Financial advisors believe sales of many savings products will remain unchanged in the future
In terms of providers, financial advisors have a particularly positive attitude towards Skandia, Friends Provident & Standard Life
In terms of mutual fund providers, advisors are most positive about Invesco Perpetual & Fidelity
Data
Sector Issues
Advisors’ choice of provider is most affected by provider service and financial strength
Life companies’ asset management arms have improved somewhat over the last 5 yrs
The area of specialization varies between different fund managers
The key opportunities in the market lie with products such as wraps and REITs, as well as areas such as the Far East
Size of fees have a most significant impact in the choice of life company
Advisors find complex funds fairly simple to communicate to clients
REIT funds are seen as a particular area of growth
Data
APPENDIX
Definitions
Methodology
Further reading
Ask the analyst
Datamonitor consulting
Disclaimer
TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Sole Traders constitute just over 40% of the total survey sample
Figure 2: Just over a quarter of respondents have more than 50% of their client base classified as high net worth
Figure 3: Approximately half of respondents have more than 50% of their customer base classified as mass affluent
Figure 4: The majority of financial advisors believe sales of many savings products will remain unchanged over the next 6 months
Figure 5: Financial advisors are most optimistic as to the growth potential of ISA, SIPP & personal pensions products over the next 6 months
Figure 6: Very few advisors had an overtly negative view of providers
Figure 7: A large proportion of respondents were indifferent towards providers, citing the belief that their products were not matched to their business model
Figure 8: In terms of product providers, financial advisors have a particularly favorable attitude towards Skandia & Friends Provident
Figure 9: Financial advisors are most impressed by Invesco Perpetual and Fidelity in terms of mutual fund providers
Figure 10: Financial strength and provider service are the greatest influences on an advisor’s choice of provider
Figure 11: Over half of financial advisors believe that the asset management arms of life companies have improved over recent years
Figure 12: Standard Life, Skandia and Legal & General are perceived to have the best asset management arms
Figure 13: Jupiter, Invesco & New Star are mutual fund providers who are also highly rated as asset managers
Figure 14: Norwich Union, New Star & Standard Life are perceived to be the top three property fund managers
Figure 15: Invesco, Jupiter & Fidelity are the top rated equity fund managers
Figure 16: Fidelity, Jupiter & Invesco Perpetual are the three most highly rated international equity fund managers
Figure 17: Over three quarters of financial advisors believe that the size of management fees have some impact on their choice of life company
Figure 18: Over 70% of financial advisors believe that management fees have an affect on their choice of mutual fund provider
Figure 19: Half of those surveyed believed that the level of fee transparency is a particularly important consideration when choosing an investment product
Figure 20: Having a wide range of underlying investment funds is important in all product areas
Figure 21: Nearly two thirds of financial advisors find fund of fund investments relatively easy to explain to clients
Figure 22: More than half of financial advisors find manager of manager funds straightforward to explain to clients
Figure 23: Nearly half of financial advisors believe that higher charging structures on fund of fund investments are only occasionally justified
Figure 24: Just under a quarter of financial advisors believe that returns achieved through manager of manager investments are not worth the higher charging structures
Figure 25: More than 80% of financial advisors believe REITs funds have growth potential over the next 5 years
Figure 26: Nearly half of financial advisors believe that equity REITs hold the most potential out of all REIT products
TABLE OF TABLES
Table 1: Funds under management levels, 2006, split by asset class
Table 2: Composition of survey sample, segmented by type of company
Table 3: Percentage of respondents who classify more than half their customer base as high net worth
Table 4: Percentage of respondents who classify more than half their customer base as mass affluent
Table 5: Advisor opinion as to how sales of certain investment products will change over the next six months, % of respondents
Table 6: Advisor attitude towards a selection of life companies, % of respondents
Table 7: Advisor attitude towards a selection of mutual fund companies, % of respondents
Table 8: Percentage of respondents who believe a selection of factors have an influence on their choice of life company
Table 9: Financial advisor opinion as to the development of life company asset management arms over recent years
Table 10: Providers perceived to have the best asset management arms
Table 11: Mutual fund providers rated highly as asset managers
Table 12: The top property fund managers
Table 13: The top equity fund managers
Table 14: The top international equity fund managers
Table 15: Financial advisor opinion towards the effect of management fees on their choice of life company
Table 16: Financial advisor opinion towards the effect of management fees on their choice of mutual fund provider
Table 17: Financial advisor opinion as the effect of fee transparency on their choice of investment product
Table 18: Financial advisor opinion as to the importance of a wide range of underlying investment funds for a selection of products
Table 19: Financial advisor opinion as to whether they find fund of fund investments straightforward to explain to their clients
Table 20: Financial advisor opinion as to whether they find manager of manager investments straightforward to explain to their clients
Table 21: Financial advisor opinion as to whether they believe returns achieved through fund of fund investments are worth the higher charging structures
Table 22: Financial advisor opinion as to whether they believe returns achieved through manager of manager investments are worth the higher charging structures
Table 23: Financial advisor opinion as to the growth potential for REITs over the next 5 years
Table 24: Financial advisor opinion as to which type of REIT holds the biggest growth potential
Abstract
The report uses information from Datamonitor's quarterly survey of financial advisors to understand how investment choices are perceived in the industry
Survey conducted among 94 financial advisors revealing their views on a variety of investment choices
In-depth analysis and identification of the most popular investment products and customer groups according to financial advisors
Identification of key issues crucial to the investment market and forecasts for the future uptake of certain investment products
This report identifies and analyses key issues relating to investment choices made by investors, including identification of the main products and client groups, as well as the key market opportunities and factors affecting an advisor or investor's choice of provider. Forecasts outlining the changing pattern of investment choices are also included.
Identify market opportunities by discovering which product areas IFAs see as having the greatest potential
Identify the main client groups, as well as the most popular products and life providers in the eyes of financial advisors
Understand where improvements can be made, in areas such as fees, communication, product complexity and service
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