Count Limited (ASX:CUP), an Australian integrated wealth and accounting platform, has announced a significant strategic move to acquire a majority interest in Skybridge Financial. This acquisition, set to be the company’s largest equity partnership investment, will initially see Count Group acquire a 75% stake. Skybridge is a major converged professional services firm operating across New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, offering financial planning, accounting, taxation, SMSF administration, and bookkeeping services. It brings 82 accountants, 13 financial advisers, and $1.4 billion in Funds Under Advice (FUA) to Count Group’s network, accelerating its strategy to build Australia’s leading integrated wealth and accounting platform.
The transaction implies an enterprise value of $66.0 million for 100% of Skybridge. For its 75% equity interest, Count Group’s consideration comprises $25.6 million upfront cash, $4.0 million upfront scrip, up to $3.3 million in conditional deferred consideration, and up to $5.8 million in conditional earn-out payments over 24 months post-completion. Skybridge reported approximately $29.0 million in revenue and $8.8 million in Normalised EBITA for FY2026, achieving a Normalised EBITA margin of approximately 30.3%. The acquisition is expected to be mid to high single-digit EPS accretive pre-synergies on a FY2027F pro forma basis.
To partially fund the acquisition, Count Group intends to undertake a fully underwritten institutional placement, aiming to raise approximately $25.0 million. This involves issuing about 15.9 million new ordinary shares at an offer price of $1.57 per share, a 5.4% discount to Count’s last closing price on 4 November 2026. The remaining acquisition consideration will be funded through existing cash reserves, incremental debt capacity, and the scrip issuance. Key Skybridge personnel, including founder Jason Birch, will continue in leadership roles, ensuring business continuity. Count Group CEO Hugh Humphrey highlighted the investment’s alignment with their strategy, delivering a “step-change for Count Group’s scale in accounting and financial planning.”
