AJ Bell’s exclusive

THOUSANDS of AJ Bell customers will be given access to its stock market debut as it gears up for a London listing.

The Manchester-based investment platform said its initial public offering, due by early in 2019, would include a retail share offer exclusively to its 172,000 clients.

It does not intend to raise new capital. Its two biggest investors, co-founder and chief executive Andy Bell and Invesco Perpetual will both retain cornerstone shareholdings.

Founded in 1995, it has £42billion assets under administration and posted a pre-tax profit of £21.7million last year.