Latest news with #RonKruszewski
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
There is a Chance of a Market Pullback: Stifel CEO
Stifel Chairman and CEO Ron Kruszewski says while the market is priced "sort of" to perfection, he believes there is a chance of a pullback and that it would be healthy. He speaks with Scarlet Fu on "Bloomberg Markets."
Bloomberg
30-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
There is a Chance of a Market Pullback: Stifel CEO
Stifel Chairman and CEO Ron Kruszewski says while the market is priced 'sort of' to perfection, he believes there is a chance of a pullback and that it would be healthy. He speaks with Scarlet Fu on 'Bloomberg Markets.' (Source: Bloomberg)
Associated Press
16-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Stifel Ranks No. 1 in J.D. Power Study for Third Straight Year
ST. LOUIS, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) today announced that its Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated broker-dealer subsidiary ranked No. 1 in employee advisor satisfaction among wealth management firms in the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Financial Advisor Satisfaction StudySM. This marks the third straight year that Stifel has earned the top ranking, which is calculated based on responses submitted by Stifel advisors. Stifel's overall score was 819 out of 1,000 – 214 points higher than the employee segment average and up 52 points from last year. In addition to finishing No. 1 overall, Stifel ranked first in five individual categories: compensation, leadership and culture, operational support, products and marketing, and technology. 'I am thrilled that J.D. Power has named Stifel the No. 1 wealth management firm for employee advisor satisfaction for the third consecutive year,' said Ron Kruszewski, Chairman and CEO of Stifel. 'This recognition means even more because it comes directly from our advisors. Ranking No. 1 in overall satisfaction – and in five of six categories – is a powerful testament to the culture we've built at Stifel. But we don't view this as a victory lap – we view it as a challenge. A challenge to keep raising the bar, to keep listening, and to continuously improve.' 'This is a tremendous honor for the firm, our advisors, and the colleagues who support them,' said Jim Zemlyak, President of Stifel and Head of Global Wealth Management. 'Our unique culture is built around respect for our advisors, and we continually invest in their success by providing them the resources and support needed to deliver exceptional service to their clients.' Stifel is home to approximately 2,340 advisors with approximately $517 billion in client assets as of June 30, 2025. Stifel Company Information Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel's broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners business division; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC; and Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC; and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Company's broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company's website at For global disclosures, please visit For further information, contact Brian Spellecy (314) 342-2000
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stifel profits plunge on the back of $180M penalty
A slew of costly legal charges cut profits at Stifel's Wealth Management division by more than half in the first quarter, the company reported Wednesday. The firm reported record first-quarter revenue of $850 million, up 8% over the same period last year. But Stifel CEO Ron Kruszewski said during Wednesday's earnings call that the firm's "bottom line was impacted by a significant legal charge." Legal expenses totaled $180 million for the quarter, according to Wednesday's earnings report. Last month, a three-member FINRA arbitration panel slapped Stifel with a $133 million penalty over investment recommendations made by one of its brokers involving the use of complicated investments known as structured notes. The ruling is the second-largest penalty handed down by FINRA in its history, following a $400 million penalty against Credit Suisse in 2009. Kruszewski said during Wednesday's call that the firm is currently appealing the decision. READ MORE: What to expect in advisor pay in 2025 "The claims were brought by a sophisticated family of experienced and aggressive investors who understood the risks involved, participated in the selection of investments, monitored them closely and only complained after incurring losses," a spokesperson for the firm said in an email in March. Stifel's recruiting efforts weren't enough to stave off its third straight quarter of a declining financial advisor headcount. The St. Louis-based firm reported a roughly 1% decline in its advisor numbers year over year, down to 2,340 total advisors in the first quarter. Kruszewski said during Wednesday's call that "the strong upward trend in markets over the last few years led many advisors to delay transition, hoping to maximize their trailing production for recruiting packages." But the recent market pullback has prompted more advisors to shift positions, driving recruiting momentum in the industry. READ MORE: LPL's wealth head wants her firm to be a household name In the first quarter, Stifel recruited 52 financial advisors, including nine "experienced" advisors, with total trailing 12-month production of just under $12 million. "We've adjusted our approach to remain competitive while staying disciplined on our return on investment," Kruszewski said. "We're seeing early success in this initiative, and our second quarter's off to a strong start as we've added seven experienced advisors with trailing 12-month revenues of $14 million and more than $3 billion in client assets." Kruszewski said that the firm is focused on recruiting higher-producing advisors moving forward. Revenue from asset management totaled $410 million over the first quarter, driven largely by market performance. "This line item is closely tied to market levels, and if equity markets do not rebound, that could have a negative impact on these results in the future quarters for 2025," Kruszewski said during the earnings call. Total client assets for the firm were up 4% from the same period last year, to $486 billion, while fee-based client assets were up 7% to $190 billion. Both measures were down slightly from the previous quarter, 3% and 2%, respectively. READ MORE: Why and when do financial advisors change firms? It's complicated "The sequential declines were due to weaker equity markets and modest asset outflows," Stifel Chief Financial Officer James Marischen said during Wednesday's call. "While our net new assets growth for the quarter was modestly negative, I will note that asset flows turned positive in March as net new assets for the month were in the low single digits." On the call, Kruszewski offered a hopeful, if cautious, forecast for market levels moving forward. "While the current environment has introduced volatility, we do not believe a recession is likely. In our view, the disruption surrounding tariffs is not the new normal," he said. "It's part of a high-stakes policy negotiation strategy by the White House. Considering the underlying strength of the U.S. economy and efforts to address trade and fiscal imbalances, we remain optimistic about long-term growth. In the near term, while volatility presents challenges, we're cautiously optimistic." Sign in to access your portfolio
