Data from AJ Bell and the London Stock Exchange reveals that only six companies on AIM surpassed the £1bn valuation mark in 2024, a decline from 11 the previous year and 30 in 2021.
Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell, explained that of the 30 companies, excluding those still valued above £1bn, seven were acquired through takeovers, three transitioned to the main market, and the remainder dropped below the £1bn threshold due to negative news or other adverse factors.
“The last time AIM finished a calendar year with fewer than six stocks valued over £1bn was in 2015,” he noted. “At that time, there were only four: ASOS, Abcam, New Europe Property Investments, and Hutchison China.”
Despite the decline in the number of AIM-listed firms with valuations exceeding £1bn, AJ Bell’s investment analyst highlighted that the market “has performed well over the year, producing numerous success stories.”
He also emphasized that “there is a growing urgency to rejuvenate AIM,” as the wave of UK company takeovers remains prominent, and several businesses transition upward to the main market.
