FORM 10-K UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONWashington, D.C. 20549FORM 10-KANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2009Commission File No. 1-9305STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP.(Exact Name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)DELAWARE 43-1273600 (State or Other Jurisdiction of (IRS Employer Identification No.) Incorporation or Organization) 501 North Broadway St. Louis, Missouri 63102 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)(314) 342-2000
(Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code)Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:Name of Each Exchange Title of Each Class On Which Registered Common Stock, par value $0.15 per share The New York Stock Exchange Chicago Stock Exchange Preferred Stock Purchase Rights The New York Stock Exchange Chicago Stock ExchangeSecurities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: NoneIndicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes þ No oIndicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes o No þIndicate by check mark whether the Registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No oIndicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. þIndicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes o No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.Large accelerated filer þ Accelerated filer o Non-accelerated filer o Smaller reporting company o (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o No þThe aggregate market value of the registrant's common stock, $0.15 par value per share, held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of the close of business on June 30, 2009 was $1,461,940,857.*
The number of shares outstanding of the registrant's common stock, $0.15 par value per share, as of the close of business on February 1, 2010 was 30,884,711.
* In determining this amount, the registrant assumed that the executive officers of the registrant and the registrant's directors are affiliates of the registrant. Such assumptions shall not be deemed to be conclusive for any other purposes.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCEPortions of the Proxy Statement for the annual meeting of shareholders, to be held on April 13, 2010, are incorporated by reference in Part III hereof.
STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I
Item 1.
Business 4
Item 1A.
Risk Factors 14
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments 24
Item 2.
Properties 25
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings 26
Item 4.
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders 27
Part II
Item 5.
Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities 28
Item 6.
Selected Financial Data 31
Item 7.
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations 33
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 81
Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 86
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants and Accounting and Financial Disclosure 147
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures 147
Item 9B.
Other Information 149
Part III
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 149
Item 11.
Executive Compensation 149
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters 149
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence 150
Item 14.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services 150
Part IV
Item 15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 151
Signatures 156
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PART I
Certain statements in this report may be considered forward-looking. Statements that are not historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements cover, among other things, statements made about general economic, political, regulatory and market conditions, the investment banking and brokerage industries, our objectives and results, and also may include our belief regarding the effect of various legal proceedings, management expectations, our liquidity and funding sources, counterparty credit risk, or other similar matters. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including those factors discussed below under "Risk Factors" in Item 1A, as well as those discussed in "External Factors Impacting Our Business" included in "Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in Part II, Item 7 of this report.
Because of these and other uncertainties, our actual future results may be materially different from the results indicated by these forward-looking statements. In addition, our past results of operations do not necessarily indicate our future results. We undertake no obligation to publicly release any revisions to the forward-looking statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document.
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Stifel Financial Corp. is a Delaware corporation and a financial holding company headquartered in St. Louis. We were organized in 1983. Our principal subsidiary is Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated ("Stifel Nicolaus"), a full service retail and institutional brokerage and investment banking firm. Stifel Nicolaus is the successor to a partnership founded in 1890. Our other subsidiaries include Century Securities Associates, Inc. ("CSA"), an independent contractor broker-dealer firm, Stifel Nicolaus Limited ("SN Ltd"), our international subsidiary, and Stifel Bank & Trust ("Stifel Bank"), a retail and commercial bank. Unless the context requires otherwise, the terms "our company," "we," and "our" as used herein refer to Stifel Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries.
With our century-old operating history, we have built a diversified business serving private clients, institutional investors and investment banking clients located across the country. Our principal activities are:
Private client services, including securities transaction and financial planning services;
Institutional equity and fixed income sales, trading and research, and municipal finance;
Investment banking services, including mergers and acquisitions, public offerings and private placements; and
Retail and commercial banking, including personal and commercial lending programs.
Our core philosophy is based upon a tradition of trust, understanding and studied advice. We attract and retain experienced professionals by fostering a culture of entrepreneurial, long-term thinking. We provide our private, institutional and corporate clients quality, personalized service, with the theory that if we place clients' needs first, both our clients and our company will prosper. Our unwavering client and employee focus have earned us a reputation as one of the leading brokerage and investment banking firms off Wall Street.
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We have grown our business both organically and through opportunistic acquisitions. Over the past several years, we have grown substantially, primarily by completing and successfully integrating a number of acquisitions, including our acquisition of the capital markets business of Legg Mason ("LM Capital Markets") from Citigroup in December 2005 and the following more recent acquisitions:
Miller Johnson Steichen Kinnard, Inc. ("MJSK") - On December 5, 2006, we closed on the acquisition of the private client business and certain assets and liabilities of MJSK, a privately held broker-dealer. The acquisition was completed to further grow our company's private client business, particularly in the state of Minnesota.
Ryan Beck Holdings, Inc. ("Ryan Beck") and its wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary Ryan Beck & Company, Inc. - On February 28, 2007, we closed on the acquisition of Ryan Beck, a full-service brokerage and investment banking firm with a strong private client focus, from BankAtlantic Bancorp, Inc. The acquisition was made because the combination of Stifel Nicolaus and Ryan Beck represented a good strategic fit between two well established regional broker-dealers with similar business models and cultures.
First Service Financial Company ("First Service") and its wholly-owned subsidiary FirstService Bank - On April 2, 2007, we completed our acquisition of First Service, and its wholly-owned subsidiary FirstService Bank, a St. Louis-based Missouri commercial bank, by means of the merger of First Service with and into FSFC Acquisition Co. ("AcquisitionCo"), a Missouri corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Stifel Financial Corp., with AcquisitionCo surviving the merger. Upon consummation of the merger, we became a bank holding company and a financial holding company, subject to the supervision and regulation of The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Also, FirstService Bank has converted its charter from a Missouri bank to a Missouri trust company and changed its name to "Stifel Bank & Trust." On December 30, 2009, Stifel Bank entered into a Branch Purchase and Assumption Agreement providing for the sale of a branch office. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and certain closing conditions, is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2010.
Butler, Wick & Co., Inc. ("Butler Wick") - On December 31, 2008, we closed on the acquisition of Butler Wick, a privately-held broker-dealer who specialized in providing financial advice to individuals, municipalities and corporate clients. Butler Wick was headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio.
UBS Financial Services Inc. ("UBS") - On March 23, 2009, we announced that Stifel Nicolaus had entered into a definitive agreement with UBS to acquire certain specified branches from the UBS Wealth Management Americas branch network. As subsequently amended, we agreed to acquire 56 branches (the "Acquired Locations") from UBS in four separate closings pursuant to this agreement. We completed the closings on the following dates: August 14, 2009, September 11, 2009, September 25, 2009 and October 16, 2009.
Business Segments
We operate in the following segments: Global Wealth Management, Capital Markets, and Other. As a result of organizational changes in the second quarter of 2009, which included a change in the management reporting structure of our company, the segments formerly reported as Equity Capital Markets and Fixed Income Capital Markets have been combined into a single segment called Capital Markets. In addition, the UBS branch acquisition and related customer account conversion to our platform has enabled us to further leverage our customers' assets, which allows us the ability to provide a full array of financial products to both our Private Client Group and Stifel Bank customers. As a result, during the third quarter of 2009, we changed how we manage these reporting units and consequently they were combined to form the Global Wealth Management segment. Previously reported segment information has been revised to reflect this change. For a discussion of the financial results of our segments, see Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Segment Analysis."
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Narrative description of business
As of December 31, 2009, we employed 4,434 individuals, including 1,719 financial advisors. In addition, 166 financial advisors were affiliated with CSA as independent contractors. As of December 31, 2009, through our broker-dealer subsidiaries, we provide securities related financial services to approximately 1.0 million client accounts of customers throughout the United States and Europe. Our customers include individuals, corporations, municipalities and institutions. Although we have customers throughout the United States, our major geographic area of concentration is in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, with a growing presence in the Northeast, Southeast and Western United States. No single client accounts for a material percentage of any segment of our business. Our inventory, which we believe is of modest size and intended to turn-over quickly, exists to facilitate order flow and support the investment strategies of our clients. Although we do not engage in significant proprietary trading for our own account, the inventory of securities held to facilitate customer trades and our market making activities are sensitive to market movements. Furthermore, our balance sheet is highly liquid, without material holdings of securities that are difficult to value or remarket. We believe that our broad platform, fee-based revenues and strong distribution network position us well to take advantage of current trends within the financial services sector.
GLOBAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT
We provide securities transaction, brokerage and investment services to our clients through the consolidated Stifel Nicolaus branch system and through CSA, our wholly-owned independent contractor subsidiary. We have made significant investments in personnel and technology to grow the Private Client Group over the past ten years. At December 31, 2009, the Private Client Group, with a concentration in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions and a growing presence in the Northeast, Southeast and Western United States, had a network of 1,885 financial advisors, consisting of 1,719 employees located in 272 branch offices in 42 states and the District of Columbia and 166 independent contractors.
Consolidated Stifel Nicolaus Branch System
Our financial advisors provide a broad range of investments and services, including financial planning services to our clients. We offer equity securities, taxable and tax-exempt fixed income securities, including municipal, corporate, and government agency securities, preferred stock and unit investment trusts. We also offer a broad range of externally managed fee-based products. In addition, we offer insurance and annuity products and investment company shares through agreements with numerous third party distributors. We encourage our financial advisors to pursue the products and services they feel most comfortable recommending, rather than emphasizing proprietary products. Our private clients may choose from a traditional, commission-based structure or fee-based money management programs. In most cases, commissions are charged for sales of investment products to clients based on an established commission schedule. In certain cases, varying discounts may be given based on relevant client or trade factors determined by the financial advisor.
CSA Private Client
At December 31, 2009, CSA had affiliations with 166 independent contractors in 134 branch offices in 28 states. CSA's independent contractors provide the same types of financial products and services to its private clients as does Stifel Nicolaus. Under their contractual arrangements, these independent contractors may also provide accounting services, real estate brokerage, insurance, or other business activities for their own account. However, all securities transactions must be transacted through CSA. Independent contractors are responsible for all of their direct costs and are paid a larger percentage of commissions to compensate them for their added expenses. CSA is an introducing broker-dealer and, as such, clears its transactions through Stifel Nicolaus.
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Customer Financing
Client securities transactions are effected on either a cash or margin basis. The customer deposits less than the full cost of the security when securities are purchased on a margin basis. We make a loan for the balance of the purchase price. Such loans are collateralized by the securities purchased. The amounts of the loans are subject to the margin requirements of Regulation T of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") margin requirements, and our internal policies, which usually are more restrictive than Regulation T or FINRA requirements. In permitting customers to purchase securities on margin, we are subject to the risk of a market decline, which could reduce the value of our collateral below the amount of the customers' indebtedness.
Stifel Bank
In April 2007, we completed the acquisition of First Service, a St. Louis-based full service bank, which now operates as Stifel Bank & Trust and is reported in the Global Wealth Management segment. Since the closing of the bank acquisition, we have grown retail and commercial bank assets from $145.6 million on acquisition date to $1,142.0 million at December 31, 2009. Through Stifel Bank, we offer retail and commercial banking services to private and corporate clients, including personal loan programs such as fixed and variable mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, personal loans, loans secured by CDs or savings, automobile loans and securities-based loans as well as commercial lending programs such as small business loans, commercial real estate loans, lines of credit, credit cards, term loans, and inventory and receivables financing, in addition to other banking products. We believe this acquisition will not only help us serve our private clients more effectively by offering them a broader range of services, but will also enable us to better utilize our private client cash balances.
CAPITAL MARKETS
The Capital Markets segment includes research, equity and fixed income institutional sales and trading, investment banking, public finance and syndicate, and consisted of 734 employees at December 31, 2009.
Research
Our research department consisted of 151 analysts and support associates who publish research across multiple industry groups and provide our clients with timely, insightful and actionable research, aimed at improving investment performance.
Institutional Sales and Trading
Our equity sales and trading team distributes our proprietary equity research products and communicates our investment recommendations to our client base of institutional investors, executes equity trades, sells the securities of companies for which we act as an underwriter and makes a market in over 2,200 domestic securities at December 31, 2009. In our various sales and trading activities, we take a focused approach on servicing our clients as opposed to proprietary trading for our own account. Located in 13 cities in the United States as well as Geneva, London and Madrid, our equity sales and trading team, consisting of 159 professionals and support professionals and associates, services approximately 1,400 clients globally.
The fixed income institutional sales and trading group consists of 181 professionals and support associates, located in 21 cities in the United States and is comprised of taxable and tax-exempt sales departments. Our institutional sales and trading group executes trades in both tax-exempt and taxable products, with diversification across municipal, corporate, government agency and mortgage-backed securities. Our fixed income inventory is maintained primarily to facilitate order flow and support the investment strategies of our institutional fixed income clients, as opposed to seeking trading profits through proprietary trading.
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Investment Banking
Our investment banking activities include the provision of financial advisory services principally with respect to mergers and acquisitions, and the execution of public offerings and private placements of debt and equity securities. The investment banking group, consisting of 159 professionals and support associates, focuses on middle-market companies as well as on larger companies in targeted industries where we have particular expertise, which include real estate, financial services, healthcare, aerospace/defense and government services, telecommunications, transportation, energy, business services, consumer services, industrial, technology and education.
Our public finance group acts as an underwriter and dealer in bonds issued by states, cities and other political subdivisions and acts as manager or participant in offerings managed by other firms. The public finance group consists of 77 professionals and support associates.
Syndicate
Our syndicate department, which consists of seven origination and execution professionals and support associates, coordinates marketing, distribution, pricing and stabilization of our managed equity and debt offerings. In addition, the department coordinates our underwriting participations and selling group opportunities managed by other investment banking firms.
OTHER SEGMENT
The Other segment includes interest income from stock borrow activities, unallocated interest expense, interest income and gains and losses on investments held, and all unallocated overhead costs associated with the execution of orders; processing of securities transactions; custody of client securities; receipt, identification, and delivery of funds and securities; compliance with regulatory and legal requirements; internal financial accounting and controls; acquisition charges related to the LM Capital Markets and Ryan Beck acquisitions; and general administration. At December 31, 2009, we employed 527 persons in this segment.
BUSINESS CONTINUITY
We have developed a business continuity plan that is designed to permit continued operation of business critical functions in the event of disruptions to our St. Louis, Missouri headquarters facility. Several critical business applications are supported by our outside vendors who maintain backup capabilities. We periodically participate in testing these backup facilities. Likewise, the business functions that we run internally can be supported without the St. Louis headquarters, either through our redundant computer capacities in our Jersey City, New Jersey; and Baltimore, Maryland locations, or from our branch locations that can connect to our third party securities processing vendor through its primary or redundant facilities. Systems have been designed so that we can route all mission critical processing activity either through Jersey City or Baltimore to alternate locations, which can be staffed with relocated personnel as appropriate.
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GROWTH STRATEGY
We believe our plans for growth will allow us to increase our revenues and to expand our role with clients as a valued partner. In executing our growth strategy, we take advantage of the consolidation among mid-tier firms, which we believe provides us opportunities in our private client and capital markets businesses. We intend to pursue the following strategies:
Further expand our private client footprint in the U.S. We have expanded the number of our private client branches from 39 at December 31, 1997 to 272 at December 31, 2009 and our branch-based financial advisors from 262 to 1,719 over the same period. In addition, assets under management have grown from $11.7 billion at December 31, 1997 to $91.3 billion at December 31, 2009. Through organic growth and acquisitions, we currently have a strong footprint nationally, concentrated in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, with a growing presence in the Northeast, Southeast, and Western United States. Over time, we plan to further expand our domestic private client footprint. We plan on achieving this through recruiting experienced financial advisors with established client relationships and continuing to selectively consider acquisition opportunities as they may arise.
Further expand our institutional equity business both domestically and internationally. Our institutional equity business is built upon the premise that high quality fundamental research is not a commodity. The growth of our business over the last 10 years has been fueled by the effective partnership of our highly rated research and institutional sales and trading teams. Several years ago, we identified an opportunity to expand our research capabilities by taking advantage of market disruptions and the long-term impact of the global settlement on Wall Street research. As a result, we have grown from 43 analysts covering 513 companies in 2005 to 61 analysts covering 850 companies at December 31, 2009. In addition, as of December 31, 2009, our research department was ranked the fourth largest research department, as measured by domestic equities under coverage, by StarMine. Our goal is to further monetize our research platform by adding additional institutional sales and trading teams and by placing a greater emphasis on client management.
Grow our investment banking business. By leveraging our industry expertise, our product knowledge, our research platform, our experienced associates, our capital markets strength, our middle-market focus and our private client network, we intend to grow our investment banking business. We believe our position as a mid-tier focused investment bank with broad-based and respected research will allow us to take advantage of opportunities in the middle-market and continue to align our investment banking coverage with our research footprint.
Focus on asset generation within our Stifel Bank operations and offer retail and commercial banking services to our clients. We believe the addition of Stifel Bank banking services strengthens our existing client relationships and helps us recruit financial advisors seeking to provide a full range of services to their private clients. We intend to increase the sale of banking products and services to our private and corporate clients.
Approach acquisition opportunities with discipline. Over the course of our operating history, we have demonstrated our ability to identify, effect, and integrate attractive acquisition opportunities. We believe the current environment and market dislocation will provide us with the ability to thoughtfully consider acquisitions on an opportunistic basis.
COMPETITION
We compete with other securities firms, some of which offer their customers a broader range of brokerage services, have substantially greater resources, and may have greater operating efficiencies. In addition, we face increasing competition from other financial institutions, such as commercial banks, online service providers, and other companies offering financial services. The Financial Modernization Act, signed into law in late 1999, lifted restrictions on banks and insurance companies, permitting them to provide financial services once dominated by securities firms. In addition, recent consolidation in the financial services industry may lead to increased competition from larger, more diversified organizations.
We rely on the expertise acquired in our market area over our 119-year history, our personnel, and our equity capital to operate in the competitive environment.
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REGULATION
The securities industry in the United States is subject to extensive regulation under federal and state laws. The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") is the federal agency charged with the administration of the federal securities laws. Much of the regulation of broker-dealers, however, has been delegated to self-regulatory organizations ("SRO"), principally FINRA, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, and securities exchanges. SROs adopt rules (which are subject to approval by the SEC) that govern the industry and conduct periodic examinations of member broker-dealers. Securities firms are also subject to regulation by state securities commissions in the states in which they are registered.
As a result of federal and state registration and SRO memberships, broker-dealers are subject to overlapping schemes of regulation that cover all aspects of their securities businesses. Such regulations cover matters including capital requirements; uses and safekeeping of clients' funds; conduct of directors, officers, and employees; recordkeeping and reporting requirements; supervisory and organizational procedures intended to ensure compliance with securities laws and to prevent improper trading on material nonpublic information; employee-related matters, including qualification and licensing of supervisory and sales personnel; limitations on extensions of credit in securities transactions; clearance and settlement procedures; requirements for the registration, underwriting, sale, and distribution of securities; and rules of the SROs designed to promote high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade. A particular focus of the applicable regulations concerns the relationship between broker-dealers and their customers. As a result, many aspects of the broker-dealer customer relationship are subject to regulation, including, in some instances, "suitability" determinations as to certain customer transactions, limitations on the amounts that may be charged to customers, timing of proprietary trading in relation to customers' trades, and disclosures to customers.
Additional legislation, changes in rules promulgated by the SEC and by SROs, and changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing laws and rules often directly affect the method of operation and profitability of broker-dealers. The SEC and the SROs conduct regular examinations of our broker-dealer subsidiaries and also initiate targeted and other specific inquiries from time to time, which generally include the investigation of issues involving substantial portions of the securities industry. The SEC and the SROs may determine to take no formal action in certain matters. The SEC and the SROs may conduct administrative proceedings, which can result in censures, fines, suspension, or expulsion of a broker-dealer, its officers, or employees. The principal purpose of regulation and discipline of broker-dealers is the protection of customers and the securities markets rather than the protection of creditors and stockholders of broker-dealers.
As broker-dealers, Stifel Nicolaus, and CSA are subject to the Uniform Net Capital Rule (Rule 15c3-1) promulgated by the SEC. The Uniform Net Capital Rule is designed to measure the general financial integrity and liquidity of a broker-dealer and the minimum net capital deemed necessary to meet the broker-dealer's continuing commitments to its customers and other broker-dealers. Broker-dealers may be prohibited from expanding their business and declaring cash dividends. A broker-dealer that fails to comply with the Uniform Net Capital Rule may be subject to disciplinary actions by the SEC and SROs, such as FINRA, including censures, fines, suspension, or expulsion. Stifel Nicolaus has chosen to calculate its net capital under the alternative method, which prescribes that their net capital shall not be less than the greater of $1.0 million or two percent of aggregate debit balances (primarily receivables from customers and broker-dealers) computed in accordance with the SEC's Customer Protection Rule (Rule 15c3-3). CSA calculates its net capital under the aggregate indebtedness method whereby its aggregate indebtedness may not be greater than fifteen times its net capital (as defined). Both methods allow broker-dealers to increase their commitments to customers only to the extent their net capital is deemed adequate to support an increase. Our international subsidiary, SN Ltd, is subject to the regulatory supervision and requirements of the Financial Services Authority ("FSA") in the United Kingdom. See the section entitled "Liquidity and Capital Resources" in Item 7 of this report regarding our minimum net capital requirements.
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Our company, as a bank and financial holding company, is subject to regulation, including capital requirements, by the Federal Reserve. Stifel Bank is subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") and state banking authorities. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on our company's and Stifel Bank's financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, our company and Stifel Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance-sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. Our company's and Stifel Bank's capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings, and other factors. Quantitative measures established by regulation to ensure capital adequacy require our company and Stifel Bank to maintain minimum amounts and ratios of total and Tier 1 capital (as defined in the regulations) to risk-weighted assets (as defined), and Tier 1 capital (as defined) to average assets (as defined). We may be required to increase our regulatory capital and pay higher FDIC premiums, including special assessments, due to the impact of current state of the financial services industry and overall economy on the insurance fund of the FDIC.
The statistical disclosures required to be made by a bank holding company are included in Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of this report.
As a public company whose common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") and the Chicago Stock Exchange ("CHX"), we are subject to corporate governance requirements established by the SEC, NYSE, and CHX, as well as federal and state law. Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the "Act"), we are required to meet certain requirements regarding business dealings with members of the Board of Directors, the structure of our Audit Committee, ethical standards for our senior financial officers, implementation of an internal control structure and procedures for financial reporting, and additional responsibilities regarding financial statements for our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer and their assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting. Compliance with all aspects of the Act, particularly the provisions related to management's assessment of internal controls, has imposed additional costs on our company reflecting internal staff and management time, as well as additional audit fees since the Act went into effect.
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Executive Officers
Information regarding our executive officers and their ages as of February 26, 2010 are as follows:
Name
Age
Position(s)
Ronald J. Kruszewski
51
Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Stifel Nicolaus
Scott B. McCuaig
60
Senior Vice President and Director of the Company and President, Co-Chief Operating Officer, and Director of Stifel Nicolaus.
James M. Zemlyak
50
Senior Vice President Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Director of the Company and Executive Vice President, Co-Chief Operating Officer, and Director of Stifel Nicolaus.
Richard J. Himelfarb
68
Vice Chairman, Senior Vice President and Director of the Company and Executive Vice President, Chairman of Investment Banking, and Director of Stifel Nicolaus.
David M. Minnick
53
Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Company and Stifel Nicolaus.
Thomas P. Mulroy
48
Senior Vice President and Director of the Company and Executive Vice President, Co-Director of Capital Markets, and Director of Stifel Nicolaus.
Victor J. Nesi
49
Senior Vice President and Director of the Company and Executive Vice President, Director of Investment Banking, Co-Director of Capital Markets, and Director of Stifel Nicolaus.
Ben A. Plotkin
54
Vice-Chairman, Senior Vice President and Director of the Company and Executive Vice President of Stifel Nicolaus.
David D. Sliney
40
Senior Vice President of the Company and Senior Vice President and Director of Stifel Nicolaus.
Ronald J. Kruszewski has been President and Chief Executive Officer of our company and Stifel Nicolaus since September 1997 and Chairman of the Board of Directors of our company and Stifel Nicolaus since April 2001. Prior thereto, Mr. Kruszewski served as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Baird Financial Corporation and Managing Director of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, a securities broker-dealer firm, from 1993 to September 1997. Mr. Kruszewski has been a Director since September 1997.
Scott B. McCuaig has been Senior Vice President and President of the Private Client Group and Stifel Nicolaus and Director of Stifel Nicolaus since January 1998 and President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Stifel Nicolaus since August 2002. Prior thereto, Mr. McCuaig served as Managing Director, head of marketing, and regional sales manager of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated from June 1988 to January 1998. Mr. McCuaig has been a Director since April 2001.
James M. Zemlyak joined Stifel Nicolaus in February 1999. Mr. Zemlyak has been our Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors of Stifel Nicolaus since February 1999, Co-Chief Operating Officer of Stifel Nicolaus since August 2002, and Executive Vice President of Stifel Nicolaus since December 1, 2005. Mr. Zemlyak also served as Chief Financial Officer of Stifel Nicolaus from February 1999 to October 2006. Prior to joining our company, Mr. Zemlyak served as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Baird Financial Corporation from 1997 to 1999 and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated from 1994 to 1999.
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Richard J. Himelfarb has served as Senior Vice President and Director of our company and Executive Vice President, and Director of Stifel Nicolaus since December 2005. Mr. Himelfarb was designated Chairman of Investment Banking in July 2009. Prior to that, Mr. Himelfarb served as Executive Vice President and Director of Investment Banking from December 2005 through July 2009. Prior to joining our company, Mr. Himelfarb served as a director of Legg Mason, Inc. from November 1983 and Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc. from January 2005. Mr. Himelfarb was elected Executive Vice President of Legg Mason and Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc. in July 1995, having previously served as Senior Vice President from November 1983.
David M. Minnick has served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of our company and Stifel Nicolaus since October 2004. Prior thereto, Mr. Minnick served as Vice President and Counsel for A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. from August 2002 through October 2004, Senior Regional Attorney for NASD Regulation, Inc. from November 2000 through July 2002, as an attorney in private law practice from September 1998 through November 2000, and as General Counsel and Managing Director of Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. from October 1990 through August 1998.
Thomas P. Mulroy has served as Senior Vice President and Director of our company and Executive Vice President, and Director of Stifel Nicolaus since December 2005. Mr. Mulroy was named Co-Director of Capital Markets in July 2009. Prior to that, Mr. Mulroy served as Director of Equity Capital Markets from December 2005 through July 2009. Mr. Mulroy has responsibility for institutional equity sales, trading, and research. Prior to joining our company, Mr. Mulroy was elected Executive Vice President of Legg Mason, Inc. in July 2002 and of Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc. in November 2000. Mr. Mulroy became a Senior Vice President of Legg Mason, Inc. in July 2000 and Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc. in August 1998.
Victor J. Nesi has served as Executive Vice President, Director of Investment Banking and Co-Director of Capital Markets since July 2009. Mr. Nesi has served as Director of our company since August 2009. Mr. Nesi has responsibility for corporate finance investment banking activities and is Co-Director of our Capital Markets segment. Mr. Nesi has more than 20 years of banking and private equity experience, most recently with Merrill Lynch, where he headed the global private equity business for the telecommunications and media industry. From 2005 to 2007, he directed Merrill Lynch's investment banking group for the Americas region. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch in 1996, Mr. Nesi spent seven years as an investment banker at Salomon Brothers and Goldman Sachs.
Ben A. Plotkin has been a Vice-Chairman, Senior Vice President and Director of our company since August 2007 and an Executive Vice President of Stifel Nicolaus since February, 2007. Mr. Plotkin also served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ryan Beck & Company, Inc., from 1997 until its acquisition by our company in 2007. Mr. Plotkin was elected Executive Vice President of Ryan Beck in 1990. Mr. Plotkin became a Senior Vice President of Ryan Beck in 1989, and was appointed First Vice President of Ryan Beck in December of 1987. Mr. Plotkin joined Ryan Beck in May of 1987 as a Director and Vice President in the Investment Banking Division.
David D. Sliney has been a Senior Vice President of our company since May 2003. In 1997, Mr. Sliney began a Strategic Planning and Finance role with Stifel Nicolaus and has served as a Director of Stifel Nicolaus since May 2003. Mr. Sliney is also responsible for our company's Operations and Technology departments. Mr. Sliney joined Stifel Nicolaus in 1992, and between 1992 and 1995, Mr. Sliney worked as a fixed income trader and later assumed responsibility for the firm's Equity Syndicate Department.
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AVAILABLE INFORMATION
Our internet address is www.stifel.com. We make available, free of charge, through a link to the SEC web site, annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to reports filed or furnished pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as well as proxy statements, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC.
Additionally, we make available on our web site under "Investor Relations - Corporate Governance," and in print upon request of any shareholder to our Chief Financial Officer, a number of our corporate governance documents. These include: Executive Committee charter, Audit Committee charter, Compensation Committee charter, Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee charter, Corporate Governance Guidelines, Complaint Reporting Process, and the Code of Ethics for Employees. Within the time period required by the SEC and the NYSE, we will post on our web site any modifications to any of the available documents. The information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this report. Our Chief Financial Officer can be contacted at Stifel Financial Corp., One Financial Plaza, 501 N. Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102, telephone: (314) 342-2000.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
In addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully consider the following factors which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results of operations. Although the risks described below are those that management believes are the most significant, these are not the only risks facing our company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently do not deem to be material also may materially affect our business, financial condition or future results of operations. We may amend or supplement these risk factors from time to time in other reports we file with the SEC.
Our results of operations may be adversely affected by conditions in the global financial markets and economic downturn.
Our results of operations are materially affected by conditions in the financial markets and economic conditions generally, both in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Significant weaknesses and volatility in the credit markets stemming from difficulties in the U.S housing market spread to the broader financial market and lead to a decline in global economic growth that has resulted in a significant recession. Specifically, dramatic declines in U.S. housing market values, together with increasing foreclosures and unemployment, have resulted in significant write-downs of asset values by financial institutions, including government-sponsored entities, as well as major commercial and investment banks. These write-downs, which were initially associated with mortgaged-backed securities but which have substantially spread to credit default swaps and other derivative securities, in turn have caused many financial institutions to seek additional capital, to merge with larger and stronger institutions and, in some cases, to fail. Reflecting concern about the stability of the financial markets generally and the strength of counterparties, many lenders and institutional investors have ceased to provide funding to even the most credit-worthy borrowers. This market turmoil and tightening of credit have led to an increased level of commercial and consumer delinquencies, lack of consumer confidence, increased market volatility and widespread reduction of business activity generally.
The resulting economic pressures on consumers and businesses and the lack of confidence in the financial markets have adversely affected our business, financial condition and results of operations. Despite recent improvements in market conditions, a potential future decline in these conditions would likely exacerbate the adverse effects of these difficult market conditions on us and others in the financial services industry. It is difficult to predict how long these uncertain market and economic conditions and the accompanying recession will continue, whether the global credit crisis will cause market and economic conditions to continue to deteriorate, and which of our markets, products and businesses will continue to be adversely affected and to what degree. We may have impairment losses if events or changes in circumstances occur which may reduce the fair value of an asset below its carrying amount. As a result, these conditions could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we may be subject to increased regulatory scrutiny and litigation due to these issues and events.
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A significant portion of our revenue is derived from commissions, margin interest revenue, principal transactions, asset management and service fees, and investment banking fees. Accordingly, severe market fluctuations, weak economic conditions, a decline in stock prices, trading volumes, or liquidity could have an adverse affect on our profitability. Continued or further credit dislocations or sustained market downturns may result in a decrease in the volume of trades we execute for our clients, a decline in the value of securities we hold in inventory as assets, and reduced investment banking revenues. Poor economic conditions have adversely affected investor confidence, resulting in significant industry-wide declines in the size and number of underwritings and advisory transactions, which could continue to have an adverse effect on our revenues.
The fixed income markets are experiencing a period of extreme volatility which has negatively impacted market liquidity conditions. As a result, fixed income instruments are experiencing liquidity issues, increased price volatility, credit downgrades, and increased likelihood of default. In addition to being hard to dispose of, securities that are less liquid are also more difficult to value. Domestic and international equity markets have also been experiencing heightened volatility and turmoil, and as a result issuers that have exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets, including banks and broker-dealers, have been particularly affected. These events and the continuing market upheavals may have an adverse effect on us. In the event of a sustained market downturn, our results of operations could be adversely affected by those factors in many ways. Our revenues are likely to decline in such circumstances and, if we were unable to reduce expenses at the same pace, our profit margins would erode. Even in the absence of a sustained market downturn, we are exposed to substantial risk of loss due to market volatility.
In addition, declines in the market value of securities generally result in a decline in revenues from fees based on the asset values of client portfolios, in the failure of buyers and sellers of securities to fulfill their settlement obligations, and in the failure of our clients to fulfill their credit and settlement obligations. During market downturns, our counterparties may be less likely to complete transactions. Also, we permit our clients to purchase securities on margin. During periods of steep declines in securities prices, the value of the collateral securing client accounts' margin purchases may drop below the amount of the purchaser's indebtedness. If the clients are unable to provide additional collateral for these loans, we may lose money on these margin transactions. This may cause us to incur additional expenses defending or pursuing claims or litigation related to counterparty or client defaults.
In addition, in certain of the transactions we are required to post collateral to secure our obligations to the counterparties. In the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding involving such counterparties, we may experience delays in recovering our assets posted as collateral or may incur a loss to the extent that the counterparty was holding collateral in excess of our obligation to such counterparty. There is no assurance that any such losses would not materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Recent legislative and regulatory actions, and any such future actions, to address the current liquidity and credit crisis in the financial industry may significantly affect our financial condition, results of operation, liquidity or stock price.
Recent economic conditions, particularly in the financial markets, as well as the effect of the change of administration in the White House, have resulted in government regulatory agencies and political bodies placing increased focus on and scrutiny of the financial services industry. In addition to the U.S. Treasury Department's Capital Purchase Program (in which we have not participated), under the Troubled Asset Relief Program announced last fall and the new Capital Assistance Program announced in the spring (in which we have not participated), the U.S. Government has taken steps that include enhancing the liquidity support available to financial institutions, establishing a commercial paper funding facility, temporarily guaranteeing money market funds and certain types of debt issuances, and increasing insurance on bank deposits, and the U.S. Congress, through the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 have imposed a number of restrictions and limitations on the operations of financial services firms participating in the federal programs. Further, there is no assurance that these programs individually or collectively will have beneficial effects in the credit markets, will address credit or liquidity issues of companies that participate in the programs or will reduce volatility or uncertainty in the financial markets. The failure of these programs to have their intended effects could have a material adverse effect on the financial markets, which in turn could materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity.
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We anticipate new legislative and regulatory initiatives over the next several years, including many focused specifically on the financial services industry that could further substantially increase regulation of the financial services industry and impose restrictions on the operations and general ability of firms within the industry to conduct business consistent with historical practices. We cannot predict the substance or impact of pending or future legislation, regulation or the application thereof. Compliance with such current and potential regulation and scrutiny may significantly increase our costs, impede the efficiency of our internal business processes, require us to increase our regulatory capital, impact how we compensate and incent our associates and limit our ability to pursue business opportunities in an efficient manner.
Lack of sufficient liquidity or access to capital could impair our business and financial condition.
Liquidity is essential to our business. If we have insufficient liquid assets, we will be forced to curtail our operations, and our business will suffer. Our assets, consisting mainly of cash or assets readily convertible into cash, are our principle source of liquidity. These assets are financed primarily by our equity capital, debentures to trusts, client credit balances, short-term bank loans, proceeds from securities lending, customer deposits and other payables. We currently finance our client accounts and firm trading positions through ordinary course borrowings at floating interest rates from various banks on a demand basis and securities lending, with company-owned and client securities pledged as collateral. Changes in securities market volumes, related client borrowing demands, underwriting activity, and levels of securities inventory affect the amount of our financing requirements.
The capital and credit markets have been experiencing volatility and disruption since early 2008, and reached unprecedented levels during the first quarter of 2009. In some cases, the markets have produced downward pressure on stock prices and credit availability for certain issuers without regard to those issuers' underlying financial strength. Despite recent improvements in market conditions, if market disruption and volatility return to the unprecedented levels reached in early 2009 or worsen, there can be no assurance that we will not experience an adverse effect, which may be material to our business, financial condition and results of operations and affect our ability to access capital.
Our liquidity requirements may change in the event we need to raise more funds than anticipated to increase inventory positions, support more rapid expansion, develop new or enhanced services and products, acquire technologies, or respond to other unanticipated liquidity requirements. We rely exclusively on financing activities and distributions from our subsidiaries for funds to implement our business and growth strategies. Net capital rules or the borrowing arrangements of our subsidiaries, as well as the earnings, financial condition, and cash requirements of our subsidiaries, may each limit distributions to us from our subsidiaries.
In the event existing internal and external financial resources do not satisfy our needs, we may have to seek additional outside financing. The availability of outside financing will depend on a variety of factors, such as market conditions, the general availability of credit, the volume of trading activities, the overall availability of credit to the financial services industry, credit ratings, and credit capacity, as well as the possibility that lenders could develop a negative perception of our long-term or short-term financial prospects if we incurred large trading losses or if the level of our business activity decreased due to a market downturn or otherwise. We currently do not have a credit rating, which could adversely affect our liquidity and competitive position by increasing our borrowing costs and limiting access to sources of liquidity that require a credit rating as a condition to providing funds.
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Current trends in the global financial markets could cause significant fluctuations in our stock price.
Stock markets in general, and stock prices of financial services firms in particular, including us, have in recent years, and particularly in the latter part of 2008 continuing through the first quarter of 2009, experienced significant price and volume fluctuations. The market price of our common stock may continue to be subject to similar market fluctuations which may be unrelated to our operating performance or prospects, and increased volatility could result in an overall decline in the market price of our common stock. Factors that could significantly impact the volatility of our stock price include:
developments in our business or in the financial sector generally, including the effect of direct governmental action in the financial markets generally and with respect to financial institutions in particular;
regulatory changes affecting our operations;
the operating and securities price performance of companies that investors consider to be comparable to us;
announcements of strategic developments, acquisitions and other material events by us or our competitors; and
changes in global financial markets and global economies and general market conditions, such as interest or foreign exchange rates, stock, commodity or asset valuations or volatility.
Significant declines in the market price of our common stock or failure of the market price of our common stock to increase could harm our ability to recruit and retain key employees, including our executives and financial advisors and other key professional employees and those who have joined us from companies we have acquired, reduce our access to debt or equity capital and otherwise harm our business or financial condition. In addition, we may not be able to use our common stock effectively as consideration in connection with future acquisitions.
We face intense competition in our industry.
All aspects of our business and of the financial services industry in general are intensely competitive. We expect competition to continue and intensify in the future. Our business will suffer if we do not compete successfully. We compete on the basis of a number of factors, including the quality of our personnel, the quality and selection of our investment products and services, pricing (such as execution pricing and fee levels), and reputation. Because of market unrest and increased government intervention, the financial services industry has recently undergone significant consolidation, which has further concentrated equity capital and other financial resources in the industry and further increased competition. Many of our competitors use their significantly greater financial capital and scope of operations to offer their customers more products and services, broader research capabilities, access to international markets, and other products and services not currently offered by us.
We compete directly with national full-service broker-dealers, investment banking firms, and commercial banks and, to a lesser extent, with discount brokers and dealers and investment advisors. In addition, we face competition from new entrants into the market and increased use of alternative sales channels by other firms. Domestic commercial banks and investment banking boutique firms have entered the broker-dealer business, and large international banks have begun serving our markets as well. Legislative and regulatory initiatives intended to ease restrictions on the sale of securities and underwriting activities by commercial banks have increased competition. We also compete indirectly for investment assets with insurance companies, real estate firms, hedge funds and others. This increased competition could cause our business to suffer.
The industry of electronic and/or discount brokerage services is continuing to develop. Increased competition from firms using new technology to deliver these products and services may materially and adversely affect our operating results and financial position. Competitors offering internet-based or other electronic brokerage services may have lower costs and offer their customers more attractive pricing and more convenient services than we do. In addition, we anticipate additional competition from underwriters who conduct offerings of securities through electronic distribution channels, bypassing financial intermediaries such as us altogether. These and other competitive pressures may have an adverse affect on our competitive position and, as a result, our operations, financial condition and liquidity.
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Regulatory and legal developments could adversely affect our business and financial condition.
The financial services industry is subject to extensive regulation and broker-dealers and investment advisors are subject to regulations covering all aspects of the securities business. We could be subject to civil liability, criminal liability, or sanctions, including revocation of our subsidiaries' registrations as investment advisors or broker-dealers, revocation of the licenses of our financial advisors, censures, fines, or a temporary suspension or permanent bar from conducting business, if we violate such laws or regulations. Any such liability or sanction could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and prospects. Moreover, our independent contractor subsidiaries, CSA and SN Ltd give rise to a potentially higher risk of noncompliance because of the nature of the independent contractor relationships involved.
As a bank holding company, we are subject to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Stifel Bank is subject to regulation by the FDIC. As a result, we are subject to a risk of loss resulting from failure to comply with banking laws. The recent economic and political environment has caused regulators to increase their focus on the regulation of the financial services industry, including introducing proposals for new legislation. We are unable to predict whether any of these proposals will be implemented and in what form, or whether any additional or similar changes to statutes or regulations, including the interpretation or implementation thereof, will occur in the future. Any such action could affect us in substantial and unpredictable ways and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We also may be adversely affected as a result of changes in federal, state or foreign tax laws, or by changes in the interpretation or enforcement of existing laws and regulations. For additional information regarding our regulatory environment and our approach to managing regulatory risk, see Item 1 "Business - Regulation" and Item 7A "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk."
Our company and its subsidiaries are named in and subject to various proceedings and claims arising primarily from our securities business activities, including lawsuits, arbitration claims, class actions, and regulatory matters. Some of these claims seek substantial compensatory, punitive, or indeterminate damages. Our company and its subsidiaries are also involved in other reviews, investigations and proceedings by governmental and self-regulatory organizations regarding our business which may result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, injunctions and other relief.
The regulatory investigations include inquiries from the SEC, FINRA and several state regulatory authorities requesting information concerning our activities with respect to auction rate securities ("ARS") and in connection with certain investments made by other post-employment benefit ("OPEB") trusts formed by five Southwestern Wisconsin school districts.
In turbulent economic times such as these, the volume of claims and amount of damages sought in litigation and regulatory proceedings against financial institutions has historically increased. These risks include potential liability under securities and other laws for alleged materially false or misleading statements made in connection with securities offerings and other transactions, issues related to the suitability of our investment advice based on our clients' investment objectives, and potential liability for other advice we provide to participants in strategic transactions. Legal actions brought against us may result in judgments, settlements, fines, penalties or other results, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations, or cause us serious reputational harm.
For a discussion of our legal matters, including ARS and OPEB litigation, and our approach to managing legal risk, see Item 3, "Legal Proceedings" and Item 7A, "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk."
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Failure to comply with regulatory capital requirements would significantly harm our business.
The SEC requires broker-dealers to maintain adequate regulatory capital in relation to their liabilities and the size of their customer business. These rules require Stifel Nicolaus and CSA, our broker-dealer subsidiaries, to maintain a substantial portion of their assets in cash or highly liquid investments. Failure to maintain the required net capital may subject our broker-dealer subsidiaries to limitations on their activities, or in extreme cases, suspension or revocation of their registration by the SEC and suspension or expulsion by FINRA and other regulatory bodies, and, ultimately, liquidation. Our international subsidiary, SN Ltd, is subject to similar limitations under applicable laws in the United Kingdom. Failure to comply with the net capital rules could have material and adverse consequences, such as:
In addition, a change in the net capital rules or the imposition of new rules affecting the scope, coverage, calculation, or amount of net capital requirements, or a significant operating loss or any large charge against net capital, could have similar adverse effects. In addition, as a bank holding company, we and our bank subsidiary are subject to various regulatory requirements administered by the federal banking agencies, including capital adequacy requirements pursuant to which we and our bank subsidiary must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. See Item 1 "Business - Regulation" for additional information regarding our regulatory environment.
We have experienced significant pricing pressure in areas of our business, which may impair our revenues and profitability.
In recent years, our business has experienced significant pricing pressures on trading margins and commissions in fixed income and equity trading. In the fixed income market, regulatory requirements have resulted in greater price transparency, leading to increased price competition and decreased trading margins. In the equity market, we have experienced increased pricing pressure from institutional clients to reduce commissions, and this pressure has been augmented by the increased use of electronic and direct market access trading, which has created additional competitive downward pressure on trading margins. The trend towards using alternative trading systems is continuing to grow, which may result in decreased commission and trading revenue, reduce our participation in the trading markets and our ability to access market information, and lead to the creation of new and stronger competitors. Institutional clients also have pressured financial services firms to alter "soft dollar" practices under which brokerage firms bundle the cost of trade execution with research products and services. Some institutions are entering into arrangements that separate (or "unbundle") payments for research products or services from sales commissions. These arrangements have increased the competitive pressures on sales commissions and have affected the value our clients place on high-quality research. Additional pressure on sales and trading revenue may impair the profitability of our business. Moreover, our inability to reach agreement regarding the terms of unbundling arrangements with institutional clients who are actively seeking such arrangements could result in the loss of those clients, which would likely reduce our institutional commissions. We believe that price competition and pricing pressures in these and other areas will continue as institutional investors continue to reduce the amounts they are willing to pay, including by reducing the number of brokerage firms they use, and some of our competitors seek to obtain market share by reducing fees, commissions or margins.
Our underwriting and market-making activities place our capital at risk.
We may incur losses and be subject to reputational harm to the extent that, for any reason, we are unable to sell securities we purchased as an underwriter at the anticipated price levels. As an underwriter, we also are subject to heightened standards regarding liability for material misstatements or omissions in prospectuses and other offering documents relating to offerings we underwrite. As a market maker, we may own large positions in specific securities, and these undiversified holdings concentrate the risk of market fluctuations and may result in greater losses than would be the case if our holdings were more diversified.
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Our ability to attract, develop and retain highly skilled and productive employees is critical to the success of our business.
Our people are our most valuable asset. Our ability to develop and retain our client base and to obtain investment banking and advisory engagements depends upon the reputation, judgment, business generation capabilities and project execution skills of highly skilled and often highly specialized employees, including our executive officers. The unexpected loss of services of any of these key employees and executive officers, or the inability to recruit and retain highly qualified personnel in the future, could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Financial advisors typically take their clients with them when they leave us to work for a competitor. From time to time, in addition to financial advisors, we have lost equity research, investment banking, public finance, institutional sales and trading professionals, and in some cases, clients, to our competitors.
Competition for personnel within the financial services industry is intense. The cost of retaining skilled professionals in the financial services industry has escalated considerably, as competition for these professionals has intensified. Employers in the industry are increasingly offering guaranteed contracts, upfront payments, and increased compensation. These can be important factors in a current employee's decision to leave us as well as a prospective employee's decision to join us. As competition for skilled professionals in the industry increases, we may have to devote more significant resources to attracting and retaining qualified personnel. In particular, our financial results may be adversely affected by the amortization costs incurred by us in connection with the upfront loans we offer to financial advisors.
Moreover, companies in our industry whose employees accept positions with competitors frequently claim that those competitors have engaged in unfair hiring practices. We are currently subject to several such claims and may be subject to additional claims in the future as we seek to hire qualified personnel, some of whom may currently be working for our competitors. Some of these claims may result in material litigation. We could incur substantial costs in defending ourselves against these claims, regardless of their merits. Such claims could also discourage potential employees who currently work for our competitors from joining us.
We may recruit financial advisors, make strategic acquisitions of businesses, or divest or exit existing businesses, which could cause us to incur unforeseen expenses and have disruptive effects on our business and may strain our resources.
Our growth strategies have included, and will continue to include, the recruitment of financial advisors and strategic acquisitions. Since December 2005, we have completed six acquisitions: LM Capital Markets in 2005, the private client business of MJSK in 2006, Ryan Beck and First Service in 2007, Butler Wick in 2008 and certain branches from the UBS Wealth Management Americas branch network in 2009. These acquisitions or any acquisition that we determine to pursue will be accompanied by a number of risks. The growth of our business and expansion of our client base has strained, and may continue to strain, our management and administrative resources. Costs or difficulties relating to such transactions, including integration of financial advisors, and other employees, products and services, technology systems, accounting systems and management controls, may be greater than expected. Unless offset by a growth of revenues, the costs associated with these investments will reduce our operating margins. In addition, because, as noted above, financial professionals typically take their clients with them when they leave, if key employees or other senior management personnel of the businesses we have acquired determine that they do not wish to remain with our company over the long term or at all, we would not inherit portions of the client base of those businesses, which would reduce the value of those acquisitions to us.
In addition to past growth, we cannot assure investors that we will be able to manage our future growth successfully. The inability to do so could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. After we announce or complete any given acquisition in the future, our share price could decline if investors view the transaction as too costly or unlikely to improve our competitive position. We may be unable to retain key personnel after any such transaction, and the transaction may impair relationships with customers and business partners. These difficulties could disrupt our ongoing business, increase our expenses and adversely affect our operating results and financial condition. In addition, we may be unable to achieve anticipated benefits and synergies from any such transaction as fully as expected or within the expected time frame. Divestitures or elimination of existing businesses or products could have similar effects.
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Moreover, to the extent we pursue increased expansion to different geographic markets or grow generally through additional strategic acquisitions, we cannot assure you that we will identify suitable acquisition candidates, that acquisitions will be completed on acceptable terms or that we will be able to successfully integrate the operations of any acquired business into our existing business. Such acquisitions could be of significant size and involve firms located in regions of the United States where we do not currently operate, or internationally. To acquire and integrate a separate organization would further divert management attention from other business activities. This diversion, together with other difficulties we may encounter in integrating an acquired business, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we may need to borrow money to finance acquisitions, which would increase our leverage. Such funds might not be available on terms as favorable to us as our current borrowing terms or at all.
The rapid growth of Stifel Bank may expose us to increased operational risk, credit risk and sensitivity to market interest rates along with increased regulation, examinations and supervision by regulators.
We have experienced rapid growth in the balance sheet of Stifel Bank. The increase is primarily attributable to the growth in securities-based loans and deposits as a result of the UBS acquisition. Although our stock-secured loans are collateralized by assets held in brokerage accounts, we are exposed to some credit and operational risk associated with these loans. We describe some of the integration related operational risks associated with our recent acquisitions above, which includes many of the same risks related to the growth of Stifel Bank. With the increase in deposits, and resulting liquidity, we have been able to expand our investment portfolio, primarily with government agency securities In addition, Stifel Bank has significantly grown its mortgage banking business. Although we believe we have adequate underwriting policies in place, there are inherent risks associated with the mortgage banking business. For further discussion of our segments, including our Stifel Bank reporting unit, see Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Segment Analysis."
As a result of the high percentage of our assets and liabilities that are in the form of interest-bearing or interest-related instruments, we are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, in the shape of the yield curve or in relative spreads between market interest rates.
The monetary, tax and other policies of the government and its agencies, including the Federal Reserve, have a significant impact on interest rates and overall financial market performance. An important function of the Federal Reserve is to regulate the national supply of bank credit and market interest rates. The actions of the Federal Reserve influence the rates of interest that we charge on loans and that we pay on borrowings and interest-bearing deposits, which may also affect the value of our on-balance sheet and off-balance sheet financial instruments. We cannot predict the nature or timing of future changes in monetary, tax and other policies or the effect that they may have on our activities and results of operations.
In addition, Stifel Bank is heavily regulated at the state and federal level. This regulation is to protect depositors, federal deposit insurance funds, consumers and the banking system as a whole, not our stockholders. Federal and state regulations can significantly restrict our businesses, and we are subject to various regulatory actions which could include fines, penalties or other sanctions for violations of laws and regulatory rules if we are ultimately found to be out of compliance.
Our risk management policies and procedures may leave us exposed to unidentified or unanticipated risk.
We seek to manage, monitor and control our operational, legal and regulatory risk through operational and compliance reporting systems, internal controls, management review processes and other mechanisms; however, there can be no assurance that our procedures will be fully effective. Further, our risk management methods are based on an evaluation of information regarding markets, clients and other matters that are based on assumptions that may no longer be accurate. In addition, we have undergone significant growth in recent years. A failure to adequately manage our growth, or to effectively manage our risk, could materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition. We must also address potential conflicts of interest that arise in our business. We have procedures and controls in place to address conflicts of interest, but identifying and managing potential conflicts of interest can be complex and difficult and our reputation could be damaged if we fail, or appear to fail, to deal appropriately with conflicts of interest. See Item 7A, "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk" for more information on how we monitor and manage market and certain other risks.
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We continually encounter technological change, and we may have fewer resources than many of our competitors to continue to invest in technological improvements, which are important to attract and retain financial advisors.
We rely extensively on electronic data processing and communications systems. Adapting or developing our technology systems to meet new regulatory requirements, client needs and industry demands is critical for our business. Introduction of new technologies present new challenges on a regular basis. In addition to better serving our clients, the effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables our company to reduce costs. Our future success will depend in part upon our ability to successfully maintain and upgrade our systems and our ability to address the needs of our clients by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy their demands for convenience, as well as to create additional efficiencies in our operations. Many of our competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements. We cannot assure you that we will be able to effectively upgrade our systems, implement new technology-driven products and services or be successful in marketing these products and services to our clients.
Our operations and infrastructure and those of the service providers upon which we rely may malfunction or fail.
Our business is highly dependent on our ability to process, on a daily basis, a large number of transactions across diverse markets, and the transactions we process have become increasingly complex. The inability of our systems to accommodate an increasing volume of transactions could also constrain our ability to expand our businesses. If any of these systems do not operate properly or are disabled, or if there are other shortcomings or failures in our internal processes, people or systems, we could suffer impairments, financial loss, a disruption of our businesses, liability to clients, regulatory intervention or reputational damage.
We have outsourced certain aspects of our technology infrastructure, including trade processing, data centers, disaster recovery systems, and wide area networks, as well as market data servers, which constantly broadcast news, quotes, analytics, and other important information to the desktop computers of our financial advisors. We contract with other vendors to produce, batch, and mail our confirmations and customer reports. We are dependent on our technology providers to manage and monitor those functions. A disruption of any of the outsourced services would be out of our control and could negatively impact our business. We have experienced disruptions on occasion, none of which has been material to our operations and results. However, there can be no guarantee that future disruptions with these providers will not occur.
We also face the risk of operational failure, termination or capacity constraints of any of the clearing agents, exchanges, clearing houses or other financial intermediaries we use to facilitate our securities transactions. Any such failure or termination could adversely affect our ability to effect transactions and to manage our exposure to risk.
Our operations also rely on the secure processing, storage and transmission of confidential and other information in our computer systems and networks. Although we take protective measures and endeavor to modify them as circumstances warrant, our computer systems, software and networks may be vulnerable to unauthorized access, computer viruses or other malicious code and other events that could have a security impact. If one or more of such events occur, this could jeopardize our or our clients' or counterparties' confidential and other information processed, stored in and transmitted through our computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in our, our clients', our counterparties' or third parties' operations which could result in significant losses or reputational damage. We may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify our protective measures, to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures or to make required notifications, and we may be subject to litigation and financial losses that are either not insured or not fully covered through any insurance maintained by us.
22
We may suffer losses if our reputation is harmed.
Our ability to attract and retain customers and employees may be adversely affected to the extent our reputation is damaged. If we fail to deal with, or appear to fail to deal with, various issues that may give rise to reputational risk, we could harm our business prospects. These issues include, but are not limited to, appropriately dealing with potential conflicts of interest, legal and regulatory requirements, ethical issues, money-laundering, privacy, record-keeping, sales and trading practices, and the proper identification of the legal, reputational, credit, liquidity and market risks inherent in our products. Failure to appropriately address these issues could also give rise to additional legal risk to us, which could, in turn, increase the size and number of claims and damages asserted against us or subject us to regulatory enforcement actions, fines, and penalties.
Our current stockholders may experience dilution in their holdings if we issue additional shares of common stock as a result of future offerings or acquisitions where we use our common stock.
As part of our business strategy, we may continue to seek opportunities for growth through strategic acquisitions, in which we may consider issuing equity securities as part of the consideration. Additionally, we may obtain additional capital through the public or private sale of equity securities. If we sell equity securities, the value of our common stock could experience dilution. Furthermore, these securities could have rights, preferences and privileges more favorable than those of the common stock. Moreover, if we issue additional shares of common stock in connection with future acquisitions or as a result of a financing, investors ownership interest in our company will be diluted.
The issuance of any additional shares of common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock or that represent the right to receive common stock, or the exercise of such securities, could be substantially dilutive to stockholders of our common stock. Holders of our shares of common stock have no preemptive rights that entitle holders to purchase their pro rata share of any offering of shares of any class or series and, therefore, such sales or offerings could result in increased dilution to our stockholders. The market price of our common stock could decline as a result of sales of shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock.
We are subject to an increased risk of legal proceedings, which may result in significant losses to us that we cannot recover. Claimants in these proceedings may be customers, employees, or regulatory agencies, among others, seeking damages for mistakes, errors, negligence or acts of fraud by our employees.
Many aspects of our business subject us to substantial risks of potential liability to customers and to regulatory enforcement proceedings by state and federal regulators. Participants in the financial services industry face an increasing amount of litigation and arbitration proceedings. Dissatisfied clients regularly make claims against broker-dealers and their employees for, among others, negligence, fraud, unauthorized trading, suitability, churning, failure to supervise, breach of fiduciary duty, employee errors, intentional misconduct, unauthorized transactions by financial advisors or traders, improper recruiting activity, and failures in the processing of securities transactions. These types of claims expose us to the risk of significant loss. Acts of fraud are difficult to detect and deter, and while we believe our supervisory procedures are reasonably designed to detect and prevent violations of applicable laws, rules and regulations, we cannot assure investors that our risk management procedures and controls will prevent losses from fraudulent activity. In our role as underwriter and selling agent, we may be liable if there are material misstatements or omissions of material information in prospectuses and other communications regarding underwritten offerings of securities. At any point in time, the aggregate amount of existing claims against us could be material. While we do not expect the outcome of any existing claims against us to have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, or results of operations, we cannot assure you that these types of proceedings will not materially and adversely affect our company. We do not carry insurance that would cover payments regarding these liabilities, with the exception of fidelity coverage with respect to certain fraudulent acts of our employees. In addition, our by-laws provide for the indemnification of our officers, directors, and employees to the maximum extent permitted under Delaware law. In the future, we may be the subject of indemnification assertions under these documents by our officers, directors or employees who have or may become defendants in litigation. These claims for indemnification may subject us to substantial risks of potential liability. For a discussion of our legal matters (including ARS and OPBE litigation) and our approach to managing legal risk, see Item 3, "Legal Proceedings."
23
In addition to the foregoing financial costs and risks associated with potential liability, the costs of defending litigation and claims has increased over the last several years. The amount of outside attorneys' fees incurred in connection with the defense of litigation and claims could be substantial and might materially and adversely affect our results of operations as such fees occur. Securities class action litigation in particular is highly complex and can extend for a protracted period of time, thereby substantially increasing the costs incurred to resolve this litigation.
Misconduct by our employees or by the employees of our business partners could harm us and is difficult to detect and prevent.
There have been a number of highly publicized cases involving fraud or other misconduct by employees in the financial services industry in recent years, and we run the risk that employee misconduct could occur at our company. For example, misconduct could involve the improper use or disclosure of confidential information, which could result in regulatory sanctions and serious reputational or financial harm. It is not always possible to deter misconduct and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in all cases. Our ability to detect and prevent misconduct by entities with which we do business may be even more limited. We may suffer reputational harm for any misconduct by our employees or those entities with which we do business.
Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and of Delaware law may prevent or delay an acquisition of our company, which could decrease the market value of our common stock.
Our articles of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law contain provisions that are intended to deter abusive takeover tactics by making them unacceptably expensive to prospective acquirors and to encourage prospective acquirors to negotiate with our board of directors rather than to attempt a hostile takeover. These provisions include giving the board of directors authority to issue, without further action or approval of the stockholders, additional shares of common stock to the public, thereby increasing the number of shares that would have to be acquired to effect a change in control of our company. Delaware law also imposes some restrictions on mergers and other business combinations between us and any holder of 15% or more of our outstanding common stock. We believe these provisions protect our stockholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics by requiring potential acquirors to negotiate with our board of directors and by providing our board of directors with more time to assess any acquisition proposal. These provisions are not intended to make our company immune from takeovers. However, these provisions apply even if the offer may be considered beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our board of directors determines is not in the best interests of our company and our stockholders.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.24
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
The following table sets forth the location, approximate square footage and use of each of the principal properties used by our company during the year ended December 31, 2009. On December 30, 2009, Stifel Bank entered into a Branch Purchase and Assumption Agreement providing for the sale of a branch office. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and certain closing conditions, is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2010. See Note 4 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further information regarding our sale of the branch office. We lease or sublease all of these properties with the exception of the Stifel Bank branch, where we own the building and lease the land. All properties are leased under operating leases. Such leases expire at various times through 2020, with the exception of the land lease, which with the exercise of an existing option expires in 2014. The annual base rent expense (including operating expenses, property taxes and assessments, as applicable) for all facilities is currently $43.5 million and is subject to annual adjustments as well as changes in interest rates.
Location
Approximate Square Footage
Use
One Financial Plaza
501 North Broadway
St. Louis,
Missouri 63102
127,000
Headquarters and administrative offices of Stifel Nicolaus and Global Wealth Management operations (including CSA).
One South Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
76,000
Capital Markets operations and Administrative offices.
237 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10017
60,000
Global Wealth Management and Capital Markets operations.
18 Columbia Turnpike Florham Park, New Jersey 07932
50,000
Global Wealth Management and Capital Markets operations.
We also maintain operations in 294 branch offices in various locations throughout the United States and in certain foreign countries, primarily for our broker-dealer business. Our Global Wealth Management segment leases 272 offices which are primarily concentrated in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions with a growing presence in the Northeast, Southeast and Western United States. Our Capital Markets segment leases 20 offices in the United States and certain foreign locations. In addition, Stifel Bank leases two locations in the St. Louis area for its administrative offices and branch operations. We believe that, at the present time, the facilities are suitable and adequate to meet our needs and that such facilities have sufficient productive capacity and are appropriately utilized.
Leases for the branch offices of CSA, our independent contractor firm, are the responsibility of the respective independent financial advisors. The Geneva and Madrid Capital Markets branch offices are the responsibility of the respective consultancies associated with SN Ltd.
See Note 18 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further information regarding our lease obligations.
25
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Our company and its subsidiaries are named in and subject to various proceedings and claims arising primarily from our securities business activities, including lawsuits, arbitration claims, class actions, and regulatory matters. Some of these claims seek substantial compensatory, punitive, or indeterminate damages. Our company and its subsidiaries are also involved in other reviews, investigations and proceedings by governmental and self-regulatory organizations regarding our business, which may result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, injunctions and other relief. We are contesting the allegations in these claims, and we believe that there are meritorious defenses in each of these lawsuits, arbitrations and regulatory investigations. In view of the number and diversity of claims against the company, the number of jurisdictions in which litigation is pending and the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of litigation and other claims, we cannot state with certainty what the eventual outcome of pending litigation or other claims will be. In our opinion, based on currently available information, review with outside legal counsel, and consideration of amounts provided for in our consolidated financial statements with respect to these matters, the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse impact on our financial position. However, resolution of one or more of these matters may have a material effect on the results of operations in any future period, depending upon the ultimate resolution of those matters and depending upon the level of income for such period.
The regulatory investigations include inquiries from the SEC, FINRA and several state regulatory authorities requesting information concerning our activities with respect to auction rate securities ("ARS"), and inquiries from the SEC and a state regulatory authority requesting information relating to our role in investments made by five Southeastern Wisconsin school districts (the "school districts") in transactions involving collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"). We intend to cooperate fully with the SEC, FINRA and the several states in these investigations.
On or about December 28, 2009, an agreement in principle was reached between the State of Missouri, the State of Indiana, the State of Colorado and with an association of other State securities regulatory authorities related to previously disclosed ARS matters. The agreement provided, among other things: for the dismissal with prejudice of all actions filed against Stifel Nicolaus and its agents; for the modification of the previously disclosed ARS repurchase offer; for the payment of: five hundred and twenty five thousand dollars for fines and penalties to state securities regulatory authorities; two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the State of Missouri for costs, expenses and other payments; twenty five thousand dollars to the State of Indiana for costs of investigation; for the retention of an outside consultant not unacceptable to the Missouri and Indiana Securities Commissioners concerning Stifel Nicolaus' Supervisory Policies and Procedures regarding certain types of investment products; and, subject to applicable regulatory requirements and limitations, for Stifel Nicolaus to cooperate with its bank affiliate to use its best efforts to make no net cost loans to Eligible ARS investors, provided such investors have a demonstrated need for liquidity.
As part of the modified ARS repurchase offer we have accelerated the previously disclosed repurchase plan. The second repurchase from Eligible ARS investors of the greater of 10% or twenty five thousand dollars of Eligible ARS, originally planned for June 30, 2010, was completed in January 2010. We will follow up with similar repurchases in December 2010 and December 2011. The accelerated plan exceeds the initial target date for completing the voluntary repurchase program - June 2012 - by six months. A supplemental repurchase will be made of any Eligible ARS remaining after the one in December 2010 for Eligible ARS investors who held ARS totaling one hundred and fifty thousand dollars or less as of January 1, 2009.
We are named in a civil lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (the "Missouri Federal Court") on August 8, 2008 seeking class action status for investors who purchased and continue to hold ARS offered for sale between June 11, 2003 and February 13, 2008, the date when most auctions began to fail and the auction market froze, which alleges misrepresentation about the investment characteristics of ARS and the auction markets (the "ARS Class Action"). We believe that, based upon currently available information and review with outside counsel, we have meritorious defenses to this lawsuit, and intend to vigorously defend all claims asserted therein. Furthermore, approximately 97% of the Eligible ARS investors have agreed to participate in the ARS repurchase offer.
26
We are also named in a civil lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (the "Wisconsin State Court") on September 29, 2008. The lawsuit has been filed against our company and Stifel Nicolaus, Royal Bank of Canada Europe Ltd. ("RBC") and certain other RBC entities (collectively the "Defendants") by the school districts and the individual trustees for other post-employment benefit ("OPEB") trusts established by those school districts (the "Plaintiffs"). The suit was removed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (the "Wisconsin Federal Court") on October 31, 2008, which remanded the case to the Wisconsin State Court on April 10, 2009.
The suit arises out of the purchase of certain CDOs by the OPEB trusts. The RBC entities structured and served as "arranger" for the CDOs. We served as placement agent/broker in connection with the OPEB trusts' purchase of the investments. The total amount of the investments made by the OPEB trusts was $200.0 million. Plaintiffs assert that the school districts contributed $37.5 million to the OPEB trusts to purchase the investments. The balance of $162.5 million used to purchase the investments was borrowed by the OPEB trusts from Depfa Bank. The recourse of the lender is each of the OPEB trusts' respective assets and the moral obligations of each school district. The legal claims asserted include violation of the Wisconsin Securities Act, fraud and negligence. The lawsuit seeks equitable relief, unspecified compensatory damages, treble damages, punitive damages and attorney's fees and costs. The Plaintiffs claim that the RBC entities and our company either made misrepresentations or failed to disclose material facts in connection with the sale of the CDOs in violation of the Wisconsin Securities Act. We believe the Plaintiffs reviewed and understood the relevant offering materials and that the investments were suitable based upon, among other things, our receipt of written acknowledgement of risks from each of the Plaintiffs. The Wisconsin State Court recently denied the Defendants' motions to dismiss, and the Defendants will formally respond to the allegations of the Second Amended Complaint. We believe, based upon currently available information and review with outside counsel, that we have meritorious defenses to this lawsuit, and intend to vigorously defend all of the Plaintiffs' claims.
ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the quarter ended December 31, 2009.
27
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and Chicago Stock Exchange under the symbol "SF." The closing sale price of our common stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on February 1, 2010 was $52.88 As of that date; our common stock was held by approximately 10,000 shareholders. The following table sets forth for the periods indicated the high and low trades for our common stock (as adjusted for the three-for-two stock split in June 2008):
2009
2008
High
Low
High
Low
First quarter
$
48.41
$
29.13
$
35.02
$
24.67
Second quarter
$
52.33
$
41.00
$
39.71
$
28.12
Third quarter
$
57.23
$
43.43
$
60.61
$
31.56
Fourth quarter
$
59.54
$
50.76
$
50.00
$
30.42
We did not pay cash dividends during 2009 or 2008 and do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our common stock is subject to several factors including operating results, financial requirements of our company, and the availability of funds from our subsidiaries. See Note 20 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for more information on the capital restrictions placed on Stifel Bank and our broker-dealer subsidiaries.
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
Information about securities authorized for issuance under our equity compensation plans is contained in Item 12 - "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters."
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
There were no unregistered sales of equity securities during the quarter ended December 31, 2009. There were also no purchases made by or on behalf of Stifel Financial Corp. or any "affiliated purchaser" (as defined in Rule 10b-18(a)(3) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), of our common stock during the quarter ended December 31, 2009.
We have an ongoing authorization, as amended, from the Board of Directors to repurchase our common stock in the open market or in negotiated transactions. In May 2005, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of an additional 3,000,000 shares, for a total authorization to repurchase up to 4,500,000 shares. At December 31, 2009, the maximum number of shares that may yet be purchased under this plan was 2,010,831.
28
Stock Performance Graph
Five-Year Shareholder Return Comparison
The graph below compares the cumulative stockholder return on our common stock with the cumulative total return of a Peer Group Index, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ("S&P 500") and the Securities Broker-Dealer Index for the five fiscal year period ending December 31, 2009. The AMEX Securities Broker-Dealer Index consists of twelve firms in the brokerage sector. The Broker-Dealer Index does not include our company. The stock price information shown on the graph below is not necessarily indicative of future price performance.
The material in this report is not deemed "filed" with the SEC and is not to be incorporated by reference into any of our filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any such filings.
29
The following table and graph assume that $100.00 was invested on December 31, 2004 in our common stock, the Peer Group Index, the S&P 500 Index and the AMEX Securities Broker-Dealer Index, with reinvestment of dividends.
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Stifel Financial Corp.
$
179
$
187
$
251
$
328
$
424
Peer Group
$
110
$
149
$
150
$
103
$
138
S&P 500 Index
$
105
$
122
$
128
$
81
$
102
AMEX Securities Broker/Dealer Index
$
129
$
158
$
136
$
51
$
75
* Compound annual growth rate.
The Peer Group Index consists of the following companies that serve the same markets as us and which compete with us in one or more markets:
Oppenheimer Holdings, Inc.
SWS Group, Inc.
Sanders Morris Harris Group Inc.
Stifel Financial Corp.
Raymond James Financial, Inc.
Piper Jaffray Companies
30
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
The following selected consolidated financial data (presented in thousands, except per share amounts) is derived from our consolidated financial statements. This data should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto, and with Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."
Year Ended December 31,
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
Revenues:
Principal transactions
$
458,188
$
293,285
$
139,248
$
86,365
$
44,110
Commissions
345,520
341,090
315,514
199,056
107,976
Investment banking
125,807
83,710
169,413
82,856
55,893
Asset management and service fees
112,706
119,926
101,610
57,713
43,476
Interest
46,860
50,148
59,071
35,804
18,022
Other income
13,789
688
8,234
9,594
533
Total revenues
1,102,870
888,847
793,090
471,388
270,010
Interest expense
12,234
18,510
30,025
19,581
6,275
Net revenues
1,090,636
870,337
763,065
451,807
263,735
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits
718,115
582,778
543,021
329,703
174,765
Occupancy and equipment rental
89,741
67,984
57,796
30,751
22,625
Communications and office supplies
54,745
45,621
42,355
26,666
12,087
Commissions and floor brokerage
23,416
13,287
9,921
6,388
4,134
Other operating expenses
84,205
68,898
56,126
31,930
17,402
Total non-interest expenses
970,222
778,568
709,219
425,438
231,013
Income before income tax expense
120,414
91,769
53,846
26,369
32,722
Provision for income taxes
44,616
36,267
21,676
10,938
13,078
Net income
$
75,798
$
55,502
$
32,170
$
15,431
$
19,644
Earnings per common share:
Basic
$
2.68
$
2.31
$
1.48
$
0.89
$
1.33
Diluted
$
2.35
$
1.98
$
1.25
$
0.74
$
1.04
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic
28,297
24,069
21,754
17,269
14,742
Diluted
32,294
28,073
25,723
20,863
18,879
Financial Condition
Total assets
$
3,167,356
$
1,558,145
$
1,499,440
$
1,084,774
$
842,001
Long-term obligations
$
101,979
$
106,860
$
124,242
$
98,379
$
97,182
Shareholders' equity
$
873,446
$
593,185
$
424,637
$
220,265
$
155,093
31
On May 12, 2008, our Board of Directors approved a 50% stock dividend, in the form of a three-for-two stock split, of our common stock payable on June 12, 2008 to stockholders of record as of May 29, 2008. Per share data, for all periods presented, have been adjusted to give effect to this stock split.
The following items should be considered when comparing the data from year-to-year: 1) the continued expansion of our Private Client Group, including the acquisition of MJSK in December 2006; 2) the acquisition of Ryan Beck in February 2007; 3) the acquisition of FirstService Bank in April 2007; 4) the acquisition of Butler Wick on December 31, 2008 and 5) the acquisition of 56 UBS branches during the third and fourth quarters of 2009. See Item 7. "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," made part hereof, for a discussion of these items and other items that may affect the comparability of data from year-to-year.
Net income and earnings per share for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006 includes the impact of the adoption of accounting guidance related to the share-based payments for our incentive stock plans. The stock-based compensation charges recorded in "Compensation and benefits" as a result of the adoption were not present in 2005. See Note 21 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding employee incentive plans.
32
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion of the financial condition and results of operations of our company should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009.
Unless otherwise indicated, the terms "we," "us," "our" or "our company" in this report refer to Stifel Financial Corp. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries.
Executive Summary
We operate as a financial services and bank holding company. Through our broker-dealer subsidiaries located throughout the United States, we provide securities brokerage services, including the sale of equities, mutual funds, fixed income products, and insurance, as well as offering banking products to their private clients through Stifel Bank, which provides residential, consumer, and commercial lending, as well as FDIC-insured deposit accounts to customers of our broker-dealer subsidiaries and to the general public. In addition, we provide securities brokerage, trading, and research services to institutions with an emphasis on the sale of equity and fixed income products. We also manage and participate in underwritings for both corporate and public finance, merger and acquisition, and financial advisory services.
We plan to maintain our focus on revenue growth with a continued focus on developing quality relationships with our clients. Within our private client business, our efforts will be focused on recruiting experienced financial advisors with established client relationships. Within our capital markets business, our focus continues to be on providing quality client management and product diversification. In executing our growth strategy, we will continue to look for opportunities to take advantage of the consolidation among middle-market firms, which we believe provides us opportunities in our private client and capital markets businesses.
Our ability to attract and retain highly skilled and productive employees is critical to the success of our business. Accordingly, compensation and benefits comprise the largest component of our expenses, and our performance is dependent upon our ability to attract, develop and retain highly skilled employees who are motivated and committed to providing the highest quality of service and guidance to our clients.
On March 23, 2009, we announced that Stifel Nicolaus had entered into a definitive agreement with UBS Financial Services Inc. ("UBS") to acquire certain specified branches from the UBS Wealth Management Americas branch network. As subsequently amended, we agreed to acquire 56 branches from UBS in four separate closings pursuant to this agreement. We completed the acquisition on October 16, 2009.
As a result of the acquisition, Stifel Nicolaus hired 495 financial advisors and support staff in these branches and successfully converted approximately 144,000 accounts with approximately $16.2 billion in customer assets, including related securities-based and margin loans of $207.4 million and $1.7 billion in money market accounts and FDIC-insured balances to the Stifel Nicolaus platform.
Our overall financial results continue to be highly and directly correlated to the direction and activity levels of the United States equity and fixed income markets, our expansion of the Capital Markets segment, and the continued expansion of our Global Wealth Management segment. Despite the significant volatility in the market during the first half of 2009, we began to see signs of improvement in the capital markets during the third and fourth quarters of 2009. At December 31, 2009, the key indicators of the markets' performance, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the NASDAQ, and the S&P 500 closed 18.8%, 43.9%, and 23.5%, respectively, higher than their December 31, 2008 closing prices. Since December 31, 2008, we have added 99 private client group offices and 645 financial advisors, including 56 offices and 321 Financial Advisors from UBS and 17 offices and 67 financial advisors from Butler Wick, as part of our ongoing footprint expansion efforts. In addition, we added 64 revenue producing investment bankers, traders, institutional sales staff and lending officers along with 587 branch and home office support staff.
33
Results for the year ended December 31, 2009
For the year ended December 31, 2009, our net revenues increased 25.3% to a record $1,090.6 million compared to $870.3 million during the comparable period in 2008, which represents our fourteenth consecutive annual increase in net revenues. Net income increased 36.6% to a record $75.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to $55.5 million during the comparable period in 2008.
Our revenue growth was primarily derived from increased principal transactions in institutional fixed income sales and trading resulting from turbulent markets, as institutions rebalanced their portfolios and their exposure to the market. In addition, the market upheaval and the resultant failure of some Wall Street firms have led to increased market share of institutional business. Certain of our business activities, however, were impacted by the particularly challenging equity market conditions, which have led to a decrease in the value of our customers' assets. As a result, commissions, asset management and service fees, and margin interest income decreased during the year ended December 31, 2009 and may diminish in the future. Our business does not produce predictable earnings and is affected by many risk factors such as the global economic and credit slowdown, among others.
In addition to the increased market share that has resulted from market upheaval, we have incurred additional expenses related to increased Securities Investor Protection Corporation ("SIPC") assessments, higher FDIC premiums, including special assessments, increased litigation costs due to the failure of certain financial institutions, and an increase in the cost of growth as we continue our expansion efforts. These additional costs have reduced our profit margins and may continue to in the future if our revenue growth does not absorb the additional costs of operating in the current environment.
On December 28, 2009, we announced that Stifel Nicolaus had reached an agreement between the State of Missouri, the State of Indiana, the State of Colorado and with an association of other State securities regulatory authorities regarding the repurchase of ARS from Eligible ARS investors. As part of the modified ARS repurchase offer we have accelerated the previously announced repurchase plan. We have agreed to repurchase ARS from Eligible ARS investors in four phases starting in January 2010 and ending on December 31, 2011. During January 2010, we repurchased at par ARS of $21.2 million. At January 31, 2010, we estimate that our retail clients held $103.1 million of eligible ARS after issuer redemptions of $23.5 million and Stifel repurchases of $81.2 million. See Item 3, "Legal Proceedings," in Part I of this report for further details regarding ARS claims.
External Factors Impacting our Business
We are currently operating in a challenging environment: a recession and financial services industry issues related to credit quality, auction rate securities and liquidity continue to negatively impact activity levels. Concerns regarding future economic growth and corporate earnings created challenging conditions for the equity markets, which experienced broad-based declines, with equity indices starting to trend higher at the end of 2009. Fixed income credit markets experienced high levels of volatility, though there were signs of improvement in credit market liquidity at the end of the third quarter. The impact of these events marked a challenging environment for investment banking businesses with continued limited opportunities to distribute securities in the equity and debt capital markets.
Performance in the financial services industry in which we operate is highly correlated to the overall strength of economic conditions and financial market activity. Overall market conditions are a product of many factors, which are beyond our control and mostly unpredictable. These factors may affect the financial decisions made by investors, including their level of participation in the financial markets. In turn, these decisions may affect our business results. With respect to financial market activity, our profitability is sensitive to a variety of factors, including the demand for investment banking services as reflected by the number and size of equity and debt financings and merger and acquisition transactions, the volatility of the equity and fixed income markets, the level and shape of various yield curves, the volume and value of trading in securities, and the value of our customers' assets under management.
34
Although we do not engage in significant proprietary trading for our own account, the inventory of securities held to facilitate customer trades and our market making activities are sensitive to market movements. We do not have any significant direct exposure to the sub-prime market, but are subject to market fluctuations resulting from news and corporate events in the sub-prime mortgage markets, associated write-downs by other financial services firms and interest rate fluctuations. Stock prices for companies in this industry, including Stifel Financial Corp., have been volatile as a result of reactions to the global credit crisis and the continued volatility in the financial services industry. We will continue to monitor our market capitalization and review for potential goodwill asset impairment losses if events or changes in circumstances occur that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the asset below its carrying amount.
In connection with ARS, our broker-dealer subsidiaries have been subject to ongoing investigations, which include inquiries from the SEC, FINRA and several state regulatory agencies, with which we are cooperating fully. We are also named in a class action lawsuit similar to those filed against a number of brokerage firms alleging various securities law violations, which we are vigorously defending. We are, in conjunction with other industry participants actively seeking a solution to ARS' illiquidity. See Item 3, "Legal Proceedings," for further details regarding ARS investigations and claims.
35
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following table presents consolidated financial information for the periods indicated (in thousands, except percentages):
For the Year Ended December 31,
Percentage
Change
As a Percentage of
Net Revenues
for the Year Ended
December 31,
2009
2008
2007
2009 vs. 2008
2008 vs. 2007
2009
2008
2007
Revenues:
Principal transactions
$
458,188
$
293,285
$
139,248
56.2
%
110.6
%
42.0
%
33.7
%
18.3
%
Commissions
345,520
341,090
315,514
1.3
8.1
31.7
39.2
41.3
Investment banking
125,807
83,710
169,413
50.3
(50.6
)
11.5
9.6
22.2
Asset management and service fees
112,706
119,926
101,610
(6.0
)
18.0
10.3
13.8
13.3
Interest
46,860
50,148
59,071
(6.6
)
(15.1
)
4.3
5.7
7.7
Other income
13,789
688
8,234
*
(91.6
)
1.3
0.1
1.1
Total revenues
1,102,870
888,847
793,090
24.1
12.1
101.1
102.1
103.9
Interest expense
12,234
18,510
30,025
(33.9
)
(38.4
)
1.1
2.1
3.9
Net revenues
1,090,636
870,337
763,065
25.3
14.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits
718,115
582,778
543,021
23.2
7.3
65.8
67.0
71.2
Occupancy and equipment rental
89,741
67,984
57,796
32.0
17.6
8.2
7.8
7.6
Communication and office supplies
54,745
45,621
42,355
20.0
7.7
5.0
5.2
5.6
Commissions and floor brokerage
23,416
13,287
9,921
76.2
33.9
2.2
1.5
1.3
Other operating expenses
84,205
68,898
56,126
22.2
22.8
7.8
7.9
7.4
Total non-interest expenses
970,222
778,568
709,219
24.6
9.8
89.0
89.4
93.1
Income before income taxes
120,414
91,769
53,846
31.2
70.4
11.0
10.6
6.9
Provision for income taxes
44,616
36,267
21,676
23.0
67.3
4.1
4.2
2.8
Net income
$
75,798
$
55,502
$
32,170
36.6
%
72.5
%
6.9
%
6.4
%
4.1
%
* Percentage not meaningful.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, net revenues (total revenues less interest expense) increased $220.3 million to a record $1,090.6 million; a 25.3% increase over the $870.3 million recorded for the year ended December 31, 2008, which represents our fourteenth consecutive annual increase in net revenues. Net income increased 36.6% to a record $75.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to $55.5 million during the comparable period in 2008.
36
NET REVENUES
The following table presents consolidated net revenues for the periods indicated (in thousands, except percentages):
For the Year Ended December 31,
Percentage Change
2009
2008
2007
2009 vs. 2008
2008 vs. 2007
Revenues:
Principal transactions
$
458,188
$
293,285
$
139,248
56.2
%
110.6
%
Commissions
345,520
341,090
315,514
1.3
8.1
Investment banking:
Capital raising
76,563
45,205
95,084
69.4
(52.5
)
Advisory
49,244
38,505
74,329
27.9
(48.2
)
125,807
83,710
169,413
50.3
(50.6
)
Asset management and service fees
112,706
119,926
101,610
(6.0
)
18.0
Net interest
34,626
31,638
29,046
9.4
8.9
Other income
13,789
688
8,234
*
(91.6
)
Total net revenues
$
1,090,636
$
870,337
$
763,065
25.3
%
14.1
%
* Percentage is not meaningful.
Year Ended December 31, 2009 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2008
Except as noted in the following discussion of variances, the underlying reasons for the increase in revenue can be attributed principally to the increased number of private client group offices and financial advisors in our Global Wealth Management segment, the increased number of revenue producers in our Capital Markets segment, the acquisition of Butler Wick on December 31, 2008, and the closing of the UBS acquisition during the third and fourth quarters of 2009. Butler Wick's results of operations are included in our results of operations prospectively from December 31, 2008, the date of acquisition. The results of operations for the acquired UBS branches are included in our results prospectively from the date of their respective conversion. For the year ended December 31, 2009, these business acquisitions generated net revenues of $23.0 million and $27.1 million, respectively.
Principal transactions - For the year ended December 31, 2009, principal transactions revenue increased 56.2% to $458.2 million from $293.3 million in the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily attributable to increased principal transactions, primarily in corporate debt, over-the-counter ("OTC") equity, mortgage-backed bonds and municipal debt due to turbulent markets and customers returning to traditional fixed income products. The change in the mix from commissions-based revenues to principal transactions revenue has created an increase in our trading inventory levels primarily related to fixed income products.
Commissions - Commission revenues are primarily generated from agency transactions in OTC and listed equity securities, insurance products, options and mutual funds.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, commission revenues increased 1.3% to $345.5 million from $341.1 million in the comparable period in 2008. While the equity markets began showing signs of improvement during the second half of 2009, the volatility in capital markets during the first half of 2009 has resulted in modest revenue growth for the year ended December 31, 2009. The continued expansion of our private client group through acquisitions and organic growth has been offset by a decrease in trading volumes, as customers returned to traditional fixed income products.
37
Investment banking - Investment banking revenues include: (i) capital raising revenues representing fees earned from the underwriting of debt and equity securities, and (ii) strategic advisory fees related to corporate debt and equity offerings, municipal debt offerings, merger and acquisitions, private placements and other investment banking advisory fees.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, investment banking revenues increased 50.3% to $125.8 million from $83.7 million in the comparable period in 2008.
Capital raising revenues increased 69.4% to $76.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2009 from $45.2 million in the comparable period in 2008. Equity and fixed income capital raising revenues were $52.6 million and $19.9 million, respectively, an increase of $23.8 million, or 82.6%, and $8.6 million, or 76.2%, respectively, from the comparable period in 2008. During the second half of 2009, capital market conditions continued to build upon the improvement that began in the second quarter for both equity and fixed income, and we raised capital for our clients in a number of successful corporate and public finance underwritings. The significant rebound in equity and fixed income financings during the second half of 2009 was offset by the challenging market conditions that began during the second half of 2008 and continued into the first half of 2009.
Strategic advisory fees increased 27.9% to $49.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2009 from $38.5 million in the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily attributable to an increase in the number of completed equity transactions and the aggregate transaction value, as well as the average revenue per transaction, over the comparable periods in 2008.
Asset management and service fees - Asset management and service fees include fees for asset-based financial services provided to individuals and institutional clients. Investment advisory fees are charged based on the value of assets in fee-based accounts. Asset management and service fees are affected by changes in the balances of client assets due to market fluctuations and levels of net new client assets.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, asset management and service fee revenues decreased 6.0% to $112.7 million from $119.9 million in the comparable period of 2008. The decrease is primarily a result of a reduction in fees for money-fund balances due to the waiving of fees by certain fund managers and lower assets under management as a result of market depreciation, offset by an increase in the number of managed accounts attributable principally to the continued growth of the private client group. See Assets in Fee-based Accounts included in the table in "Results of Operations - Global Wealth Management."
Other income - For the year ended December 31, 2009, other income increased $13.1 million to $13.8 million from $0.7 million during the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily attributable to the reduction of investment losses during the year ended December 31, 2009, offset by the recognition of other-than-temporary impairment of $1.9 million on our held-to-maturity debt security.
38
Year Ended December 31, 2008 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2007
Except as noted in the following discussion of variances, the underlying reasons for the increase in revenue can be attributed principally to the acquisitions of Ryan Beck and Stifel Bank in 2007 and the increased number of private client group offices and financial advisors. Ryan Beck's and Stifel Bank's results of operations are included in our results of operations prospectively from their respective dates of acquisition of February 28, 2007 and April 2, 2007. As such, the results of operations for 2007 include only ten months of Ryan Beck's results of operations and nine months of Stifel Bank's results of operations. For the year ended December 31, 2008, Ryan Beck contributed $187.8 million in net revenues and income before income taxes of $26.9 million compared to $180.8 million in net revenues and a loss before income taxes of $14.3 million for the comparable period in 2007. Stifel Bank contributed $9.6 million in net revenues and income before income taxes of $0.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2008 compared to $4.8 million in net revenues and $1.0 million in income before income taxes for the comparable period in 2007.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, net revenues (total revenues less interest expense) increased $107.2 million to a record $870.3 million; a 14.1% increase over the $763.1 million recorded for the year ended December 31, 2007. Net income increased 72.5% to a record $55.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2008 compared to $32.2 million during the comparable period in 2007.
Principal transactions - For the year ended December 31, 2008, principal transactions revenue increased 110.6% to $293.3 million from $139.2 million in the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to increased principal transactions, primarily in corporate debt and mortgage-backed bonds.
Commissions - For the year ended December 31, 2008, commission revenues increased 8.1% to $341.1 million from $315.5 million in the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to the aforementioned growth and market volatility leading to increased commissions, principally in OTC stocks.
Investment banking - Investment banking revenues include: (i) capital raising revenues representing fees earned from the underwriting of debt and equity securities, and (ii) strategic advisory fees related to corporate debt and equity offerings, municipal debt offerings, merger and acquisitions, private placements and other investment banking advisory fees.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, investment banking revenues decreased 50.6% to $83.7 million from $169.4 million in the comparable period in 2007. The decrease is attributable to the industry-wide decline in common stock offerings and mergers and acquisitions caused by challenging capital market conditions.
Capital raising revenues decreased 52.5% to $45.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2008 from $95.1 million in the comparable period in 2007. Equity and fixed income capital raising revenues were $28.8 million and $11.3 million, respectively, a decrease of 60.1% and 6.9%, respectively, from the comparable period in 2007.
Strategic advisory fees decreased 48.2% to $38.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2008 from $74.3 million in the comparable period in 2007. During the second quarter of 2007, we closed on a significant corporate finance investment banking transaction which contributed $24.7 million in revenue.
Asset management and service fees - Asset management and service fees include fees for asset-based financial services provided to individuals and institutional clients. Investment advisory fees are charged based on the value of assets in fee-based accounts. Asset management and service fees are affected by changes in the balances of client assets due to market fluctuations and levels of net new client assets.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, asset management and service fee revenues increased 18.0% to $119.9 million from $101.6 million in the comparable period of 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to a 10.9% increase in the number of Stifel Nicolaus managed accounts and increased distribution fees for money market funds, principally Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured accounts, attributable principally to the Ryan Beck acquisition and the continued growth of the private client group, offset by a 13.4% decrease in the value of assets in fee-based accounts. See Assets in Fee-based Accounts included in the table in "Results of Operations - Global Wealth Management."
39
Other income - For the year ended December 31, 2008, other income decreased $7.5 million to $0.7 million from $8.2 million during the comparable period in 2007.
The decrease is primarily attributable to investment losses of $7.5 million in 2008 as a result of the downturn in the equity markets, and an impairment charge of $2.4 million on $4.0 million of asset backed securities held at Stifel Bank recorded during the fourth quarter due to an other-than-temporary decline in value. The losses were offset by a $6.7 million gain before certain expenses and taxes on the extinguishment of $12.5 million of 6.78% Stifel Financial Capital Trust IV Cumulative Preferred Securities in December 2008. We issued 142,196 shares of our common stock in exchange for $12,500 par value of 6.78% Cumulative Trust Preferred Securities, originally offered and sold by Stifel Financial Capital Trust IV. As a result, we extinguished $12,500 of our debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust IV in the fourth quarter of 2008.
40
NET INTEREST INCOME
The following tables present average balance data and operating interest revenue and expense data, as well as related interest yields for the periods indicated (in thousands, except rates):
For the Year Ended
December 31, 2009
December 31, 2008
December 31, 2007
Average Balance
Interest Income/ Expense
Average Interest Rate
Average Balance
Interest Income/ Expense
Average Interest Rate
Average Balance
Interest Income/ Expense
Average Interest Rate
Interest-earning assets:
Margin balances (Stifel Nicolaus)
$
290,043
$
12,499
4.31
%
$
382,536
$
20,930
5.47
%
$
332,196
$
26,565
8.00
%
Interest-earning assets (Stifel Bank) *
$
687,232
20,283
2.95
%
$
273,893
15,253
5.57
%
$
188,022
9,400
6.67
%
Stock borrow (Stifel Nicolaus)
$
32,588
43
0.13
%
$
61,097
733
1.20
%
$
37,019
1,342
3.63
%
Other (Stifel Nicolaus)
14,035
13,232
21,764
Total interest revenue
$
46,860
$
50,148
$
59,071
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Short-term borrowings (Stifel Nicolaus)
$
107,383
$
1,065
0.99
%
$
132,660
$
3,021
2.28
%
$
156,778
$
7,626
4.86
%
Interest-bearing liabilities (Stifel Bank) *
$
626,754
4,649
0.74
%
$
229,205
5,434
2.37
%
$
152,284
5,469
4.79
%
Stock loan (Stifel Nicolaus)
$
53,110
570
1.07
%
$
105,424
2,608
2.47
%
$
119,590
5,764
4.82
%
Interest-bearing liabilities (Capital Trusts)
$
82,500
5,488
6.65
%
$
93,019
6,233
6.70
%
$
99,679
6,849
6.87
%
Other (Stifel Nicolaus)
462
1,214
4,317
Total interest expense
$
12,234
$
18,510
$
30,025
Net interest income
$
34,626
$
31,638
$
29,046
* See Distribution of Assets, Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity; Interest Rates and Interest Rate Differential table included in "Results of Operations - Global Wealth Management" for additional information on Stifel Bank's average balances and interest income and expense.
41
Year Ended December 31, 2009 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2008
Net interest income - Net interest income is the difference between interest earned on interest-earning assets and interest paid on funding sources. Net interest income is affected by changes in the volume and mix of these assets and liabilities, as well as by fluctuations in interest rates and portfolio management strategies. For the year ended December 31, 2009, net interest income increased 9.4% to $34.6 million from $31.6 million in the comparable period in 2008.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, interest revenue decreased 6.6%, or $3.3 million, to $46.9 million from $50.1 million in the comparable period in 2008, principally as a result of an $8.4 million decrease in interest revenue from customer margin borrowing, offset by increased interest revenues of $5.0 million from the interest-earning assets of Stifel Bank. The average margin balances of Stifel Nicolaus decreased to $290.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to $382.5 million during the comparable period in 2008 at weighted average interest rates of 4.31% and 5.47%, respectively. The average interest-earning assets of Stifel Bank increased to $687.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to $273.9 million during the comparable period in 2008 at weighted average interest rates of 2.95% and 5.57%, respectively.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, interest expense decreased 33.9%, or $6.3 million, to $12.2 million from $18.5 million in the comparable period in 2008. The decrease is due to decreased interest rates charged by banks on lower levels of borrowings to finance customer borrowing and firm inventory, decreased interest rates on stock loan borrowings and the extinguishment of $12.5 million of 6.78% Stifel Financial Capital Trust IV Cumulative Preferred Securities in November 2008. See "Net Interest Income" table above for more details.
Year Ended December 31, 2008 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2007
Net interest income - For the year ended December 31, 2008, net interest income increased 8.9%, or $2.6 million, to $31.6 million from $29.0 million in the comparable period in 2007.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, interest revenue decreased 15.1% to $50.1 million from $59.1 million in the comparable period in 2007, principally as a result of a $8.4 million decrease in interest revenues on fixed income inventory held for sale to clients and a $5.6 million decrease in interest revenue from customer margin borrowing, partially offset by increased interest revenues of $5.6 million from the interest-earning assets of Stifel Bank. The average margin balances of Stifel Nicolaus increased to $382.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2008 compared to $332.2 million during the comparable period in 2007 at weighted average interest rates of 5.47% and 8.00%, respectively. The average interest-earning assets of Stifel Bank increased to $273.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2008 compared to $188.0 million during the comparable period in 2007 at weighted average interest rates of 5.57% and 6.67%, respectively.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, interest expense decreased 38.4% to $18.5 million from $30.0 million in the comparable period in 2007. The decreases are due to decreased interest rates charged by banks on lower levels of borrowings to finance customer borrowing and firm inventory and decreased interest rates on stock loan borrowings.
42
NON-INTEREST EXPENSES
The following table presents consolidated non-interest expenses for the periods indicated (in thousands, except percentages):
For the Year Ended December 31,
Percentage Change
2009
2008
2007
2009 vs. 2008
2008 vs. 2007
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits
$
718,115
$
582,778
$
543,021
23.2
%
7.3
%
Occupancy and equipment rental
89,741
67,984
57,796
32.0
17.6
Communications and office supplies
54,745
45,621
42,355
20.0
7.7
Commissions and floor brokerage
23,416
13,287
9,921
76.2
33.9
Other operating expenses
84,205
68,898
56,126
22.2
22.8
Total non-interest expenses
$
970,222
$
778,568
$
709,219
24.6
%
9.8
%
Year Ended December 31, 2009 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2008
Except as noted in the following discussion of variances, the underlying reasons for the increase in non-interest expenses can be attributed principally to our continued expansion, increased administrative overhead to support the growth in our segments and the transaction costs associated with the UBS acquisition.
Compensation and benefits - Compensation and benefits expenses, which are the largest component of our expenses, include salaries, bonuses, transition pay, benefits, amortization of stock-based compensation, employment taxes and other employee-related costs. Transition pay consists principally of upfront notes, signing bonuses and retention awards in connection with our continuing expansion efforts. See Use of Capital Resources in the "Liquidity and Capital Resources" section of this report for additional information regarding our use of upfront notes. A significant portion of compensation expense is comprised of production-based variable compensation, including discretionary bonuses, which fluctuates in proportion to the level of business activity, increasing with higher revenues and operating profits. Other compensation costs, including base salaries, stock-based compensation amortization, and benefits, are more fixed in nature.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, compensation and benefits expense increased 23.2%, or $135.3 million, to $718.1 million from $582.8 million during the comparable period in 2008. The increase in compensation and benefits expense is primarily attributable to increased headcount and higher production-based variable compensation.
Compensation and benefits expense as a percentage of net revenues decreased to 65.8% for the year ended December 31, 2009, from 67.0% for the comparable period in 2008. The decrease in compensation and benefits expense as a percent of net revenues is primarily attributable to increased net revenues as compared to the year ended December 31, 2008, offset by an increase in transition pay and base salaries.
A portion of compensation and benefits expense includes transition pay of $56.2 million (5.2% of net revenues) for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to $34.3 million (3.9% of net revenues) for the comparable period in 2008. In addition, for the year ended December 31, 2008, compensation and benefits expense includes $25.6 million for amortization of units awarded to Legg Mason ("LM Capital Markets") associates, which were fully amortized as of December 31, 2008.
43
Occupancy and equipment rental - For the year ended December 31, 2009, occupancy and equipment rental expense increased 32.0% to $89.7 million from $68.0 million during the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily due to the continued expansion of our segments, which has increased our rent and depreciation expense. As of December 31, 2009, we have 294 locations compared to 225 at December 31, 2008.
Communications and office supplies - Communications expense include costs for telecommunication and data communication, primarily for obtaining third-party market data information. For the year ended December 31, 2009, communications and office supplies expense increased 20.0% to $54.7 million from $45.6 million during the comparable period in 2008. The increases were primarily attributable to our continued expansion as we sustained our growth initiatives throughout 2009 by adding additional revenue producers and support staff.
Commissions and floor brokerage - For the year ended December 31, 2009, commissions and floor brokerage expense increased 76.2% to $23.4 million from $13.3 million during the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily attributable to increased business activity. The increase over the comparable period in 2008 is also attributable to a rebate of $1.5 million received during the first quarter of 2008 related to 2007 clearing fees. We received no such rebates in 2009.
Other operating expenses - Other operating expenses primarily include license and registration fees, litigation-related expenses, which consist of amounts we reserve and/or pay out related to legal and regulatory matters, travel and entertainment, promotional expenses and expenses for professional services.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, other operating expenses increased 22.2% to $84.2 million from $68.9 million during the comparable period in 2008.
The increase is primarily attributable to the continued growth in all segments during 2009, which included increased license and registration fees, SIPC assessments, securities processing fees, travel and promotion, legal expenses and UBS acquisition costs of $3.4 million. The increase in legal expenses is attributable to an increase in litigation associated with the ongoing investigations in connection with ARS, and litigation costs to defend industry recruitment claims.
Provision for income taxes - For the year ended December 31, 2009, our provision for income taxes was $44.6 million, representing an effective tax rate of 37.1%, compared to $36.3 million for the comparable period in 2008, representing an effective tax rate of 39.5%. Our current year effective tax rate was reduced due to the recognition of a tax benefit of $3.4 million during the third quarter related to an investment and jobs creation tax credit.
44
Year Ended December 31, 2008 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2007
Except as noted in the following discussion of variances, the underlying reasons for the increase in non-interest expenses can be attributed principally to our continued expansion and increased administrative overhead to support the growth in our segments.
Compensation and benefits - For the year ended December 31, 2008, compensation and benefits expense increased 7.3%, or $39.8 million, to $582.8 million from $543.0 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase in compensation and benefits expense over the prior year periods is primarily attributable to increased headcount and higher production-based variable compensation. Compensation and benefits expense as a percentage of net revenues decreased to 67.0% for the year ended December 31, 2008, from 71.2% for the comparable period in 2007. Included in compensation and benefits in 2007 is $24.9 million of acquisition-related expenses associated with the Ryan Beck acquisition, principally a charge related to the acceleration of vesting arising from the amendment of the Ryan Beck deferred compensation plans.
A portion of employee compensation and benefits includes transition pay of $34.3 million (3.9% of net revenues) and $28.6 million (3.7% of net revenues) for the twelve months ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively. In addition, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, employee compensation and benefits includes $25.6 million and $24.2 million, respectively, for amortization of units awarded to LM Capital Markets associates. These units were fully amortized as of December 31, 2008.
Occupancy and equipment rental - For the year ended December 31, 2008, occupancy and equipment rental expense increased 17.6% to $68.0 million from $57.8 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily due to the increase in rent and depreciation expense. As of December 31, 2008, we have 225 locations compared to 175 at December 31, 2007.
Communications and office supplies - For the year ended December 31, 2008, communications and office supplies expense increased 7.7% to $45.6 million from $42.4 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to our continued expansion as we sustained our growth initiatives throughout 2008 by adding additional revenue producers and support staff. During 2008, we began classifying certain outsourced services which were historically recorded as communications and office supplies as commission and floor brokerage. As a result, we recorded $6.1 million of expenses as commissions and floor brokerage expense in 2008.
Commissions and floor brokerage - For the year ended December 31, 2008, commissions and floor brokerage expense increased 33.9% to $13.3 million from $9.9 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to increased business activity and the previously mentioned classification change. The increase over the comparable period in 2007 is offset by a rebate of $1.5 million received during the first quarter of 2008 related to 2007 clearing fees.
Other operating expenses - For the year ended December 31, 2008, other operating expenses increased 22.8% to $68.9 million from $56.1 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase was primarily attributable to the continued growth in all segments during 2008.
During the fourth quarter of 2008 we recorded a contingency charge of $5.3 million related to our voluntary partial repurchase plan for certain auction rate securities. Included in 2007 other operating expenses is a $1.3 million charge for the write off of deferred issuance costs related to the 9% Stifel Financial Capital Trust I Convertible Preferred Securities called on July 13, 2007.
Provision for income taxes - For the year ended December 31, 2008, our provision for income taxes was $36.3 million, representing an effective tax rate of 39.5%, compared to $21.7 million for the comparable period in 2007, representing an effective tax rate of 40.3%. The higher effective tax rate in 2007 was due to the proportionately higher level of non-deductible expenses to net income.
45
SEGMENT ANALYSIS
Our reportable segments include Global Wealth Management, Capital Markets, and Other. The UBS branch acquisition and related customer account conversion to our platform has enabled us to leverage our customers' assets, which allows us the ability to provide a full array of financial products to both our private client group and Stifel Bank customers. As a result, during the third quarter of 2009, we changed how we manage these reporting units and consequently they were combined to form the Global Wealth Management segment. Previously reported segment information has been revised to reflect this change.
As a result of organizational changes in the second quarter of 2009, which included a change in the management reporting structure of our company, the segments formerly reported as Equity Capital Markets and Fixed Income Capital Markets have been combined into a single segment called Capital Markets. Previously reported segment information has been revised to reflect this change.
Our Global Wealth Management segment consists of two businesses, the private client group and Stifel Bank. The private client group includes branch offices and independent contractor offices of our broker-dealer subsidiaries located throughout the United States, primarily in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions with a growing presence in the Northeast, Southeast and Western United States. These branches provide securities brokerage services, including the sale of equities, mutual funds, fixed income products, and insurance, as well as offering banking products to their private clients through Stifel Bank, which provides residential, consumer, and commercial lending, as well as Federal Depository Insurance Corporation-insured deposit accounts to customers of our broker-dealer subsidiaries and to the general public.
The Capital Markets segment includes institutional sales and trading. It provides securities brokerage, trading, and research services to institutions with an emphasis on the sale of equity and fixed income products. This segment also includes the management of and participation in underwritings for both corporate and public finance (exclusive of sales credits, which are included in the Global Wealth Management segment), merger and acquisition, and financial advisory services.
The Other segment includes interest income from stock borrow activities, unallocated interest expense, interest income and gains and losses from investments held, and all unallocated overhead costs associated with the execution of orders; processing of securities transactions; custody of client securities; receipt, identification, and delivery of funds and securities; compliance with regulatory and legal requirements; internal financial accounting and controls; acquisition charges related to the LM Capital Markets and Ryan Beck & Company, Inc. ("Ryan Beck") acquisitions, and general administration.
We evaluate the performance of our segments and allocate resources to them based on various factors, including prospects for growth, return on investment, and return on revenues.
46
Results of Operations - Global Wealth Management
The following table presents consolidated financial information for the Global Wealth Management segment for the periods indicated (in thousands, except percentages):
For the Year Ended December 31,
Percentage
Change
As a Percentage of
Net Revenues
for the Year Ended
December 31,
2009
2008
2007
2009 vs. 2008
2008 vs. 2007
2009
2008
2007
Revenues:
Commissions
$
234,052
$
191,542
$
191,987
22.2
%
(0.2
)%
39.6
%
40.7
%
43.6
%
Principal transactions
194,384
124,578
89,363
56.0
39.4
32.9
26.4
20.3
Asset management and service fees
112,166
119,047
101,128
(5.8
)
17.7
19.0
25.3
23.0
Interest
35,269
38,207
40,690
(7.7
)
(6.1
)
6.0
8.1
9.2
Investment banking
14,906
15,515
40,071
(3.9
)
(61.3
)
2.5
3.3
9.1
Other income/(loss)
8,626
(1,174
)
1,851
*
*
1.4
(0.2
)
0.4
Total revenues
599,404
487,715
465,090
22.9
4.9
101.4
103.6
105.6
Interest expense
8,081
16,710
24,579
(51.6
)
(32.0
)
1.4
3.6
5.6
Net revenues
591,323
471,005
440,511
25.5
6.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits
370,157
289,207
275,728
28.0
4.9
62.6
61.4
62.6
Occupancy and equipment rental
50,487
36,200
29,033
39.5
24.7
8.5
7.7
6.6
Communication and office supplies
26,628
19,341
15,915
37.7
21.5
4.5
4.1
3.6
Commissions and floor brokerage
7,606
4,452
4,747
70.9
(6.2
)
1.3
0.9
1.1
Other operating expenses
36,397
23,708
18,745
53.5
26.5
6.2
5.1
4.2
Total non-interest expenses
491,275
372,908
344,168
31.7
8.4
83.1
79.2
78.1
Income before income taxes
$
100,048
$
98,097
$
96,343
2.0
%
1.8
%
16.9
%
20.8
%
21.9
%
* Percentage is not meaningful.
December 31, 2009
December 31, 2008
December 31, 2007
Branch offices (actual)
272
196
148
Financial advisors (actual)
1,719
1,142
966
Independent contractors (actual)
166
173
197
Assets in fee-based accounts:
Value (in thousands)
9,309,775
5,775,565
6,668,882
Number of accounts (actual)
44,071
24,177
21,803
47
Year Ended December 31, 2009 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2008
Except as noted in the following discussion of variances, the underlying reasons for the increase in revenue can be attributed principally to the increased number of private client group offices and financial advisors, the acquisition of Butler Wick on December 31, 2008, and the closing of the UBS acquisition during the third and fourth quarters of 2009. During the year ended December 31, 2009, we added 99 private client group offices and 645 financial advisors, including 56 offices and 321 Financial Advisors from UBS and 17 offices and 67 financial advisors from Butler Wick as part of our ongoing footprint expansion efforts.
NET REVENUES
For the year ended December 31, 2009, Global Wealth Management net revenues increased 25.5% to $591.3 million from $471.0 million for the comparable period in 2008. The increase in net revenues is primarily attributable to an increase in principal transactions, commissions and net interest revenues offset by decreases in asset management and service fees and investment banking.
Commissions - For the year ended December 31, 2009, commission revenues increased 22.2% to $234.1 million from $191.5 million in the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily attributable to an increase in agency transactions in OTC and listed equity securities, and insurance products. In addition, mutual fund revenue has increased over the comparable period in 2008.
Principal transactions - For the year ended December 31, 2009, principal transactions revenue increased 56.0% to $194.4 million from $124.6 million in the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily attributable to increased principal transactions, primarily in corporate debt, OTC equity, mortgage-backed bonds and municipal debt due to turbulent markets and customers returning to traditional fixed income products. The change in the mix from commissions-based revenues to principal transactions revenue has created an increase in our trading inventory levels primarily related to fixed income products.
Asset management and service fees - For the year ended December 31, 2009, asset management and service fees decreased 5.8% to $112.2 million from $119.0 million in the comparable period in 2008. The decrease is primarily a result of a reduction in fees for money-fund balances due to the waiving of fees by certain fund managers, offset by an increase in the number of managed accounts attributable principally to the continued growth of the private client group through the UBS transaction and organic growth and the growth in the value of assets in fee-based accounts from December 31, 2008. See Assets in Fee-based Accounts included in the table above for further details.
Interest revenue - For the year ended December 31, 2009, interest revenue decreased 7.7% to $35.3 million from $38.2 million in the comparable period in 2008. The decrease is primarily due to a decrease in interest revenue from customer margin borrowing to finance trading activity and lower average customer margin balances offset by increased interest revenues of $4.7 million from the interest-earning assets of Stifel Bank. See "Distribution of Assets, Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity; Interest Rates and Interest Rate Differential" below for a further discussion of the changes in interest revenues.
Investment banking - Investment banking, which represents sales credits for investment banking underwritings, decreased 3.9% to $14.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2009 from $15.5 million during the comparable period in 2008. While there has been a significant rebound in investment banking activity, which began during the second quarter of 2009, our current year results were negatively impacted by the challenging market conditions that began during the second half of 2008 and continued into the first half of 2009. See further discussion of investment banking activities in the Capital Markets segment section.
Interest expense - For the year ended December 31, 2009, interest expense decreased 51.6% to $8.1 million from $16.7 million in the comparable period in 2008. The decrease is primarily due to decreased interest rates charged by banks on lower levels of borrowings. See "Distribution of Assets, Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity; Interest Rates and Interest Rate Differential" below for a further discussion of the changes in interest expense.
48
NON-INTEREST EXPENSES
For the year ended December 31, 2009, Global Wealth Management non-interest expenses increased 31.7% to $491.3 million from $372.9 million for the comparable period in 2008.
Unless specifically discussed below, the fluctuations in non-interest expenses were primarily attributable to the continued growth of our private client group during the year ended December 31, 2009. Our expansion efforts include the acquisitions of UBS and Butler Wick, as well as organic growth. As of December 31, 2009, we have 272 branch offices compared to 196 at December 31, 2008. In addition, since December 31, 2008, we have added 1,087 revenue producers and support staff.
Compensation and benefits - For the year ended December 31, 2009, compensation and benefits expense increased 28.0% to $370.2 million from $289.2 million during the comparable period in 2008. The increase is principally due to increased variable compensation as a result of increased production and increased fixed compensation as a result of the expansion of our branch office support.
Compensation and benefits expense as a percentage of net revenues increased to 62.6% for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to 61.4% for the comparable period in 2008. The increase in compensation and benefits expense as a percent of net revenues is primarily attributable to increased transition pay, which consists of the amortization of upfront notes, signing bonuses and retention awards, and increased overhead in connection with our continued expansion efforts.
A portion of compensation and benefits expense includes transition pay, principally in the form of upfront notes, signing bonuses and retention awards in connection with our continuing expansion efforts, of $40.6 million (6.9% of net revenues) for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to $28.2 million (6.0% of net revenues) for the year ended December 31, 2008. The upfront notes are amortized over a five to ten year period.
Occupancy and equipment rental - For the year ended December 31, 2009, occupancy and equipment rental expense increased 39.5% to $50.5 million from $36.2 million during the comparable period in 2008.
Communications and office supplies - For the year ended December 31, 2009, communications and office supplies expense increased 37.7% to $26.6 million from $19.3 million during the comparable period in 2008.
Commissions and floor brokerage - For the year ended December 31, 2009, commissions and floor brokerage expense increased $3.1 million, or 70.9%, to $7.6 million from $4.5 million during the comparable period in 2008.
Other operating expenses - For the year ended December 31, 2009, other operating expenses increased 53.5% to $36.4 million from $23.7 million during the comparable period in 2008. As a result of the growth of the private client group during the year ended December 31, 2009, there has been an increase in license and registration fees, securities processing fees, and expenses associated with our acquisition of UBS of $3.4 million, as well as litigation costs to defend industry recruiting claims.
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES
For the year ended December 31, 2009, income before income taxes increased 2.0% to $100.0 million from $98.1 million during the comparable period in 2008. Profit margins for the year ended December 31, 2009 have decreased to 16.9% from 20.8% during the comparable period in 2008. Profit margins have diminished resulting from start-up costs associated with branch office openings and the transaction costs associated with the UBS acquisition, as we took advantage of the opportunities created by market displacement.
49
Year Ended December 31, 2008 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2007
NET REVENUES
For the year ended December 31, 2008, Global Wealth Management net revenues increased 6.9% to $471.0 million from $440.5 million for the comparable period in 2007. The increase in net revenues is primarily attributable to an increase in principal transactions, asset management and service fees and net interest revenues offset by decreases in commissions and investment banking.
Commissions - For the year ended December 31, 2008, commission revenues of $191.5 million remained consistent with the comparable period in 2007. The continued expansion of the private client group during 2008 lead to an increase in the number of financial advisors and customer accounts. The impact of the expansion on commissions revenues was offset by the change in the mix from commissions-based revenues to principal transactions revenue as a result of the market upheaval and customers returning to fixed income products.
Principal transactions - For the year ended December 31, 2008, principal transactions revenue increased 39.4% to $124.6 million from $89.4 million in the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to the increased number of branch locations resulting from the Ryan Beck acquisition and the continued expansion of the private client group and an increase in the number of financial advisors.
Asset management and service fees - For the year ended December 31, 2008, asset management and service fees increased 17.7% to $119.0 million from $101.1 million in the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily a result of increased distribution fees for money market funds, principally Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insured accounts, offset by a 13.4% decrease in the value of assets in fee-based accounts from December 31, 2007. See Assets in Fee-based Accounts included in the table above for further details.
Interest revenue - For the year ended December 31, 2008, interest revenue decreased 6.1% to $38.2 million from $40.7 million in the comparable period in 2007. The decrease is primarily due to a decrease in interest revenue from customer margin borrowing to finance trading activity and lower average customer margin balances. See "Distribution of Assets, Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity; Interest Rates and Interest Rate Differential" below for a further discussion of the changes in interest revenues.
Investment banking - Investment banking, which represents sales credits for investment banking underwritings, decreased 61.3% to $15.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2008 from $40.1 million during the comparable period in 2007. The decrease is attributable to the industry-wide decline in common stock offerings and mergers and acquisitions caused by challenging capital market conditions during 2008. See further discussion of investment banking activities in the Capital Markets segment section.
Interest expense - For the year ended December 31, 2008, interest expense decreased 32.0% to $16.7 million from $24.6 million in the comparable period in 2007. The decrease is primarily due to decreased interest rates charged by banks on lower levels of borrowings to finance customer borrowing. See "Distribution of Assets, Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity; Interest Rates and Interest Rate Differential" below for a further discussion of the changes in interest expense.
50
NON-INTEREST EXPENSES
For the year ended December 31, 2008, Global Wealth Management non-interest expenses increased 8.4% to $372.9 million from $344.2 million for the comparable period in 2007.
Unless specifically discussed below, the fluctuations in non-interest expenses were primarily attributable to the continued growth of our private client group during the year ended December 31, 2008. As of December 31, 2008, we have 196 branch offices compared to 148 at December 31, 2007.
Compensation and benefits - For the year ended December 31, 2008, compensation and benefits expense increased 4.9% to $289.2 million from $275.7 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase is principally due to increased variable compensation as a result of increased production and fixed compensation. Compensation and benefits expense as a percentage of net revenues decreased to 61.4% for the year ended December 31, 2008 compared to 62.6% for the comparable period in 2007.
A portion of compensation and benefits expenses includes transition pay, principally in the form of upfront notes, signing bonuses and retention awards in connection with our continuing expansion efforts, of $28.2 million (6.0% of net revenues) for the year ended December 31, 2008 compared to $23.1 million (5.2% of net revenues) for the year ended December 31, 2007. The upfront notes are amortized over a five to ten year period.
Occupancy and equipment rental - For the year ended December 31, 2008, occupancy and equipment rental expense increased 24.7% to $36.2 million from $29.0 million during the comparable period in 2007.
Communications and office supplies - For the year ended December 31, 2008, communications and office supplies expense increased 21.5% to $19.3 million from $15.9 million during the comparable period in 2007.
Commissions and floor brokerage - For the year ended December 31, 2008, commissions and floor brokerage expense decreased $0.2 million, or 6.2%, to $4.5 million from $4.7 million during the comparable period in 2007.
Other operating expenses - For the year ended December 31, 2008, other operating expenses increased 26.5% to $23.7 million from $18.7 million during the comparable period in 2007.
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES
For the year ended December 31, 2008, income before income taxes increased 1.8%, or $1.8 million, to $98.1 million from $96.3 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to increased net revenues and the scalability of increased production.
51
The information required by Securities Act Guide 3 - Statistical Disclosure by Bank Holding Company is presented below:
I. Distribution of Assets, Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity; Interest Rates and Interest Rate Differential
The following table presents average balance data and operating interest revenue and expense data for Stifel Bank, as well as related interest yields for the periods indicated (in thousands, except rates):
For the Year Ended
December 31, 2009
December 31, 2008
Average Balance
Interest Income/
Expense
Average Interest Rate
Average Balance
Interest Income/
Expense
Average Interest Rate
Assets:
Federal funds sold
$
195,783
$
763
0.39
%
$
10,027
$
214
2.14
%
U.S. government agencies
1,775
97
5.46
13,361
824
6.17
State and political subdivisions:
Taxable
-
-
-
9,240
375
4.05
Non-taxable (1)
1,096
45
4.11
1,530
58
3.81
Mortgage-backed securities
162,694
5,878
3.61
32,916
1,731
5.26
Corporate bonds
27,627
1,244
4.50
926
57
6.12
Asset-backed securities
16,997
717
4.22
20,060
1,519
7.57
Federal Home Loan Bank ("FHLB") and other capital stock
762
9
1.18
991
28
2.82
Loans (2)
239,879
9,914
4.13
170,244
9,807
5.76
Loans held for sale
40,619
1,616
3.98
14,598
640
4.38
Total interest-earning assets (3)
$
687,232
$
20,283
2.95
%
$
273,893
$
15,253
5.57
%
Cash and due from banks
4,927
3,444
Other non interest-earning assets
23,289
23,350
Total assets
$
715,448
$
300,687
Liabilities and shareholders' equity:
Deposits:
Money market
$
591,961
$
3,841
0.65
%
$
178,198
$
3,491
1.96
%
Time deposits
20,104
676
3.36
36,287
1,600
4.41
Demand deposits
11,072
29
0.26
2,755
44
1.60
Savings
303
-
-
339
3
0.97
FHLB advances
3,304
103
3.12
10,739
275
2.56
Federal funds and repurchase agreements
10
-
-
887
21
2.41
Total interest-bearing liabilities (3)
$
626,754
$
4,649
0.74
%
$
229,205
$
5,434
2.37
%
Non interest-bearing deposits
15,054
15,293
Other non interest-bearing liabilities
3,014
1,480
Total liabilities
644,822
245,978
Shareholders' equity
70,626
54,709
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
$
715,448
$
300,687
Net interest margin
$
15,634
2.27
%
$
9,819
3.58
%
52
Period
April 2, 2007 - December 31, 2007 *
Average Balance
Interest Income/
Expense
Average Interest Rate
Assets:
Federal funds sold
$
24,717
$
944
5.10
%
U.S. government agencies
21,490
897
5.57
State and political subdivisions:
Taxable
5,238
231
5.88
Non-taxable (1)
1,527
38
3.32
Mortgage-backed securities
19,473
902
6.18
Corporate bonds
664
36
7.18
Asset-backed securities
9,465
517
7.28
FHLB and other capital stock
503
19
5.05
Loans (2)
104,945
5,816
7.39
Loans held for sale
-
-
-
Total interest-earning assets (3)
$
188,022
$
9,400
6.67
%
Cash and due from banks
1,696
Other non interest-earning assets
16,746
Total assets
$
206,464
Liabilities and shareholders' equity:
Deposits:
Money market
$
92,915
$
3,290
4.69
%
Time deposits
53,490
1,982
4.94
Demand deposits
1,623
40
3.27
Savings
495
9
2.42
FHLB advances
3,642
145
5.32
Federal funds and repurchase agreements
119
3
3.33
Total interest-bearing liabilities (3)
$
152,284
$
5,469
4.79
%
Non interest-bearing deposits
9,442
Other non interest-bearing liabilities
850
Total liabilities
162,576
Shareholders' equity
43,888
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
$
206,464
Net interest margin
$
3,931
2.51
%
* Stifel Bank was acquired on April 2, 2007.
(1) Due to immaterial amount of income recognized on tax-exempt securities, yields were not calculated on a tax equivalent basis.
(2) Loans on non-accrual status are included in average balances.
(3) See Net Interest Income table included in "Results of Operations" for additional information on our company's average balances and operating interest and expenses.
53
Net interest income - Net interest income is the difference between interest earned on interest-earning assets and interest paid on funding sources. Net interest income is affected by changes in the volume and mix of these assets and liabilities, as well as by fluctuations in interest rates and portfolio management strategies.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, interest revenue for Stifel Bank of $20.3 million was generated from weighted average interest-earning assets of $687.2 million at a weighted average interest rate of 2.95%. Interest-earning assets principally consist of residential, consumer, and commercial loans, securities, and federal funds sold.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, interest revenue for Stifel Bank of $15.3 million was generated from weighted average interest-earning assets of $273.9 million at a weighted average interest rate of 5.57%. Interest revenue of $9.4 million for the period April 2 through December 31, 2007 was generated from weighted average interest-earning assets of $188.0 million at a weighted average interest rate of 6.67%. Interest-earning assets principally consist of residential, consumer, and commercial loans, securities, and federal funds sold.
Interest expense represents interest on customer money market and savings accounts, interest on time deposits and other interest expense. The weighted average balance of interest-bearing liabilities during the year ended December 31, 2009 was $626.8 million at a weighted average interest rate of 0.74%. The weighted average balance of interest-bearing liabilities during the year ended December 31, 2008 was $229.2 million at a weighted average interest rate of 2.37%. The weighted average balance of interest-bearing liabilities for the period April 2 through December 31, 2007 was $152.3 million at a weighted average interest rate of 4.79%.
The growth in Stifel Bank has been primarily driven by (i) the conversion of UBS branches to the Stifel Nicolaus platform with money market funds and FDIC-insured balances of $1.7 billion and (ii) the growth in deposits associated with brokerage customers of Stifel Nicolaus. At December 31, 2009, the balance of Stifel Nicolaus brokerage customer deposits at Stifel Bank was $1,008.6 million compared to $228.7 million at December 31, 2008.
See the average balances and interest rates for Stifel Bank presented above for more information regarding average balances, interest income and expense, and average interest rate yields.
54
The following table sets forth an analysis of the effect on net interest income of volume and rate changes for the periods indicated (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31, 2009
Compared to Year Ended
December 31, 2008
Year Ended December 31, 2008
Compared to Year Ended
December 31, 2007
Increase (decrease) due to:
Increase (decrease) due to:
Volume
Rate
Total
Volume
Rate
Total
Interest income:
Federal funds sold
$
862
$
(313
)
$
549
$
(214
)
$
(516
)
$
(730
)
U.S. government agencies
(646
)
(81
)
(727
)
(102
)
29
(73
)
State and political subdivisions:
Taxable
(187
)
(188
)
(375
)
243
(99
)
144
Non-taxable
(17
)
4
(13
)
-
20
20
Mortgage-backed securities
4,846
(699
)
4,147
977
(148
)
829
Corporate bonds
1,206
(19
)
1,187
26
(5
)
21
Asset-backed securities
(205
)
(597
)
(802
)
968
34
1,002
FHLB and other capital stock
(5
)
(14
)
(19
)
17
(8
)
9
Loans
3,697
(3,590
)
107
5,472
(1,481
)
3,991
Loans held for sale
912
64
976
640
-
640
$
10,463
$
(5,433
)
$
5,030
$
8,027
$
(2,174
)
$
5,853
Increase (decrease) due to:
Increase (decrease) due to:
Volume
Rate
Total
Volume
Rate
Total
Interest expense:
Deposits:
Money market
$
3,900
$
(3,550
)
$
350
$
3,227
$
(3,026
)
$
201
Time deposits
(603
)
(321
)
(924
)
(286
)
(96
)
(382
)
Demand deposits
46
(61
)
(15
)
34
(30
)
4
Savings
-
(3
)
(3
)
(2
)
(4
)
(6
)
FHLB advances
(222
)
50
(172
)
261
(131
)
130
Federal funds and repurchase agreements
(11
)
(10
)
(21
)
19
(1
)
18
$
3,110
$
(3,895
)
$
(785
)
$
3,253
$
(3,288
)
$
(35
)
Increases and decreases in interest revenue and interest expense result from changes in average balances (volume) of interest-earning bank assets and liabilities, as well as changes in average interest rates. The effect of changes in volume is determined by multiplying the change in volume by the previous year's average yield/cost. Similarly, the effect of rate changes is calculated by multiplying the change in average yield/cost by the previous year's volume. Changes applicable to both volume and rate have been allocated proportionately.
55
II. Investment Portfolio
The following tables provide a summary of the amortized cost and fair values of the available-for-sale securities and held-to-maturity security at December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 (in thousands):
December 31, 2009
Amortized
cost
Gross unrealized
gains
(1)
Gross unrealized losses (1)
Estimated
fair value
Available-for-sale
U.S. government securities
$
998
$
13
$
-
$
1,011
State and municipal securities
960
32
-
992
Mortgage-backed securities:
Agency
432,820
1,880
(1,681
)
433,019
Non-agency
39,905
683
(2,122
)
38,466
Commercial
47,274
683
(317
)
47,640
Corporate fixed income securities
40,788
2,102
-
42,890
Asset-backed securities
13,235
1,235
-
14,470
$
575,980
$
6,628
$
(4,120
)
$
578,488
Held-to-maturity
Asset-backed securities (2)
$
7,574
-
(3,298
)
$
4,276
December 31, 2008
Amortized
cost
Gross unrealized
gains
(1)
Gross unrealized losses (1)
Estimated
fair value
Available-for-sale
U.S. government securities
$
8,447
$
144
$
-
$
8,591
State and municipal securities
1,513
19
(1
)
1,531
Mortgage-backed securities:
Agency
12,821
-
(391
)
12,430
Non-agency
23,091
-
(5,669
)
17,422
Asset-backed securities
11,400
-
(977
)
10,423
$
57,272
$
163
$
(7,038
)
$
50,397
Held-to-maturity
Asset-backed securities (2)
$
7,574
-
(1,324
)
$
6,250
56
December 31, 2007
Amortized
cost
Gross unrealized
gains
(1)
Gross unrealized losses (1)
Estimated
fair value
Available-for-sale
U.S. government securities
$
22,485
$
278
$
(1
)
$
22,762
State and municipal securities
15,121
5
-
15,126
Mortgage-backed securities:
Agency
13,465
-
(10
)
13,455
Non-agency
14,444
232
-
14,676
Corporate bonds
2,993
-
(23
)
2,970
Asset-backed securities
19,699
-
(1,581
)
18,118
$
88,207
$
515
$
(1,615
)
$
87,107
(1) Unrealized gains/(losses) related to available-for-sale securities are reported in other comprehensive income/(loss).
(2) Held-to-maturity securities are carried on the consolidated statements of financial condition at amortized cost and the changes in the value of these securities, other than impairment charges, are not reported on the financial statements.
57
On June 30, 2008, we transferred a $10,000 par value asset backed security, consisting of investment-grade trust preferred securities related primarily to banks, with an amortized cost basis of $10,069 from our available-for-sale securities portfolio to our held-to-maturity portfolio. This security was transferred at the estimated fair value of $7,574. The gross unrealized loss of $2,495 included in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) is being amortized as an adjustment of yield over the remaining life of the security. The estimated fair value of the held-to-maturity security at December 31, 2009 was $4,276. The estimated fair value was determined using several factors; however, primary weight was given to discounted cash flow modeling techniques that incorporated an estimated discount rate based upon recent observable debt security issuances with similar characteristics.
We evaluate our investment securities portfolio on a quarterly basis for other-than-temporary impairment ("OTTI"). We assesses whether OTTI has occurred when the fair value of a debt security is less than the amortized cost basis at the balance sheet date. Under these circumstances, OTTI is considered to have occurred (1) if we intend to sell the security; (2) if it is more likely than not we will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis; or (3) the present value of the expected cash flows is not sufficient to recover the entire amortized cost basis. For securities that we do not expect to sell or it is not more likely than not to be required to sell, credit-related OTTI, represented by the expected loss in principal, is recognized in earnings, while noncredit-related OTTI is recognized in other comprehensive income/(loss) ("OCI"). For securities which we expect to sell, all OTTI is recognized in earnings.
Noncredit-related OTTI results from other factors, including increased liquidity spreads and extension of the security. Presentation of OTTI is made in the income statement on a gross basis with a reduction for the amount of OTTI recognized in OCI. We applied the related OTTI guidance on our held-to-maturity debt security.
Based on the evaluation, we recognized other-than-temporary impairment of $1.9 million related to credit through earnings for the year ended December 31, 2009. For the impaired security, unrealized losses not related to credit and therefore recognized in other comprehensive income was $1.1 million (net of tax was $0.6 million) as of December 31, 2009. The following table provides a summary of our held-to-maturity security at December 31, 2009 (in thousands):
December 31,
2009
Held-to-maturity:
Original Amortized cost (1)
$
10,069
Impairment losses
(1,881
)
Amortized cost
8,188
Non-credit related impairment losses on securities not expected to be sold
(614
)
Carrying value (2)
$
7,574
(1) For securities transferred to held-to-maturity from available-for-sale, amortized cost is defined as the original purchase cost, plus or minus any accretion or amortization of interest, less any impairment previously recognized in earnings.
(2) Held-to-maturity securities are carried on the consolidated statement of financial condition at amortized cost and the changes in the value of these securities, other than impairment charges, are not reported on the financial statements.
58
The maturities and related weighted-average yields of available-for-sale and held-to-maturity securities at December 31, 2009 are as follows (in thousands, except rates):
Within 1
Year
1-5 Years
5-10 Years
After 10 Years
Total
Available-for-sale: (1)
U.S. government securities
$
1,011
$
-
$
-
$
-
$
1,011
State and municipal securities
-
992
-
-
992
Mortgage-backed securities:
Agency
-
-
-
433,019
433,019
Non-agency
-
-
9,658
28,808
38,466
Commercial
-
9,866
15,125
22,649
47,640
Corporate fixed income securities
6,271
35,532
1,087
-
42,890
Asset-backed securities
691
4,246
9,533
-
14,470
$
7,973
$
50,636
$
35,403
$
484,476
$
578,488
Held-to-Maturity:
Asset-backed securities
$
-
$
-
$
-
$
7,574
$
7,574
Weighted-average yield
3.72
%
4.66
%
4.55
%
3.65
%
3.79
%
(1) Due to an immaterial amount of income recognized on tax-exempt securities, yields were not calculated on a tax equivalent basis.
We did not hold securities from any single issuer that exceeded ten percent of our shareholders' equity at December 31, 2009.
59
III. Loan Portfolio
The following table presents the balance and associated percentage of each major loan category in Stifel Bank's loan portfolio at December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 (in thousands):
As of December 31,
2009
2008
2007
Consumer
$
227,436
$
19,662
$
4,044
Residential real estate
52,086
58,778
24,285
Home equity lines of credit
33,369
28,612
1,524
Commercial
11,294
27,538
31,417
Commercial real estate
10,152
38,446
39,184
Construction and land
952
13,968
24,447
335,289
187,004
124,901
Unamortized loan origination costs, net of loan fees
1,556
591
-
Loans in process
14
(3,878
)
109
Allowance for loan losses
(1,702
)
(2,448
)
(1,685
)
$
335,157
$
181,269
$
123,325
The maturities of the loan portfolio at December 31, 2009 are as follows (in thousands):
Within 1 Year
1-5 Years
Over 5 Years
Total
$
196,004
$
64,188
$
82,901
$
343,093
The sensitivity of loans with maturities in excess of one year at December 31, 2009 is as follows (in thousands):
1-5 Years
Over 5 Years
Total
Fixed rate loans
$
35,113
$
1,446
$
36,559
Variable or adjustable rate loans
29,075
81,455
110,530
$
64,188
$
82,901
$
147,089
60
Changes in the allowance for loan losses at Stifel Bank were as follows (in thousands):
Year Ended December 31,
2009
2008
2007*
Allowance for loan losses, beginning of period
$
2,448
$
1,685
$
-
Acquisition of Stifel Bank
-
-
1,127
Provision for loan losses
604
1,923
558
Charge-offs:
Construction and land
(859
)
(493
)
(2
)
Commercial real estate
(294
)
(253
)
-
Real estate construction loans
(213
)
(414
)
-
Other
(25
)
-
-
Total charge-offs
(1,391
)
(1,160
)
(2
)
Recoveries
41
-
2
Allowance for loan losses, end of period
$
1,702
$
2,448
$
1,685
Net charge-offs to average bank loans outstanding, net
0.58
%
0.64
%
0.00
%
* The results of Stifel Bank are included prospectively from April 2, 2007, the date of acquisition.
The following is a breakdown of the allowance for loan losses by type for the periods indicated (in thousands, except rates):
December 31, 2009
December 31, 2008
December 31, 2007
Balance
Percent*
Balance
Percent*
Balance
Percent*
Residential real estate
$
619
15.8
%
$
584
44.8
%
$
100
5.9
%
Commercial real estate
610
3.0
1,192
30.0
972
57.7
Commercial
321
3.4
646
14.7
56
3.3
Consumer
152
77.8
26
10.5
8
0.5
Unallocated
-
-
-
-
549
32.6
$
1,702
100.0
%
$
2,448
100.0
%
$
1,685
100.0
%
* Represents percentage of loans to loan portfolio total.
At December 31, 2009, Stifel Bank had $1,368 of non-accrual loans that were more than 90 days past due, for which there was a specific allowance of an insignificant amount. Further, Stifel Bank had $533 in troubled debt restructurings at December 31, 2009. At December 31, 2008 and 2007, Stifel Bank had $0.6 million and $0.7 million in non-accrual loans, respectively, for which there was a specific reserve of $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively. In addition, there were no accrual loans delinquent 90 days or more or troubled debt restructurings at December 31, 2008 and 2007.
Stifel Bank has no exposure to sub-prime mortgages. The gross interest income related to impaired loans, which would have been recorded had these loans been current in accordance with their original terms, and the interest income recognized on these loans during the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, were immaterial to the consolidated financial statements.
See the section entitled "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates" herein regarding Stifel Bank's policies for establishing loan loss reserves, including placing loans on non-accrual status.
61
V. Deposits
Deposits consist of money market and savings accounts, certificates of deposit and demand deposits. The average balances of deposits and the associated weighted-average interest rates for the periods indicated are as follows (in thousands, except percentages):
Year ended December 31,
Period
2009
2008
April 2, - December 31, 2007
Average Balance
Average Interest Rate
Average Balance
Average Interest Rate
Average Balance
Average Interest Rate
Demand deposits (interest bearing)
$
603,033
0.64
%
$
180,953
1.95
%
$
94,538
4.23
%
Certificates of deposit (time deposits)
$
20,104
3.36
%
$
36,287
4.41
%
$
53,490
4.94
%
Demand deposits (non-interest bearing)
$
15,054
*
$
15,293
*
$
9,442
*
Savings accounts
$
303
-
%
$
339
0.97
%
$
495
2.42
%
* Not applicable.
The results of Stifel Bank are included prospectively from April 2, 2007, the date of acquisition.
Scheduled maturities of certificates of deposit greater than $100,000 at December 31, 2009 were as follows (in thousands):
0-3 Months
3-6 Months
6-12 Months
Over 12 Months
Total
$
5,423
$
265
$
248
$
1,770
$
7,706
VI. Return on Equity and Assets
Year Ended December 31,
2009
2008
2007
Return on assets (net income as a percentage of average total assets)
2.93
%
3.32
%
2.12
%
Return on equity (net income as a percentage of average shareholders' equity)
9.97
%
11.10
%
8.24
%
Dividend payout ratio *
-
%
-
%
-
%
Equity to assets ratio (average shareholders' equity as a percentage of average total assets)
29.35
%
29.90
%
25.70
%
* We did not declare or pay any dividends during 2009, 2008 or 2007.
62
VII. Short-term Borrowings
The following is a summary of our short-term borrowings for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007 (in thousands, except rates):
Short-Term Borrowings
Stock Loan
2009:
Amount outstanding at December 31, 2009
$
90,800
$
16,667
Weighted-average interest rate thereon
1.04
%
0.33
%
Maximum amount of withdrawals at any month-end
$
212,300
$
85,432
Average amount outstanding during the year
$
107,383
$
53,110
Weighted-average interest rate thereon
0.99
%
1.07
%
2008:
Amount outstanding at December 31, 2008
$
-
$
16,987
Weighted-average interest rate thereon
-
%
0.52
%
Maximum amount of withdrawals at any month-end
$
265,300
$
162,888
Average amount outstanding during the year
$
132,660
$
105,424
Weighted-average interest rate thereon
2.28
%
2.47
%
2007:
Amount outstanding at December 31, 2007
$
127,850
$
138,475
Weighted-average interest rate thereon
4.53
%
4.12
%
Maximum amount of withdrawals at any month-end
$
362,050
$
186,164
Average amount outstanding during the year
$
156,778
$
119,590
Weighted-average interest rate thereon
4.86
%
4.82
%
63
Results of Operations - Capital Markets
The following table presents consolidated financial information for the Capital Markets segment for the periods indicated (in thousands, except percentages):
For the Year Ended December 31,
Percentage
Change
As a Percentage of
Net Revenues
for the Year Ended
December 31,
2009
2008
2007
2009 vs. 2008
2008 vs. 2007
2009
2008
2007
Revenues:
Principal transactions
$
263,804
$
168,707
$
49,882
56.4
%
238.2
%
53.3
%
43.2
%
16.4
%
Commissions
111,469
149,547
123,486
(25.5
)
21.1
22.6
38.3
40.8
Capital raising
61,657
29,690
55,420
107.7
(46.4
)
12.5
7.6
18.3
Advisory
49,244
38,506
74,153
27.9
(48.1
)
10.0
9.9
24.5
Investment banking
110,901
68,196
129,573
62.6
(47.4
)
22.5
17.5
42.8
Interest
9,847
9,068
20,668
8.6
(56.1
)
2.0
2.3
6.8
Other income
1,331
1,439
875
(7.6
)
64.6
0.3
0.3
0.3
Total revenues
497,352
396,957
324,484
25.3
22.3
100.7
101.6
107.1
Interest expense
3,260
6,231
21,553
(47.7
)
(71.1
)
0.7
1.6
7.1
Net revenues
494,092
390,726
302,931
26.5
29.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits
287,835
233,679
188,145
23.2
24.2
58.3
59.8
62.1
Occupancy and equipment rental
16,249
14,194
10,804
14.5
31.4
3.3
3.6
3.6
Communication and office supplies
18,540
19,087
19,879
(2.9
)
(4.0
)
3.7
4.9
6.5
Commissions and floor brokerage
15,716
8,806
3,239
78.5
171.9
3.2
2.3
1.1
Other operating expenses
26,619
23,068
20,015
15.4
15.3
5.4
5.9
6.6
Total non-interest expenses
364,959
298,834
242,082
22.1
23.4
73.9
76.5
79.9
Income before income taxes
$
129,133
$
91,892
$
60,849
40.5
%
51.0
%
26.1
%
23.5
%
20.1
%
64
Year Ended December 31, 2009 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2008
NET REVENUES
For the year ended December 31, 2009, Capital Markets net revenues increased 26.5% to $494.1 million from $390.7 million for the comparable period in 2008. The increase in net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2009 over the comparable period in 2008 is primarily attributable to an increase in principal transactions, investment banking and net interest revenues offset by a decrease in commissions.
Principal transactions - For the year ended December 31, 2009, principal transactions revenue increased $95.1 million, or 56.4%, to $263.8 million from $168.7 million in the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily attributable to increased principal transactions, primarily in corporate debt, OTC equity, mortgage-backed bonds and municipal debt due to turbulent markets and institutional customers returning to traditional fixed income products. The change in the mix from commissions-based revenues to principal transactions revenue has created an increase in our trading inventory levels primarily related to fixed income products.
Commissions - For the year ended December 31, 2009, commission revenues decreased 25.5% to $111.5 million from $149.5 million in the comparable period in 2008. The volatility in capital markets has resulted in a decrease in trading volumes, as customers have returned to traditional fixed income products.
Investment banking - For the year ended December 31, 2009, investment banking revenues increased 60.6% to $109.5 million from $68.2 million in the comparable period in 2008.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, capital raising revenues increased $30.6 million, or 103.0%, to $60.3 million from $29.7 million in the comparable period in 2008.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, fixed income capital raising revenues increased $7.3 million to $12.7 million from $5.4 million during the comparable period in 2008.
During the second half of 2009, capital market conditions began to improve, and we raised capital for our clients in a number of successful public finance underwritings. In addition, our revenues were positively impacted by our investment in public finance offices and professional staff during the second half of 2008. For the year ended December 31, 2009, we were involved, as manager or co-manager, in 369 tax-exempt issues with a total par value of $21.6 billion compared to 108 issues with a total par value of $6.4 billion during the comparable period in 2008.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, equity capital raising revenues increased $23.6 million to $43.6 million from $20.0 million during the comparable period in 2008. During the year ended December 31, 2009, we were involved, as manager or co-manager in 72 equity underwritings which raised a total of $21.4 billion, compared to 46 during the comparable period in 2008, an increase of 56.5% in the number of underwritings over the comparable period in 2008.
For the year ended December 31, 2009, strategic advisory fees increased 27.9% to $49.2 million from $38.5 million in the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily due to an increase in the number of completed equity transactions and the aggregate transaction value, as well as the average revenue per transaction, over the comparable periods in 2008.
Interest revenue - For the year ended December 31, 2009, interest revenue increased 8.6% to $9.8 million from $9.1 million in the comparable period in 2008. The increase in interest revenues is primarily attributable to increased interest earned on our trading inventory. The change in the mix from commissions-based revenues to principal transactions revenue has created an increase in our trading inventory levels primarily related to fixed income products.
Interest expense - For the year ended December 31, 2009, interest expense decreased 47.7%, or $2.9 million, to $3.3 million from $6.2 million in the comparable period in 2008. The decrease is due to decreased interest rates charged by banks on lower levels of borrowings to finance firm inventory.
65
NON-INTEREST EXPENSES
For the year ended December 31, 2009, Capital Markets non-interest expenses increased 22.1% to $365.0 million from $298.8 million for the comparable period in 2008.
Unless specifically discussed below, the fluctuations in non-interest expenses were primarily attributable to the continued growth of our Capital Markets segment during the year ended December 31, 2009. We have added 63 revenue producers (15 equity sales and trading professionals, 19 investment bankers, 19 fixed income sales and trading professionals and 10 public finance professionals) and 34 support staff since December 31, 2008.
Compensation and benefits - For the year ended December 31, 2009, compensation and benefits expense increased 23.2% to $287.8 million from $233.7 million during the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily due to increased fixed compensation and higher production-based variable compensation due to higher production as compared to the prior year.
Compensation and benefits expense as a percentage of net revenues decreased to 58.3% for the year ended December 31, 2009, compared to 59.8% for the comparable period in 2008. The decrease in compensation and benefits expense as a percent of net revenues is primarily attributable to increased net revenues, offset by increased costs associated with our continued expansion efforts during 2009.
Occupancy and equipment rental - For the year ended December 31, 2009, occupancy and equipment rental expense increased 14.5% to $16.2 million from $14.2 million during the comparable period in 2008.
Communications and office supplies - For the year ended December 31, 2009, communications and office supplies expense decreased 2.9% to $18.5 million from $19.1 million during the first year of 2008.
Commissions and floor brokerage - For the year ended December 31, 2009, commissions and floor brokerage expense increased $6.9 million to $15.7 million from $8.8 million during the first year of 2008.
Other operating expenses - For the year ended December 31, 2009, other operating expenses increased 15.4% to $26.6 million from $23.1 million during the comparable period in 2008.
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES
For the year ended December 31, 2009, income before income taxes for the Capital Markets segment increased $37.2 million, or 40.5%, to $129.1 million from $91.9 million during the comparable period in 2008. The increase is primarily attributable to increased revenues and the scalability of increased production as a result of our continued expansion of the Capital Markets segment during 2009.
66
Year Ended December 31, 2008 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2007
NET REVENUES
For the year ended December 31, 2008, Capital Markets net revenues increased 29.0% to $390.7 million from $302.9 million for the comparable period in 2007. The increase in net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2008 over the comparable period in 2007 is primarily attributable to an increase in principal transactions, commissions and net interest revenues offset by a decrease in investment banking.
Principal transactions - For the year ended December 31, 2008, principal transactions revenue increased $118.8 million to $168.7 million from $49.9 million in the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to increased principal transactions, primarily in corporate and municipal debt and mortgage-backed bonds due to turbulent markets and institutional customers returning to traditional fixed income products.
Commissions - For the year ended December 31, 2008, commission revenues increased 21.1% to $149.5 million from $123.5 million in the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to the continued expansion of the Capital Markets segment.
Investment banking - For the year ended December 31, 2008, investment banking revenues decreased 47.4% to $68.2 million from $129.6 million in the comparable period in 2007. The decrease is attributable to the industry-wide decline in common stock offerings and mergers and acquisitions caused by challenging capital market conditions during 2008.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, capital raising revenues decreased $25.7 million, or 46.4%, to $29.7 million from $55.4 million in the comparable period in 2007. For the year ended December 31, 2008, fixed income capital raising revenues decreased $2.5 million to $5.4 million from $7.9 million during the comparable period in 2007. For the year ended December 31, 2008, equity capital raising revenues decreased $19.1 million to $20.0 million from $39.1 million during the comparable period in 2007.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, strategic advisory fees decreased $35.7 million, or 48.1%, to $38.5 million from $74.2 million in the comparable period in 2007. During the second quarter of 2007, we closed on a significant corporate finance investment banking transaction which contributed $24.7 million in revenue.
Interest revenue - For the year ended December 31, 2008, interest revenue decreased $11.6 million, or 56.1%, to $9.1 million from $20.7 million in the comparable period in 2007. The decrease in interest revenues is primarily attributable to decreased fixed income inventory held for sale to clients and the decline in interest rates.
Interest expense - For the year ended December 31, 2008, interest expense decreased $15.4 million, or 71.1%, to $6.2 million from $21.6 million in the comparable period in 2007. The decrease is attributable to decreased interest expense incurred to carry the lower levels of fixed income inventory and a decrease in interest rates.
67
NON-INTEREST EXPENSES
For the year ended December 31, 2008, Capital Markets non-interest expenses increased 23.4% to $298.8 million from $242.1 million for the comparable period in 2007.
Compensation and benefits - For the year ended December 31, 2008, compensation and benefits expense increased 24.2% to $233.7 million from $188.1 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily due to increased fixed compensation and higher production-based variable compensation due to higher production as compared to the prior year.
Compensation and benefits expense as a percentage of net revenues decreased to 59.8% for the year ended December 31, 2008, compared to 62.1% for the comparable period in 2007. The decrease in compensation and benefits expense as a percent of net revenues is primarily attributable to increased net revenues.
Occupancy and equipment rental - For the year ended December 31, 2008, occupancy and equipment rental expense increased 31.4% to $14.2 million from $10.8 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to the expansion of Capital Markets segment, including increased expenses associated with the new downtown Baltimore location for our capital markets operations, which was occupied beginning in the fall of 2007.
Communications and office supplies - For the year ended December 31, 2008, communications and office supplies expense decreased 4.0% to $19.1 million from $19.9 million during the first year of 2007. During 2008, we began classifying certain outsourced services which were historically recorded as communications and office supplies as commission and floor brokerage. As a result, we recorded $6.1 million of expenses as commission and floor brokerage in 2008.
Commissions and floor brokerage - For the year ended December 31, 2008, commissions and floor brokerage expense increased $5.6 million to $8.8 million from $3.2 million during the first year of 2007.
Other operating expenses - For the year ended December 31, 2008, other operating expenses increased 15.3% to $23.1 million from $20.0 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to the expansion of Capital Markets segment.
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES
For the year ended December 31, 2008, income before income taxes for the Capital Markets segment increased $31.1 million, or 51.0%, to $91.9 million from $60.8 million during the comparable period in 2007. The increase is primarily attributable to increased revenues and the scalability of increased production as a result of our continued expansion of the Capital Markets segment.
68
Results of Operations - Other Segment
The following table presents consolidated financial information for the Other segment for the periods presented (in thousands, except percentages):
For the Year Ended December 31,
As a Percentage of
Net Revenues
for the Year Ended
December 31,
2009
2008
2007
2009 vs. 2008
2008 vs. 2007
Net revenues
$
5,221
$
8,606
$
19,623
(39.3
) %
(56.1
) %
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits
60,124
59,892
79,148
0.4
(24.3
)
Other operating expenses
53,864
46,934
43,821
14.8
7.1
Total non-interest expenses
113,988
106,826
122,969
6.7
(13.1
)
Loss before income taxes
$
(108,767
)
$
(98,220
)
$
(103,346
)
10.7
%
(5.0
) %
Year Ended December 31, 2009 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2008
Net revenues - For the year ended December 31, 2009, net revenues decreased 39.3% to $5.2 million from $8.6 million for the comparable period in 2008. The decrease in net revenues is primarily attributable to a $6.5 million decrease in net interest revenues to $0.8 million in 2009 as a result of decreased interest charged for short-term borrowings, offset by the reduction of investment losses during the year ended December 31, 2009. In addition, we recorded an impairment charge of $1.9 million on our held-to-maturity investment during the fourth quarter due to an other-than-temporary decline in value.
Compensation and benefits - For the year ended December 31, 2009, compensation and benefits expense of $60.1 million remained consistent with the comparable period in 2008.
For the year ended December 31, 2008, we incurred compensation charges of $25.6 million related to the amortization of units awarded to LM Capital Markets associates, which were fully amortized as of December 31, 2008. Excluding the impact of these charges, the increase in compensation and benefits expense for the year ended December 31, 2009 over the comparable period in 2008 is primarily attributable to an increase in support personnel as we continued our growth initiatives during 2009. Since December 31, 2008, we have added 145 support associates primarily in Information Technology and Operations.
Other operating expenses - For the year ended December 31, 2009, other operating expenses increased 14.8% to $53.9 million from $46.9 million for the comparable period in 2008.
The increase is primarily attributable to the continued growth in all segments during 2009, which included increased SIPC assessments, securities processing fees, travel and promotion, and legal expenses. The increase in legal expenses is attributable to an increase in litigation associated with the ongoing investigations in connection with ARS and an increase in the number of claims and litigation costs to defend industry recruitment claims.
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Year Ended December 31, 2008 Compared with Year Ended December 31, 2007
Net revenues - For the year ended December 31, 2008, net revenues decreased $11.0 million, or 56.1%, to $8.6 million from $19.6 million for the comparable period in 2007. The decrease is primarily due to investment losses of $9.0 million as a result of the downturn in the equity markets and a $6.5 million decrease in net interest revenues to $7.3 million in 2008 as a result of decreased interest charged for short-term borrowings. In November 2008, we recorded a $6.7 million gain before certain expenses and taxes on the extinguishment of $12.5 million of 6.78% Stifel Financial Capital Trust IV Cumulative Preferred Securities.
Compensation and benefits - For the year ended December 31, 2008, compensation and benefits expense decreased 24.3% to $59.9 million from $79.1 million for the comparable period in 2007.
Included in employee compensation and benefits in 2007 are acquisition-related charges of $24.9 million principally for the amendment and acceleration of vesting of the Ryan Beck deferred compensation plan. Excluding the 2007 acquisition-related charges, overall compensation and benefits increased primarily as a result of a 13.0% increase in support personnel for overall company growth. Additionally, included in employee compensation and benefits are acquisition-related expenses associated with the LM Capital Markets acquisition consisting principally of compensation charges of $25.6 million and $24.2 million in 2008 and 2007, respectively, primarily for amortization of units awarded to LM Capital Markets associates. These units were fully amortized as of December 31, 2008.
Other operating expenses - For the year ended December 31, 2008, other operating expenses increased 7.1% to $46.9 million from $43.8 million for the comparable period in 2007. Included in 2007 are $6.4 million of acquisition-related expenses associated with Ryan Beck. Excluding the impact of the 2007 acquisition related charges, other operating expenses increased as a result of our continued growth. In addition, in the fourth quarter of 2008 we recorded a contingency charge of $5.3 million related to our voluntary partial repurchase plan for certain auction rate securities.
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Analysis of Financial Condition
Our company's consolidated statements of financial condition consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, receivables, trading inventory, bank loans, investments, goodwill, loans and advances to financial advisors, bank deposits, and payables. Total assets of $3.2 billion at December 31, 2009 were up 103.3% over December 31, 2008. The increase is primarily attributable to increased receivables, trading inventory, financial instruments, loans and advances to financial advisors and the recognition of goodwill associated with our acquisition of UBS. Our broker-dealer subsidiary's gross assets and liabilities, including trading inventory, stock loan/borrow, receivables and payables from/to brokers, dealers and clearing organizations and clients, fluctuate with our business levels and overall market conditions. The increase in assets is primarily attributable to the growth of our company, both organically and through the acquisition of UBS.
As of December 31, 2009, our liabilities were comprised primarily of short-term borrowings of $90.8 million, deposits of $1,047.2 million at Stifel Bank and payables to brokerage clients and broker, dealers and clearing organizations of $214.9 million and $90.5 million, respectively, at our broker-dealer subsidiaries, as well as accounts payable and accrued expenses, including accrued employee compensation of $279.7 million. To meet our obligations to clients and operating needs, we have $161.8 million in cash. We also have client brokerage receivables of $383.2 million and $335.2 million in loans at Stifel Bank.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Management of Our Liquidity
Liquidity is essential to our business. We regularly evaluate cash requirements for current operations, commitments, development activities and capital expenditures and we may elect to raise additional funds for these purposes in the future through the issuance of either debt or equity, under our universal shelf registration filed with the SEC on March 30, 2009.
Based on our current cash flow budgets and forecasts of our short-term and long-term liquidity needs, management believes that our projected sources of liquidity will be sufficient to meet our projected liquidity needs for more than the next 12 months. Management will continue to assess our liquidity position and potential sources of supplemental liquidity in view of our operating performance, current economic and capital market conditions, and other relevant circumstances.
Our assets, consisting mainly of cash or assets readily convertible into cash are our principal source of liquidity. The liquid nature of these assets provides for flexibility in managing and financing the projected operating needs of the business. These assets are financed primarily by our equity capital, debentures to trusts, client credit balances, short-term bank loans, proceeds from securities lending, and other payables. We currently finance our client accounts and firm trading positions through ordinary course borrowings at floating interest rates from various banks on a demand basis and securities lending, with company-owned and client securities pledged as collateral. Changes in securities market volumes, related client borrowing demands, underwriting activity, and levels of securities inventory affect the amount of our financing requirements.
Our bank assets consist principally of retained loans, available-for-sale securities, and cash and cash equivalents. Stifel Bank's current liquidity needs are generally met through deposits from bank clients and equity capital. We monitor the liquidity of Stifel Bank daily to ensure its ability to meet customer deposit withdrawals, maintain reserve requirements and support asset growth.
We rely exclusively on financing activities and distributions from our subsidiaries for funds to implement our business and growth strategies. Net capital rules, restrictions under the borrowing arrangements of our subsidiaries, as well as the earnings, financial condition, and cash requirements of our subsidiaries, may each limit distributions to us from our subsidiaries.
We have an ongoing authorization, as amended, from the Board of Directors to repurchase our common stock in the open market or in negotiated transactions. In May 2005, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of an additional 3,000,000 shares, for a total authorization to repurchase up to 4,500,000 shares. The share repurchase program will manage our equity capital relative to the growth of our business and help to meet obligations under our employee benefit plans. Under existing Board authorizations at December 31, 2009, we are permitted to buy an additional 2,010,831 shares. We currently do not pay cash dividends on our common stock.
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We believe our existing assets, most of which are liquid in nature, together with the funds from operations, available informal short-term credit arrangements and our ability to raise additional capital will provide sufficient resources to meet our present and anticipated financing needs.
Cash Flow
Cash and cash equivalents decreased $77.9 million to $161.8 million at December 31, 2009 from $239.7 million at December 31, 2008. Operating activities used $347.3 million of cash primarily due to an increase in operating assets and liabilities offset by the net effect of non-cash expenses and cash from earnings. Investing activities used cash of $850.8 million due our acquisition of the UBS branches, bank customer loan originations, purchases of eligible ARS from our customers as part of our voluntary repurchase plan, purchases of available-for-sale securities as part of our investment strategy at Stifel Bank, and fixed asset purchases, offset by proceeds from the sale of investments and bank customer loan repayments. During the year ended December 31, 2009, we purchased $27.9 million in fixed assets, consisting primarily of information technology equipment, leasehold improvements and furniture and fixtures. Financing activities provided cash of $1,120.2 million due to an increase in bank deposits principally due to the increase in affiliated deposits as a result of organic growth and the acquisition of UBS, proceeds received from bank borrowings, net proceeds of $44.7 million from an "at-the-market" public offering of 1.0 million shares of our common stock in June 2009, and net proceeds of $91.8 million from a public offering of 1.7 million shares of our common stock in September 2009.
Funding Sources
We use a variety of funding sources to obtain funds, which includes, but is not limited to, gathering deposits, issuing equity securities, and securitizing assets. Further liquidity is available to our company through uncommitted facilities, FHLB advances and federal funds agreements.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
We held $161.8 million of cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2009, compared to $239.7 million at December 31, 2008. Cash and cash equivalents provide immediate sources of funds to meet our liquidity needs.
Securities Available-for-Sale
We held $578.5 million in available-for-sale investment securities at December 31, 2009 compared to $50.4 million at December 31, 2008. As of December 31, 2009, the weighted average life of the investment securities portfolio was approximately 3.2 years. These investment securities provide increased liquidity and flexibility to support our company's funding requirements.
We monitor the available for sale investment portfolio for other-than-temporary impairment based on a number of criteria, including the size of the unrealized loss position, the duration for which the security has been in a loss position, credit rating, the nature of the investments, current market conditions. For debt securities, we also consider any intent to sell the security and the likelihood it will be required to sell the security before its anticipated recovery. We continually monitor the ratings of its security holdings and conduct regular reviews of our credit sensitive assets.
Deposits
Deposits have become one of our largest funding sources. Deposits provide a stable, low-cost source of funds that we utilize to fund loan and asset growth and to diversify funding sources. We have continued to expand our deposit gathering efforts through our existing private client network and through expansion. These channels offer a broad set of deposit products that include demand deposits, money market deposits, and certificates of deposit ("CDs").
As of December 31, 2009, we had $1,047.2 million in deposits compared to $284.8 million at December 31, 2008. The growth in deposits is primarily attributable to the increase in brokerage deposits held by the bank and our UBS acquisition. Our core deposits are comprised of non-interest bearing deposits, money market deposit accounts, savings accounts and CDs.
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Short-term borrowings from banks
Our short-term financing is generally obtained through the use of bank loans and securities lending arrangements. We borrow from various banks on a demand basis with company-owned and customer securities pledged as collateral. The value of the customer-owned securities is not reflected on the consolidated statements of financial condition. We maintain available ongoing credit arrangements with banks that provided a peak daily borrowing of $379.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2009. There are no compensating balance requirements under these arrangements. At December 31, 2009, short-term borrowings from banks were $90.8 million at an average rate of 1.04%, which were collateralized by company-owned securities valued at $165.2 million. At December 31, 2008, there were no short-term borrowings from banks. The average bank borrowing was $107.4 million, $132.7 million and $156.8 million during the year ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively, at weighted average daily interest rates of 0.99%, 2.28% and 4.86%, respectively. At December 31, 2009 and 2008, Stifel Nicolaus had a stock loan balance of $16.7 million and $17.0 million, respectively, at weighted average daily interest rates of 0.33% and 0.52%, respectively. The average outstanding securities lending arrangements utilized in financing activities were $53.1 million, $105.4 million and $119.6 million during the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008 and 2007, respectively, at weighted average daily effective interest rates of 1.07%, 2.47% and 4.82%, respectively. Customer-owned securities were utilized in these arrangements.
The impact of the tightened credit markets has resulted in decreased financing through stock loan as our counterparties sought liquidity. As a result, bank loan financing used to finance trading inventories increased.
Federal Home Loan Bank Advances and other secured financing
Stifel Bank has borrowing capacity with the Federal Home Loan Bank of $125.7 million at December 31, 2009, of which $123.7 million was unused, and a $13.9 million federal funds agreement for the purpose of purchasing short-term funds should additional liquidity be needed. Stifel Bank receives overnight funds from excess cash held in Stifel Nicolaus brokerage accounts, which are deposited into a money market account. These balances totaled $1,008.6 million at December 31, 2009.
Our liquidity requirements may change in the event we need to raise more funds than anticipated to increase inventory positions, support more rapid expansion, develop new or enhanced services and products, acquire technologies, or respond to other unanticipated liquidity requirements. We rely exclusively on financing activities and distributions from our subsidiaries for funds to implement our business and growth strategies, and repurchase our shares. Net capital rules, restrictions under our borrowing arrangements of our subsidiaries, as well as the earnings, financial condition, and cash requirements of our subsidiaries, may each limit distributions to us from our subsidiaries.
In the event existing internal and external financial resources do not satisfy our needs, we may have to seek additional outside financing. The availability of outside financing will depend on a variety of factors, such as market conditions, the general availability of credit, the volume of trading activities, the overall availability of credit to the financial services industry, credit ratings, and credit capacity, as well as the possibility that lenders could develop a negative perception of our long-term or short-term financial prospects if we incurred large trading losses or if the level of our business activity decreased due to a market downturn or otherwise. We currently do not have a credit rating, which could adversely affect our liquidity and competitive position by increasing our borrowing costs and limiting access to sources of liquidity that require a credit rating as a condition to providing funds.
Use of Capital Resources
On December 28, 2009, we announced that Stifel Nicolaus had reached an agreement between the State of Missouri, the State of Indiana, the State of Colorado and with an association of other State securities regulatory authorities regarding the repurchase of ARS from Eligible ARS investors. As part of the modified ARS repurchase offer we have accelerated the previously announced repurchase plan. We have agreed to repurchase ARS from Eligible ARS investors in four phases starting in January 2010 and ending on December 31, 2011. During January 2010, we repurchased $21.2 million of ARS at par. At January 31, 2010, we estimate that our retail clients held $103.1 million of eligible ARS after issuer redemptions of $23.5 million and Stifel repurchases of $81.2 million. See Item 3, "Legal Proceedings," for further details regarding ARS claims.
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On March 23, 2009, we announced that Stifel Nicolaus had entered into a definitive agreement with UBS Financial Services Inc. ("UBS") to acquire certain specified branches from the UBS Wealth Management Americas branch network. As subsequently amended, we agreed to acquire 56 branches (the "Acquired Locations") from UBS in four separate closings pursuant to this agreement. We completed the closings on the following dates: August 14, 2009, September 11, 2009, September 25, 2009 and October 16, 2009. This acquisition further expands our private client footprint.
The transaction was structured as an asset purchase for cash at a premium over certain balance sheet items, subject to adjustment. The payments to UBS in conjunction with all four closings of $252.2 million included: (i) an upfront cash payment of $28.8 million based on the actual number of branches and financial advisors acquired by Stifel Nicolaus; and (ii) aggregate payment of $15.9 million for net fixed assets, employee forgivable loans and other assets, and (iii) securities-based and margin loans of $207.4 million that were collateralized by securities included in customer accounts converted to the Stifel platform. In addition, a contingent earn-out payment is payable based on the performance of those UBS financial advisors who joined Stifel Nicolaus, over the two-year period following the closing.
We utilize transition pay, principally in the form of upfront demand notes, to aid financial advisors, who have elected to join our firm, to supplement their lost compensation while transitioning their customers' accounts to the Stifel platform. The initial value of the notes are determined primarily by the financial advisors trailing production and assets under management. These notes are generally forgiven over a five to ten year period based on production. The future estimated amortization expense of the upfront notes, assuming current year production levels and static growth for the years ended December 31, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and thereafter are $45.6 million, $36.9 million, $29.9 million, $23.2 million and $49.5 million, respectively. These estimates could change if we continue to grow our business through expansion or experience increased production levels.
The following table summarizes the activity related to our company's demand note receivable from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009 (in thousands):
December 31,
2009
December 31,
2008
Beginning balance
$
105,767
$
70,407
Notes issued - organic growth
81,953
52,339
Notes issued - acquisitions *
31,659
2,209
Amortization
(33,407
)
(18,567
)
Other
(849
)
(621
)
Ending balance
$
185,123
$
105,767
* Notes issued in conjunction with our acquisition of UBS branches and Butler Wick in 2009 and 2008, respectively.
We have paid $113.6 million in the form of upfront notes to financial advisors for transition pay during 2009, which includes $31.7 million of upfront notes issued to UBS financial advisors as a form of transition pay. As we continue to take advantage of the opportunities created by market displacement and as competition for skilled professionals in the industry increases, we may have to devote more significant resources to attracting and retaining qualified personnel.
We paid a contingent earn-out of $25.5 million related to our acquisition of the LM Capital Markets business from Citigroup Inc. during the second quarter of 2009.
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Net Capital Requirements
We operate in a highly regulated environment and are subject to net capital requirements, which may limit distributions to our company from our broker-dealer subsidiaries. Distributions from our broker-dealer subsidiaries are subject to net capital rules. These subsidiaries have historically operated in excess of minimum net capital requirements. However, if distributions were to be limited in the future due to the failure of our subsidiaries to comply with the net capital rules or a change in the net capital rules, it could have a material and adverse affect to our company by limiting our operations that require intensive use of capital, such as underwriting or trading activities, or limit our ability to implement our business and growth strategies, pay interest on and repay the principal of our debt, and/or repurchase our common stock. Our non broker-dealer subsidiary, Stifel Bank is also subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal banking agencies.
At December 31, 2009, Stifel Nicolaus had net capital of $187.5 million, which was 39.4% of its aggregate debit items, and $178.0 million in excess of its minimum required net capital; CSA had net capital of $3.4 million, which was $3.2 million in excess of its minimum required net capital. At December 31, 2009, SN Ltd had capital and reserves of $7.2 million, which was $6.6 million in excess of the financial resources requirement under the rules of the FSA. At December 31, 2009, Stifel Bank was considered well capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. See Note 20 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for details of our regulatory capital requirements.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
In preparing our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC, we make assumptions, judgments and estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our assumptions, judgments and estimates on historical experience and various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. On a regular basis, we evaluate our assumptions, judgments and estimates. We also discuss our critical accounting policies and estimates with the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.
We believe that the assumptions, judgments and estimates involved in the accounting policies described below have the greatest potential impact on our consolidated financial statements. These areas are key components of our results of operations and are based on complex rules that require us to make assumptions, judgments and estimates, so we consider these to be our critical accounting policies. Historically, our assumptions, judgments and estimates relative to our critical accounting policies and estimates have not differed materially from actual results.
For a full description of these and other accounting policies, see Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Valuation of Financial Instruments
We measure certain financial assets and liabilities at fair value on a recurring basis, including cash equivalents, trading securities owned, available-for-sale securities, investments and trading securities sold, but not yet purchased.
Trading securities owned and pledged and trading securities sold, but not yet purchased, are carried at fair value on the consolidated statements of financial condition, with unrealized gains and losses reflected on the consolidated statements of operations.
The fair value of a financial instrument is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date, or an exit price. The degree of judgment used in measuring the fair value of financial instruments generally correlates to the level of pricing observability. Financial instruments with readily available active quoted prices or for which fair value can be measured from actively quoted prices in active markets generally have more pricing observability and less judgment used in measuring fair value. Conversely, financial instruments rarely traded or not quoted have less pricing observability and are measured at fair value using valuation models that require more judgment. Pricing observability is impacted by a number of factors, including the type of financial instrument, whether the financial instrument is new to the market and not yet established, the characteristics specific to the transaction, and overall market conditions generally.
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When available, we use observable market prices, observable market parameters, or broker or dealer quotes (bid and ask prices) to derive the fair value of financial instruments. In the case of financial instruments transacted on recognized exchanges, the observable market prices represent quotations for completed transactions from the exchange on which the financial instrument is principally traded.
A substantial percentage of the fair value of our trading securities and other investments owned, trading securities pledged as collateral, and trading securities sold, but not yet purchased, are based on observable market prices, observable market parameters, or derived from broker or dealer prices. The availability of observable market prices and pricing parameters can vary from product to product. Where available, observable market prices and pricing or market parameters in a product may be used to derive a price without requiring significant judgment. In certain markets, observable market prices or market parameters are not available for all products, and fair value is determined using techniques appropriate for each particular product. These techniques involve some degree of judgment.
For investments in illiquid or privately held securities that do not have readily determinable fair values, the determination of fair value requires us to estimate the value of the securities using the best information available. Among the factors we consider in determining the fair value of investments are the cost of the investment, terms and liquidity, developments since the acquisition of the investment, the sales price of recently issued securities, the financial condition and operating results of the issuer, earnings trends and consistency of operating cash flows, the long-term business potential of the issuer, the quoted market price of securities with similar quality and yield that are publicly traded, and other factors generally pertinent to the valuation of investments. In instances where a security is subject to transfer restrictions, the value of the security is based primarily on the quoted price of a similar security without restriction but may be reduced by an amount estimated to reflect such restrictions. The fair value of these investments is subject to a high degree of volatility and may be susceptible to significant fluctuation in the near term and the differences could be material.
We have categorized our financial instruments measured at fair value into a three-level classification in accordance with ASC 820, "Fair Value Measurement and Disclosures." Fair value measurements of financial instruments that use quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities are generally categorized as Level I, and fair value measurements of financial instruments that have no direct observable levels are generally categorized as Level III. All other fair value measurements of financial instruments that do not fall within the Level I or Level III classification are considered Level II. The lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement of a financial instrument is used to categorize the instrument and reflects the judgment of management.
Level III financial instruments have little to no pricing observability as of the report date. These financial instruments do not have active two-way markets and are measured using management's best estimate of fair value, where the inputs into the determination of fair value require significant management judgment or estimation. We have identified Level III financial instruments to include certain asset-backed securities, consisting of collateral loan obligation securities, that have experienced low volumes of executed transactions, certain corporate bonds and equity securities where there was less frequent or nominal market activity and auction-rate securities for which the market has been dislocated and largely ceased to function. Our Level III asset-backed securities are valued using cash flow models that utilize unobservable inputs. Level III corporate bonds are valued using prices from comparable securities. Equity securities with unobservable inputs are valued using management's best estimate of fair value, where the inputs require significant management judgment. Auction-rate securities are valued based upon our expectations of issuer redemptions and using internal models.
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At December 31, 2009, Level III assets for which we bear economic exposure were $65.4 million or 5.7% of the total assets measured at fair value. During the year ended December 31, 2009, we recorded net purchases of $31.3 million of Level III assets. Our valuation adjustments (realized and unrealized) reduced the value of our Level III assets by $3.9 million. In June 2009, we began repurchasing eligible ARS from our customers as part of our voluntary repurchase plan, which have been classified as Level III assets at December 31, 2009.
At December 31, 2008, Level III assets for which we bear economic exposure were $38.3 million or 9.5% of the total assets measured at fair value. During the year ended December 31, 2008, we recorded net sales of $1.7 million of Level III assets. Our valuation adjustments (realized and unrealized) reduced the value of our Level III assets by $9.5 million. Additionally, there were $30.3 million of net transfers into the Level III category during 2008. The increase in net transfers is primarily attributable to reduced market volume and level of activity on some of our preferred and municipal auction rate securities.
At December 31, 2009, Level III assets included the following: $56.0 million of auction rate securities, $2.7 million of asset-backed securities and $6.7 million of private equity and other fixed income securities.
Contingencies
We are involved in various pending and potential legal proceedings related to our business, including litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings. Some of these matters involve claims for substantial amounts, including claims for punitive damages. We have, after consultation with outside legal counsel and consideration of facts currently known by management, recorded estimated losses in accordance with ASC 450 ("ASC 450"), "Contingencies," to the extent that claims are probable of loss and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. The determination of these reserve amounts requires us to use significant judgment and our final liabilities may ultimately be materially different. This determination is inherently subjective, as it requires estimates that are subject to potentially significant revision as more information becomes available and due to subsequent events. In making these determinations, we consider many factors, including, but not limited to, the loss and damages sought by the plaintiff or claimant, the basis and validity of the claim, the likelihood of a successful defense against the claim, and the potential for, and magnitude of, damages or settlements from such pending and potential litigation and arbitration proceedings, and fines and penalties or orders from regulatory agencies. See Item 3, "Legal Proceedings," in Part I of this report for information on our legal, regulatory and arbitration proceedings.
Allowance for Doubtful Receivables from Former Employees
We offer transition pay, principally in the form of upfront loans, to financial advisors and certain key revenue producers as part of our overall growth strategy. These loans are generally forgiven over a five- to ten-year period if the individual satisfies certain conditions, usually based on continued employment and certain performance standards. If the individual leaves before the term of the loan expires or fails to meet certain performance standards, the individual is required to repay the balance. In determining the allowance for doubtful receivables from former employees, we consider the facts and circumstances surrounding each receivable, including the amount of the unforgiven balance, the reasons for the terminated employment relationship, and the former employees' overall financial position. The loan balance from former employees at December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008 was $2.5 million and $2.4 million, respectively, with associated loss allowances of $1.5 million and $1.2 million, respectively.
Allowance for Loan Losses
We regularly review the loan portfolio of Stifel Bank and have established an allowance for loan losses in accordance with ASC 450. The allowance for loan losses is established as losses are estimated to have occurred through a provision for loan losses charged to income. In providing for the allowance for loan losses, we consider historical loss experience, the nature and volume of the loan portfolio, adverse situations that may affect the borrower's ability to repay, estimated value of any underlying collateral and prevailing economic conditions. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant revision as more information becomes available. Large groups of smaller balance homogenous loans are collectively evaluated for impairment. Accordingly, we do not separately identify individual consumer and residential loans for impairment measurements.
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In addition, impairment is measured on a loan-by loan basis for commercial and construction loans and a specific allowance established for individual loans determined to be impaired in accordance with ASC 310 "Receivables." Impairment is measured using the present value of the impaired loan's expected cash flow discounted at the loan's effective interest rate, the loan's observable market price, or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent.
A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement will not be collectible. Factors considered in determining impairment include payment status, collateral value and the probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Loans that experience insignificant payment delays and payment shortfalls generally are not classified as impaired. We determine the significance of payment delays and payment shortfalls on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all of the circumstances surrounding the loan and the borrower, including the length of the delay, the reasons for the delay, the borrower's prior payment record and the amount of the shortfall in relation to the principal and interest owed.
Once a loan is determined to be impaired, usually when principal or interest becomes 90 days past due or when collection becomes uncertain, the accrual of interest and amortization of deferred loan origination fees is discontinued ("non-accrual status"), and any accrued and unpaid interest income is written off. Loans placed on non-accrual status are returned to accrual status when all delinquent principal and interest payments are collected and the collectibility of future principal and interest payments is reasonably assured. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when we believe the uncollectibility of a loan balance is confirmed. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance.
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
Stifel Bank utilizes certain derivative instruments to minimize significant unplanned fluctuations in earnings caused by interest rate volatility. Our company's goal is to manage sensitivity to changes in rates by offsetting the repricing or maturity characteristics of certain assets and liabilities, thereby limiting the impact on earnings. The use of derivative instruments does expose our company to credit and market risk. We manage credit risk through strict counterparty credit risk limits and/or collateralization agreements. At inception, we determine if a derivative instrument meets the criteria for hedge accounting under ASC 815, "Derivatives and Hedging." Ongoing effectiveness evaluations are made for instruments that are designated and qualify as hedges. If the derivative does not qualify for hedge accounting, no assessment of effectiveness is needed.
Income Taxes
The provision for income taxes and related tax reserves is based on our consideration of known liabilities and tax contingencies for multiple taxing authorities. Known liabilities are amounts that will appear on current tax returns, amounts that have been agreed to in revenue agent revisions as the result of examinations by the taxing authorities and amounts that will follow from such examinations but affect years other than those being examined. Tax contingencies are liabilities that might arise from a successful challenge by the taxing authorities taking a contrary position or interpretation regarding the application of tax law to our tax return filings. Factors considered in estimating our liability are results of tax audits, historical experience, and consultation with tax attorneys and other experts.
ASC 740 ("ASC 740"), "Income Taxes," clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an entity's financial statements and prescribed recognition threshold and measurement attributes for financial statement disclosure of tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return. The impact of an uncertain income tax position on the income tax return must be recognized at the largest amount that is more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant taxing authority. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than a 50% likelihood of being sustained. Additionally, ASC 740 provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets
Under the provisions of ASC 805, "Business Combinations," we record all assets and liabilities acquired in purchase acquisitions, including goodwill and other intangible assets, at fair value. Determining the fair value of assets and liabilities requires certain estimates. At December 31, 2009, we had goodwill of $166.7 million and intangible assets of $24.6 million.
78
In accordance with ASC 350, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other," indefinite-life intangible assets and goodwill are not amortized. Rather, they are subject to impairment testing on an annual basis, or more often if events or circumstances indicate there may be impairment. This test involves assigning tangible assets and liabilities, identified intangible assets and goodwill to reporting units and comparing the fair value of each reporting unit to its carrying amount. If the fair value is less than the carrying amount, a further test is required to measure the amount of the impairment. We have elected to test for goodwill impairment in the third quarter of each calendar year. The results of the impairment test performed as of July 31, 2009, our last annual measurement date, did not indicate any impairment.
The goodwill impairment test is a two-step process, which requires us to make judgments in determining what assumptions to use in the calculation. Assumptions, judgments and estimates about future cash flows and discount rates are complex and often subjective. They can be affected by a variety of factors, including, among others, economic trends and market conditions, changes in revenue growth trends or business strategies, unanticipated competition, discount rates, technology, or government regulations. In assessing the fair value of our reporting units, the volatile nature of the securities markets and industry requires us to consider the business and market cycle and assess the stage of the cycle in estimating the timing and extent of future cash flows. In addition to discounted cash flows, we consider other information such as public market comparables and multiples of recent mergers and acquisitions of similar businesses. Although we believe the assumptions, judgments and estimates we have made in the past have been reasonable and appropriate, different assumptions, judgments and estimates could materially affect our reported financial results.
Identifiable intangible assets, which are amortized over their estimated useful lives, are tested for potential impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances suggest that the carrying value of an asset or asset group may not be fully recoverable.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding the effect of new accounting pronouncements on our consolidated financial statements.
Off-balance Sheet Arrangements
Information concerning our off-balance sheet arrangements is included in Note 22 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Such information is hereby incorporated by reference.
Dilution
As of December 31, 2009, there were 945,537 shares of our common stock issuable on outstanding options, with an average weighted exercise price of $7.94, and 7,088,598 outstanding stock unit grants, with each unit representing the right to receive shares of our common stock at a designated time in the future. The restricted stock units vest on an annual basis over the next three to eight years, and are distributable, if vested, at future specified dates. Of the outstanding restricted stock unit awards, 2,064,136 shares are currently vested and 5,024,462 are unvested. Assuming vesting requirements are met, the Company anticipates that 909,714 shares under these awards will be distributed in 2010, 1,053,436 will be distributed in 2011, 1,176,091 will be distributed in 2012, and the balance of 3,949,357 will be distributed thereafter.
An employee will realize income as a result of an award of stock units at the time shares are distributed in an amount equal to the fair market value of such shares at that time, and we are entitled to a corresponding tax deduction in the year of such issuance. Unless an employee elects to satisfy such withholding in another manner, such as by paying the amount in cash or by delivering shares of Stifel Financial Corp. common stock already owned by such person and held by such person for at least six months, we may satisfy tax withholding obligations on income associated with such grants by reducing the number of shares otherwise deliverable in connection with such awards, such reduction to be calculated based on a current market price of our common stock. Based on current tax law, we anticipate that the shares issued when the awards are paid to the employees will be reduced by approximately 35% to satisfy such withholding obligations, so that approximately 65% of the total restricted stock units that are distributable in any particular year will be converted into issued and outstanding shares.
79
Contractual Obligations
The following table sets forth our contractual obligations to make future payments as of December 31, 2009 (in thousands):
Total
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Thereafter
Debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust II (1)
$
35,000
$
35,000
$
-
$
-
$
-
$
-
$
-
Interest on debenture (1)
57,500
2,233
2,233
2,233
2,233
2,233
46,335
Debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust III (2)
35,000
-
-
35,000
-
-
-
Interest on debenture (2)
64,760
2,377
2,377
2,377
2,377
2,377
52,875
Debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust IV (3)
12,500
-
-
12,500
-
-
-
Interest on debenture (3)
46,603
1,695
1,695
1,695
1,695
1,695
38,128
Stifel CAPCO LLC II non
interest-bearing
notes (4)
9,398
9,398
-
-
-
-
-
Liabilities subordinated to general creditors
10,082
1,391
1,474
1,722
2,328
3,167
-
Operating leases
200,035
38,000
32,515
27,359
23,958
20,122
58,081
Purchase obligations
35,088
23,507
9,009
2,318
236
16
2
Certificates of deposit
18,245
15,711
814
918
632
170
-
Contingent earn-out to UBS Financial Services, Inc. related to branch acquisition (5)
8,300
-
8,300
-
-
-
-
Commitment to fund partnership interests
1,300
-
-
-
-
-
-
Commitments to extend credit - Stifel Bank (6)
119,865
-
-
-
-
-
-
Federal Home Loan Bank advances
2,000
2,000
-
-
-
-
-
Voluntary plan to repurchase ARS (7)
119,508
41,375
78,133
-
-
-
-
$
775,184
$
172,687
$
136,550
$
86,122
$
33,459
$
29,780
$
195,421
(1) Debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust II is callable at par no earlier than September 30, 2010, but no later than September 30, 2035. The interest is payable at a fixed interest rate equal to 6.38% per annum from the issue date to September 30, 2010 and then will be payable at a floating interest rate equal to three-month London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") plus 1.70% per annum. Thereafter interest rate assumes no increase.
(2) Debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust III is callable at par no earlier than June 6, 2012, but no later than June 6, 2037. The interest is payable, in arrears, at a fixed interest rate equal to 6.79% per annum from the issue date to June 6, 2012 and then will be payable at a floating interest rate equal to three-month LIBOR plus 1.85% per annum. Thereafter interest rate assumes no increase.
(3) Debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust IV is callable at par no earlier than September 6, 2012, but no later than September 6, 2037. The interest is payable, in arrears, at a fixed interest rate equal to 6.78% per annum from the issue date to September 6, 2012 and then will be payable at a floating interest rate equal to three-month LIBOR plus 1.85% per annum. Thereafter interest rate assumes no increase.
(4) We invested in zero coupon U.S. government securities in an amount sufficient to accrete to the repayment amount of the notes, which are placed in an irrevocable trust. At December 31, 2009, these securities had a carrying value of $8,332 and are included under the caption investments on the consolidated statements of financial condition.
(5) Information concerning the UBS transaction is included in Note 3 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Such information is hereby incorporated by reference.
(6) Commitments to extend credit include commitments to originate loans, outstanding standby letters of credit and lines of credit which may expire without being funded and as such do not represent estimates of future cash flow.
(7) Stifel Nicolaus' modified ARS repurchase offer where it will complete the repurchase of auction rate securities, at par, from its retail clients who purchased ARS through Stifel Nicolaus before the collapse of the ARS market in early 2008 no later than December 31, 2011. The amounts estimated for repurchase assume no issuer redemptions.
The contractual obligations table excludes uncertain tax position liabilities of $1,912 because we cannot make a reliable estimate of the timing of cash payments.
80
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Risk Management
Risks are an inherent part of our business and activities. Management of these risks is critical to our soundness and profitability. Risk management at our company is a multi-faceted process that requires communication, judgment, and knowledge of financial products and markets. Our senior management group takes an active role in the risk management process and requires specific administrative and business functions to assist in the identification, assessment, monitoring, and control of various risks. The principal risks involved in our business activities are: market (interest rates and equity prices), credit, operational, and regulatory and legal.
Market Risk
The potential for changes in the value of financial instruments owned by our company resulting from changes in interest rates and equity prices is referred to as "market risk." Market risk is inherent to financial instruments, and accordingly, the scope of our market risk management procedures includes all market risk-sensitive financial instruments.
We trade tax-exempt and taxable debt obligations, including U.S. treasury bills, notes, and bonds; U.S. government agency and municipal notes and bonds; bank certificates of deposit; mortgage-backed securities; and corporate obligations. We are also an active market-maker in over-the-counter equity securities. In connection with these activities, we may maintain inventories in order to ensure availability and to facilitate customer transactions.
Changes in value of our financial instruments may result from fluctuations in interest rates, credit ratings, equity prices, and the correlation among these factors, along with the level of volatility.
We manage our trading businesses by product and have established trading departments that have responsibility for each product. The trading inventories are managed with a view toward facilitating client transactions, considering the risk and profitability of each inventory position. Position limits in trading inventory accounts are established and monitored on a daily basis. We monitor inventory levels and results of the trading departments, as well as inventory aging, pricing, concentration, and securities ratings.
We are also exposed to market risk based on our other investing activities. These investments consist of investments in private equity partnerships, start up companies, venture capital investments and zero coupon U.S. government securities and are included under the caption "Investments" on the consolidated statements of financial condition.
Interest Rate Risk
We are exposed to interest rate risk as a result of maintaining inventories of interest rate-sensitive financial instruments and from changes in the interest rates on our interest-earning assets (including client loans, stock borrow activities, investments, and inventories) and our funding sources (including client cash balances, stock lending activities, bank borrowings, and resale agreements), which finance these assets. The collateral underlying financial instruments at the broker-dealer is repriced daily, thus requiring collateral to be delivered as necessary. Interest rates on client balances and stock borrow and lending produce a positive spread to our company, with the rates generally fluctuating in parallel.
We manage our inventory exposure to interest rate risk by setting and monitoring limits and, where feasible, hedging with offsetting positions in securities with similar interest rate risk characteristics. While a significant portion of our securities inventories have contractual maturities in excess of five years, these inventories, on average, turn over several times per year.
81
Additionally, we monitor, on a daily basis, the Value-at-Risk ("VaR") in our institutional Capital Markets trading portfolios using daily market data for the previous twelve months and report VaR at a 95% confidence level. VaR is a statistical technique used to estimate the probability of portfolio losses based on the statistical analysis of historical price trends and volatility. This model assumes that historical changes in market conditions are representative of future changes, and trading losses on any given day could exceed the reported VaR by significant amounts in unusual volatile markets. Further, the model involves a number of assumptions and inputs. While we believe that the assumptions and inputs we use in our risk model are reasonable, different assumptions and inputs could produce materially different VaR estimates.
The following table sets forth the high, low, and daily average VaR for our institutional fixed income trading portfolio during the year ended December 31, 2009 and the daily VaR at December 31, 2009 and 2008 (in thousands, except rates):
Year Ended December 31, 2009
VaR calculation at
High
Low
Daily
Average
December 31,
2009
December 31,
2008
Daily VaR
$
5,849
$
278
$
1,097
$
766
$
467
Related portfolio value
$
127,620
$
91,566
$
128,730
$
138,053
$
19,157
VaR as a percentage of portfolio value
4.58
%
0.30
%
0.85
%
0.55
%
2.44
%
Stifel Bank's interest rate risk is principally associated with changes in market interest rates related to residential, consumer, and commercial lending activities, as well as FDIC-insured deposit accounts to customers of our broker-dealer subsidiaries and to the general public.
Our primary emphasis in interest rate risk management for Stifel Bank is the matching of assets and liabilities of similar cash flow and repricing time frames. This matching of assets and liabilities reduces exposure to interest rate movements and aids in stabilizing positive interest spreads. Stifel Bank has established limits for acceptable interest rate risk and acceptable portfolio value risk. To ensure that Stifel Bank is within the limits established for net interest margin, an analysis of net interest margin based on various shifts in interest rates is prepared each quarter and presented to Stifel Bank's Board of Directors. Stifel Bank utilizes a third party vendor to analyze the available data.
The following table illustrates the estimated change in net interest margin at December 31, 2009 based on shifts in interest rates of up to positive 200 basis points and negative 200 basis points:
Hypothetical change
in interest rates
Projected change in net interest margin
+200
37.2
%
+100
19.2
%
0
0.00%
-100
n/a
-200
n/a
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The following GAP Analysis table indicates Stifel Bank's interest rate sensitivity position at December 31, 2009 (in thousands):
Repricing Opportunities
0-6 Months
7-12 Months
1-5 Years
5+ Years
Interest-earning assets:
Loans
$
393,605
$
9,899
$
25,437
$
7,301
Securities
89,015
38,053
214,624
236,478
Interest-bearing cash
112,596
-
-
-
$
595,216
$
47,952
$
240,061
$
243,779
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Transaction accounts and savings
$
616,828
$
21,062
$
356,220
$
39,469
Certificates of deposit
15,106
590
2,548
-
Borrowings
2,000
-
-
-
$
633,934
$
21,652
$
358,768
$
39,469
GAP
(38,718
)
26,300
(118,707
)
204,310
Cumulative GAP
$
(38,718
)
$
(12,418
)
$
(131,125
)
$
73,185
We maintain a risk management strategy that incorporates the use of derivative instruments to minimize significant unplanned fluctuations in earnings caused by interest rate volatility. Our goal is to manage sensitivity to changes in rates by hedging the maturity characteristics of Fed-funds based affiliated deposits, thereby limiting the impact on earnings. By using derivative instruments, we are exposed to credit and market risk on those derivative positions. We manage the market risk associated with interest rate contracts by establishing and monitoring limits as to the types and degree of risk that may be undertaken. Our interest rate hedging strategies may not work in all market environments and as a result may not be effective in mitigating interest rate risk.
Equity Price Risk
We are exposed to equity price risk as a consequence of making markets in equity securities. We attempt to reduce the risk of loss inherent in our inventory of equity securities by monitoring those security positions constantly throughout each day.
Our equity securities inventories are repriced on a regular basis, and there are no unrecorded gains or losses. Our activities as a dealer are client-driven, with the objective of meeting clients' needs while earning a positive spread.
Credit Risk
We are engaged in various trading and brokerage activities, with the counterparties primarily being broker-dealers. In the event counterparties do not fulfill their obligations, we may be exposed to risk. The risk of default depends on the creditworthiness of the counterparty or issuer of the instrument. We manage this risk by imposing and monitoring position limits for each counterparty, monitoring trading counterparties, conducting regular credit reviews of financial counterparties, reviewing security concentrations, holding and marking to market collateral on certain transactions, and conducting business through clearing organizations, which guarantee performance.
83
Our client activities involve the execution, settlement, and financing of various transactions on behalf of our clients. Client activities are transacted on either a cash or margin basis. Credit exposure associated with our private client business consists primarily of customer margin accounts, which are monitored daily and are collateralized. We monitor exposure to industry sectors and individual securities and perform analyses on a regular basis in connection with our margin lending activities. We adjust our margin requirements if we believe our risk exposure is not appropriate based on market conditions.
We have accepted collateral in connection with resale agreements, securities borrowed transactions, and customer margin loans. Under many agreements, we are permitted to sell or repledge these securities held as collateral and use these securities to enter into securities lending arrangements or to deliver to counterparties to cover short positions. At December 31, 2009, the fair value of securities accepted as collateral where we are permitted to sell or repledge the securities was $792.1 million, and the fair value of the collateral that had been sold or repledged was $201.6 million.
By using derivative instruments, we are exposed to credit and market risk on those derivative positions. Credit risk is equal to the fair value gain in a derivative, if the counterparty fails to perform. When the fair value of a derivative contract is positive, this generally indicates that the counterparty owes our company and, therefore, creates a repayment risk for our company. When the fair value of a derivative contract is negative, we owe the counterparty and, therefore, have no repayment risk. We minimize the credit (or repayment) risk in derivative instruments by entering into transactions with high-quality counterparties that are reviewed periodically by senior management.
Stifel Bank extends credit to individual and commercial borrowers through a variety of loan products, including residential and commercial mortgage loans, home equity loans, construction loans and non-real-estate commercial and consumer loans. Bank loans are generally collateralized by real estate, real property, or other assets of the borrower. Stifel Bank's loan policy includes criteria to adequately underwrite, document, monitor, and manage credit risk. Underwriting requires reviewing and documenting the fundamental characteristics of credit including character, capacity to service the debt, capital, conditions, and collateral. Benchmark capital and coverage ratios are utilized which include liquidity, debt service coverage, credit, working capital, and capital to asset ratios. Lending limits are established to include individual, collective, committee, and board authority. Monitoring credit risk is accomplished through defined loan review procedures including frequency and scope.
We are subject to concentration risk if we hold large positions, extend large loans to, or have large commitments with a single counterparty, borrower, or group of similar counterparties or borrowers (i.e., in the same industry). Securities purchased under agreements to resell consist of securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies. Receivables from and payables to clients and stock borrow and lending activities both with a large number of clients and counterparties, and any potential concentration is carefully monitored. Stock borrow and lending activities are executed under master netting agreements, which gives our company right of offset in the event of counterparty default. Inventory and investment positions taken and commitments made, including underwritings, may involve exposure to individual issuers and businesses. We seek to limit this risk through careful review of counterparties and borrowers and the use of limits established by our senior management group, taking into consideration factors including the financial strength of the counterparty, the size of the position or commitment, the expected duration of the position or commitment, and other positions or commitments outstanding.
Operational Risk
Operational risk generally refers to the risk of loss resulting from our operations, including, but not limited to, improper or unauthorized execution and processing of transactions, deficiencies in our technology or financial operating systems, and inadequacies or breaches in our control processes. We operate different businesses in diverse markets and are reliant on the ability of our employees and systems to process a large number of transactions. These risks are less direct than credit and market risk, but managing them is critical, particularly in a rapidly changing environment with increasing transaction volumes. In the event of a breakdown or improper operation of systems or improper action by employees, we could suffer financial loss, regulatory sanctions, and damage to our reputation. In order to mitigate and control operational risk, we have developed and continue to enhance specific policies and procedures that are designed to identify and manage operational risk at appropriate levels throughout the organization and within such departments as Accounting, Operations, Information Technology, Legal, Compliance, and Internal Audit. These control mechanisms attempt to ensure that operational policies and procedures are being followed and that our various businesses are operating within established corporate policies and limits. Business continuity plans exist for critical systems, and redundancies are built into the systems as deemed appropriate.
84
Regulatory and Legal Risk
Legal risk includes the risk of large numbers of private client group customer claims for sales practice violations. While these claims may not be the result of any wrongdoing, we do, at a minimum, incur costs associated with investigating and defending against such claims. See further discussion on our legal reserves policy under "Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates" in Item 7, Part II and "Legal Proceedings" in Item 3, Part I of this report. In addition, we are subject to potentially sizable adverse legal judgments or arbitration awards, and fines, penalties, and other sanctions for non-compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. We are generally subject to extensive regulation by the SEC, FINRA, and state securities regulators in the different jurisdictions in which we conduct business. As a bank holding company, we are subject to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Stifel Bank is subject to regulation by the FDIC. As a result, we are subject to a risk of loss resulting from failure to comply with banking laws. We have comprehensive procedures addressing issues such as regulatory capital requirements, sales and trading practices, use of and safekeeping of customer funds, the extension of credit, including margin loans, collection activities, money laundering, and record keeping. We act as an underwriter or selling group member in both equity and fixed income product offerings. Particularly when acting as lead or co-lead manager, we have potential legal exposure to claims relating to these securities offerings. To manage this exposure, a committee of senior executives review proposed underwriting commitments to assess the quality of the offering and the adequacy of due diligence investigation.
Effects of Inflation
Our assets are primarily monetary, consisting of cash, securities inventory, and receivables from customers and brokers and dealers. These monetary assets are generally liquid and turn over rapidly, and consequently, are not significantly affected by inflation. However, the rate of inflation affects various expenses of our company, such as employee compensation and benefits, communications and office supplies, and occupancy and equipment rental, which may not be readily recoverable in the price of services we offer to our clients. Further, to the extent inflation results in rising interest rates and has other adverse effects upon the securities markets, it may adversely affect our financial position and results of operations.
85
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
INDEX TO AUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms
87
Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition
89
Consolidated Statements of Operations
91
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity
92
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
94
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1 Nature of Operation and Basis of Presentation
97
Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
98
Note 3 Acquisitions
106
Note 4 Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale
107
Note 5 Receivables from and Payables to Brokers, Dealers and Clearing Organizations
107
Note 6 Fair Value of Financial Instruments
108
Note 7 Trading Securities Owned and Trading Securities Sold, But Not Yet Purchased
116
Note 8 Available-for-Sale and Held-to-Maturity Securities
117
Note 9 Bank Loans
121
Note 10 Fixed Assets
122
Note 11 Goodwill and Intangible Assets
123
Note 12 Short-Term Borrowings from Banks
124
Note 13 Bank Deposits
125
Note 14 Federal Home Loan Bank Advances and Other Secured Financing
126
Note 15 Debentures to Stifel Financial Capital Trusts
126
Note 16 Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
127
Note 17 Liabilities Subordinated to Claims of General Creditors
129
Note 18 Commitments and Contingencies
129
Note 19 Legal Proceedings
131
Note 20 Regulatory Capital Requirements
132
Note 21 Employee Incentive, Deferred Compensation and Retirement Plans
133
Note 22 Off-Balance Sheet Credit Risk
136
Note 23 Income Taxes
138
Note 24 Segment Reporting
140
Note 25 Other Comprehensive Income
142
Note 26 Earnings Per Share
143
Note 27 Shareholders' Equity
143
Note 28 Variable Interest Entities
144
Note 29 Subsequent Events
146
Note 30 Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)
146
86
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and Shareholders of
Stifel Financial Corp.
We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of financial condition of Stifel Financial Corp. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2009. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Stifel Financial Corp. at December 31, 2009 and 2008, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2009, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited the adjustments to the 2007 financial statements to retrospectively adjust the disclosures for a change in the composition of reportable segments in 2009, as described in Note 24. Our procedures included (1) comparing the adjustment amounts to the Company's underlying accounting records and (2) testing the mathematical accuracy of the reconciliations of the segment amounts to the financial statement totals. In our opinion, such retrospective adjustments are appropriate and have been properly applied. However, we were not engaged to audit, review, or apply any procedures to the 2007 financial statements of the Company other than with respect to the retrospective adjustments related to the change in composition of reportable segments and, accordingly, we do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance on the 2007 financial statements taken as a whole.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2009, based on the criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated February 26, 2010, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Chicago, Illinois
February 26, 2010
87
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and Shareholders of
Stifel Financial Corp.
St. Louis, Missouri
We have audited, before the effects of the retrospective adjustments to the disclosures for a change in the composition of reportable segments discussed in Note 24 to the consolidated financial statements, the accompanying consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, stockholders' equity, and cash flows of Stifel Financial Corp. and subsidiaries (the "Company") for the year ended December 31, 2007 (the 2007 consolidated financial statements before the effects of the retrospective adjustments discussed in Note 24 to the consolidated financial statements are not presented herein). These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, such 2007 consolidated financial statements, before the effects of the retrospective adjustments to the disclosures for a change in the composition of reportable segments discussed in Note 24 to the consolidated financial statements, present fairly, in all material respects, Stifel Financial Corp. and subsidiaries' results of operations and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2007, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
We were not engaged to audit, review, or apply any procedures to the retrospective adjustments to the disclosures for a change in the composition of reportable segments discussed in Note 24 to the consolidated financial statements and, accordingly, we do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance about whether such retrospective adjustments are appropriate and have been properly applied. Those retrospective adjustments were audited by other auditors.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
St Louis, Missouri
February 28, 2008
88
STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP.
Consolidated
Statements of Financial Condition
December 31,
(in thousands)
2009
2008
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$
161,820
$
239,725
Cash segregated for regulatory purposes
19
40
Receivables:
Brokerage clients, net
383,222
280,143
Broker, dealers and clearing organizations
309,609
111,575
Securities purchased under agreements to resell
124,854
17,723
Trading securities owned, at fair value (includes securities pledged of
$366,788 and $123,415, respectively)
454,891
122,576
Available-for-sale securities, at fair value
578,488
50,397
Held-to-maturity securities, at amortized cost
7,574
7,574
Loans held for sale
91,117
31,246
Bank loans, net
335,157
181,269
Bank foreclosed assets held for sale, net of estimated cost to
sell
3,143
2,326
Investments
109,403
75,465
Fixed assets, net
62,115
47,765
Goodwill
166,725
128,278
Intangible assets, net
24,648
15,984
Loans and advances to financial advisors and other employees, net
185,123
105,767
Deferred tax assets, net
53,462
47,337
Other assets
115,986
92,955
Total Assets
$
3,167,356
$
1,558,145
See accompanying
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
89
STIFEL
FINANCIAL CORP.
Consolidated
Statements of Financial Condition (continued)
December 31,
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
2009
2008
Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
Short-term borrowings from banks
$
90,800
$
-
Payables:
Customers
214,883
156,495
Brokers, dealers and clearing organizations
90,460
29,691
Drafts
66,964
49,401
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
122,533
2,216
Bank deposits
1,047,211
284,798
Federal Home Loan Bank advances
2,000
6,000
Trading securities sold, but not yet purchased, at fair value
277,370
98,934
Accrued compensation
166,346
130,037
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
113,364
100,528
Debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust II
35,000
35,000
Debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust III
35,000
35,000
Debenture to Stifel Financial Capital Trust IV
12,500
12,500
Other
9,398
19,998
2,283,829
960,598
Liabilities subordinated to claims of general creditors
10,081
4,362
Shareholders' Equity:
Preferred stock - $1 par value; authorized 3,000,000 shares; none issued
-
-
Common stock - $0.15 par value; authorized 97,000,000 shares; issued
30,388,270 and 26,300,135 shares, respectively
4,558
3,945
Additional paid-in-capital
623,943
427,480
Retained earnings
244,615
168,993
Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss)
1,302
(6,295
)
874,418
594,123
Treasury stock, at cost, 4,221 and 0 shares, respectively
(242
)
-
Unearned employee stock ownership plan shares, at cost, 113,885 and
146,421 shares, respectively
(730
)
(938
)
873,446
593,185
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
$
3,167,356
$
1,558,145
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
90
STIFEL
FINANCIAL CORP.
Consolidated
Statements of Operations
Year ended December 31,
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
2009
2008
2007
Revenues:
Principal transactions
$
458,188
$
293,285
$
139,248
Commissions
345,520
341,090
315,514
Investment banking
125,807
83,710
169,413
Asset management and service fees
112,706
119,926
101,610
Interest
46,860
50,148
59,071
Other income (1)
13,789
688
8,234
Total revenues
1,102,870
888,847
793,090
Interest expense
12,234
18,510
30,025
Net revenues
1,090,636
870,337
763,065
Non-interest expenses:
Compensation and benefits
718,115
582,778
543,021
Occupancy and equipment rental
89,741
67,984
57,796
Communications and office supplies
54,745
45,621
42,355
Commissions and floor brokerage
23,416
13,287
9,921
Other operating expenses
84,205
68,898
56,126
Total non-interest expenses
970,222
778,568
709,219
Income before income tax expense
120,414
91,769
53,846
Provision for income taxes
44,616
36,267
21,676
Net income
$
75,798
$
55,502
$
32,170
Earnings per common share:
Basic
$
2.68
$
2.31
$
1.48
Diluted
$
2.35
$
1.98
$
1.25
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic
28,297
24,069
21,754
Diluted
32,294
28,073
25,723
(1)
For the year ended December 31, 2009, we recorded other-than-temporary
impairment losses of $1,881. Total unrealized losses on the security recognized
in other comprehensive income as a component of shareholders' equity at December
31, 2009 was $1,129.
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
91
STIFEL
FINANCIAL CORP.
Consolidated
Statements of Shareholders' Equity
Common Stock
Additional Paid-In
Retained
Accumulated Other Comprehensive
Treasury Stock, at
Unearned Employee Stock Ownership
Shares
Amount
Capital
Earnings
Income/(Loss)
cost
Plan
Total
Balance at December 31, 2006
18,038
$
2,706
$
124,263
$
94,651
$
-
$
-
$
(1,355
)
$
220,265
Comprehensive income:
Net income
-
-
-
32,170
-
-
-
32,170
Net unrealized loss on securities, net of tax
-
-
-
-
(660
)
-
-
(660
)
Total comprehensive income
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
31,510
Purchase of treasury stock
-
-
-
-
-
(4,165
)
-
(4,165
)
Employee stock ownership plan purchases
-
-
882
-
-
-
208
1,090
Issuance of stock for employee benefit plans
1,162
174
(13,916
)
(79
)
-
450
-
(13,371
)
Stock option exercises
407
61
1,196
(1,507
)
-
3,220
-
2,970
Issuance of warrants
-
-
16,895
-
-
-
-
16,895
Warrant exercises
-
-
(15
)
(15
)
-
46
-
16
Unit amortization
-
-
38,101
-
-
-
-
38,101
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation
-
-
11,841
-
-
-
-
11,841
Issuance of shares - Ryan Beck acquisition
3,701
555
101,974
-
-
-
-
102,529
Acceleration of deferred compensation - Ryan Beck
-
-
16,673
-
-
-
-
16,673
Issuance of stock - private placement
12
2
198
-
-
-
-
200
Adoption of FIN 48
-
-
-
83
-
-
-
83
Balance at December 31, 2007
23,320
3,498
298,092
125,303
(660
)
(450
)
(1,146
)
424,637
Comprehensive income:
Net income
-
-
-
55,502
-
-
-
55,502
Net unrealized loss on securities, net of tax
-
-
-
-
(6,634
)
-
-
(6,634
)
Reclassification adjustment for losses included in net income, net of
tax
-
-
-
-
999
-
-
999
Total comprehensive income
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
49,867
Purchase of treasury stock
-
-
-
-
-
(12,141
)
-
(12,141
)
Employee stock ownership plan purchases
-
-
1,004
-
-
-
208
1,212
Issuance of stock for employee benefit plans
811
122
(21,480
)
(9,951
)
-
9,874
-
(21,435
)
Stock option exercises
243
37
1,062
(1,861
)
-
2,657
-
1,895
Warrant exercises
-
-
(4
)
-
-
4
-
-
Unit amortization
-
-
52,593
-
-
-
-
52,593
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation
-
-
14,840
-
-
-
-
14,840
Ryan Beck contingent earn-out
289
43
11,277
-
-
56
-
11,376
Issuance of stock - public offering
1,495
224
64,145
-
-
-
-
64,369
Extinguishment of Stifel Financial Capital Trust IV
142
21
5,951
-
-
-
-
5,972
Balance at December 31, 2008
26,300
$
3,945
$
427,480
$
168,993
$
(6,295
)
$
-
$
(938
)
$
593,185
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
92
STIFEL
FINANCIAL CORP.
Consolidated
Statements of Shareholders' Equity (continued)
Common Stock
Additional Paid-In
Retained
Accumulated Other Comprehensive
Treasury Stock, at
Unearned Employee Stock Ownership
Shares
Amount
Capital
Earnings
income/(loss)
cost
Plan
Total
Balance at December 31, 2008
26,300
$
3,945
$
427,480
$
168,993
$
(6,295
)
$
-
$
(938
)
$
593,185
Comprehensive income:
Net income
-
-
-
75,798
-
-
-
75,798
Unrealized gain on securities, net of tax
-
-
-
-
7,517
-
-
7,517
Unrealized loss on cash flow hedging activities, net of tax
80
80
Total comprehensive income
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
83,395
Purchase of treasury stock
-
-
572
-
-
(572
)
-
-
Employee stock ownership plan purchases
-
-
1,347
-
-
-
208
1,555
Issuance of stock for employee benefit plans
738
110
(7,607
)
(72
)
-
102
-
(7,467
)
Stock option exercises
354
53
986
(104
)
-
228
-
1,163
Unit amortization
-
-
42,502
-
-
-
-
42,502
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation
-
-
13,337
-
-
-
-
13,337
Ryan Beck contingent earn-out
271
41
9,260
-
-
-
-
9,301
Issuance of stock - at the market offering
1,000
150
44,544
-
-
-
-
44,694
Issuance of stock - public offering
1,725
259
91,511
-
-
-
-
91,770
Warrant exercises
-
-
11
-
-
-
-
11
Balance at December 31, 2009
30,388
$
4,558
$
623,943
$
244,615
$
1,302
$
(242
)
$
(730
)
$
873,446
See
accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
93
STIFEL
FINANCIAL CORP.
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)
2009
2008
2007
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income
$
75,798
$
55,502
$
32,170
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash (used in) provided by
operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
25,978
17,027
15,663
Amortization of loans and advances to financial advisors and other
employees
33,408
15,203
16,578
Accretion of discounts on available for sale securities
866
(593
)
-
Provision for loan losses and allowance for loans and advances to
financial advisors and other employees
298
1,801
1,275
Deferred income taxes
(10,270
)
(6,168
)
(22,070
)
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation
(13,337
)
(14,840
)
(11,841
)
Warrant valuation adjustment
-
-
455
Gain on extinguishment of debt
-
(6,662
)
(3,750
)
Stock-based compensation
47,962
54,356
56,381
(Gains)/losses on investments
14,303
10,843
(1,225
)
Other, net
2,455
254
46
Decrease/(increase) in operating assets, net of assets acquired:
Receivables:
Brokerage clients
(79,688
)
215,146
(221,017
)
Brokers, dealers and clearing organizations
(198,034
)
70,036
(45,231
)
Securities purchased under agreements to resell
(107,131