There was little change in the rankings of dealer groups by size in the first half of 2008 compared to the six months to December 31, 2007.
Professional Investment Services (PIS) remains the group with the largest number of authorised representatives, the IFA Dealer Group Survey shows.
The group added 11 advisers, taking the group's total to 1551. PIS announced last week it was examining potential international acquisitions as it continues to build its operations.
PIS also has more than 1000 advisers in six other countries. Internationally the group now has more than $24 billion in funds under advice (FUA).
PIS now has over 200 more advisers than the second largest dealer group, AMP.
AMP increased numbers in the first half of the year by 19. AMP, however, has nearly twice as many certified financial planners (CFP) as PIS.
PIS first overtook AMP in 2005 in terms of adviser numbers, and since then has been adding steadily to its ranks.
Count Financial has been in third position for some time, however, its numbers have dropped considerably, pushing it further away from the top two groups. It is using a different strategy in building its wealth.
PIS still has plans to list, but the markets have kept dealer groups away from initial public offerings this year.
Centric Wealth, 55th in the survey with 43 advisers, recently had a capital raising of $100 million and is still planning to list next year.
The top 10 dealer groups largely remained unchanged for the first half of the year compared to the second half of 2007, with the only exception being positions nine and 10 where Charter Financial Planning and ABN Amro Morgans switched places.
Lonsdale added 39 advisers (see story on page 16) to reach 307 advisers and Wealthsure added 33 planners to reach 234 planners and claim position number 19.
Wealthsure is an independently-owned dealer group headed by Stan Kaminski and Darren Pawski.
Financial Services Partners (FSP) made the largest jump from position 27 to position 23, with the largest half-year addition of 40 advisers from its merger with Tandem.
This was only one of the many mergers that occurred in the past six to 12 months.
Islandstate and connectfinancial created MyState Financial in June 2007, while Centric Wealth acquired Halliday and InvestAhead.
Millennium3 took over Financial Lifestyle Solutions, Mawson and Pinnacle Partners.
In June 2008, Rabo Financial Advisers took over Dayas Financial.
Shadforths, which was a new project, hit the table this year in position 34 with 111 advisers. It comprises 12 firms, including previously listed Money Managers, Gannon Growden Schonell and Associates and Heraud Harrison. It is 100 per cent owned by advisers and management, with future plans to list.
Other new entrants into the top 100 were Q Invest (owned by Industry funds QSuper and QIC), Whittaker MacNaught (HBOS Australia owned), ClearView Retirement Solutions (MBF owned) and Retirewell Financial Planning (majority owned by Tony Gillett).
HBOS Australia-owned St Andrew's Wealth Management has dropped from 55 to 69 with the loss of 24 advisers.
The second half of the table has shown more movement with Taggart Nominees moving from 89 to 79 with the acquisition of five planners to its two just in the previous six months.
