One of Australia’s most acquisitive financial services companies, COG Financial Services, kept up the pace in the M&A market over the past six months, undeterred by the slackening in loan markets and the economy generally. In July last year the commercial finance broker and lender acquired a 70 per cent interest in Chevron Equipment Finance, and asset finance company. In September it took its holding in novated leasing company Fleet Avenue from 50 to 100 per cent. In November it bought Australian Car Packaging, a novated leasing company, and in January it acquired an additional stake in Sovereign Tasmania Ltd, taking its holding to 58.3 per cent. Also in January, it acquired Chevron Insurance Consultants. All these investments have been made through group subsidiaries. COG chief executive Andrew Bennett said the company has a strong acquisition pipeline and a $31 million revolving acquisition facility with a major bank. COG claims a market-leading 21 per cent share of broker originated asset finance through its broking and aggregation businesses. It wrote $3.4 billion of asset finance during the December half. In recent years its business has become increasingly diversified, including SME lending, funds management, novated leasing and insurance. Revenue rose 7 per cent to A$164.3 million during the six months to December, compared with the previous corresponding period. Profit was up 4.6 per cent to $12.8 million. Finance broking and aggregation is the biggest part of the business, contributing $135.1 million of revenue and $17.2 million of EBITDA. Funds management and lending contributed $27.1 million of revenue and $11.8 million of EBITDA. Funds management and lending is the fastest growing part of the business, with revenue growing 47.9 per cent and EBITDA 46.2 per cent during the half.  Funds under management and lending rose 191 per cent to $700 million (Eighty-One Mortgage Fund Ltd, acquired in March last year, added $440 million of that amount). New lease and loan originations were worth $59.2 million – unchanged from the previous corresponding period.