Focus Group made 15 acquisitions during a fiscal 2024 period in which its revenues nudged £250m, its latest accounts show.
The SME-focused business comms and IT provider achieved so-called ‘unicorn’ status last April when Hg replaced Bowmark as its private equity backer.
According to group accounts filed by ‘Focus Group Trading Ltd’, Focus Group’s revenues rose 17% to £249.8m in its year to 30 November 2024.
EBITDA vaulted 21% to £46.8m, while pro-forma EBITDA – a useful metric given Focus’ M&A-led growth – pogoed 46% to £63.3m.
Focus Group welcomed in a new CEO in January in the shape of former Computacenter UK MD Neil Hall, before unveiling former Hg director Jon Daveney as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer in June.
The Shoreham-by-Sea-based outfit claims to serve around 40,000 SME customers.
Big spender
The accounts detailed 15 acquisitions made during the period, the largest of which – namely that of Prism in October – was valued at nearly £20m. Scrubbing out deals appearing to involve related companies or sister companies, that total falls to 13.
Other larger deals completed during the period include the double acquisition of Cellular Solutions and Services and Cellular Solutions Networks Services (for around £15m), iPinnacle (£11.4m) and Midland Telecom (£9.6m).
Like many other buy-and-builds, Focus has had a slightly quieter 2025, publicly announcing the acquisition of two companies so far in the shape of Matrix Platinum (for around £9.6m) and Voice Connect (£1.7m).
Focus Group’s fiscal 2024 revenue growth was down slightly on its four-year average tally of 34%.
“The Group expects to utilise benefits of the Hg investment to continue the Group’s organic growth plan, M&A ambitions within the sector and product development initiatives to enhance its ability to deliver innovation solutions for the UK SME sector,” the firm stated in its strategic report.
