Argo Investments's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Soul Patts, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Australian Foundation Investment Company, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Argo Investments, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The industry receives little in the way of direct private assistance. More generally, organisations exist to benefit the wider finance industry.

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Investor cost structures can vary depending on the scale of operations and the value of assets that are held with the company or investment vehicle. For larger investors, mos...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Financial Asset Investing industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Financial Asset Investing industry in Australia is $154.0bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Financial Asset Investing in Australia industry in 2024?

There are 60,285 businesses in the Financial Asset Investing industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 5.4 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Financial Asset Investing industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Financial Asset Investing industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 5.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Financial Asset Investing industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Financial Asset Investing industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Financial Asset Investing market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Financial Asset Investing market in Australia are Soul Patts, Australian Foundation Investment Company and Argo Investments

What does the Financial Asset Investing in Australia include?

Cash management trusts and Common fund trusts are part of the Financial Asset Investing industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Financial Asset Investing in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Soul Patts.

How competitive is the Financial Asset Investing industry in Australia?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Financial Asset Investing industry in Australia.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Superannuation Funds in Australia
  • Investment Banking and Securities Brokerage in Australia

Complementors

  • Custody, Trustee and Stock Exchange Services in Australia
  • Mortgage Brokers in Australia
  • Funds Management Services in Australia
  • Financial Planning and Investment Advice in Australia

International industries

  • Venture Capital & Principal Trading in the US
  • Real Estate Investment Trusts in the US
  • Private Equity, Hedge Funds & Investment Vehicles in the US
  • Hedge Funds in the US
  • Real Estate Investment Trusts in Canada

View all industries in Australia

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.