For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores. What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Za ...

Given the revival in corporate debt and equity issuances and deal-making activities, the Zacks Investment Bank industry is expected to witness a turnaround in investment banking fees in the quarters ahead. Clarity on several macroeconomic factors will also keep up the momentum.Heightened client activity and increased trading volume will support the trading business. While costs related to technological upgrades might impede the bottom line, industry players will witness improved operating efficiency over ti ...

Investors with an interest in Financial - Investment Bank stocks have likely encountered both Raymond James Financial, Inc. (RJF) and The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The Za ...

Investors interested in stocks from the Financial - Investment Bank sector have probably already heard of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (RJF) and The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The proven ...

Raymond James Financial, Inc. (RJF) is well poised to benefit from resurgence in deal-making activities, strategic acquisitions and interest rate cuts. Further, sustainable capital distributions on the back of a solid balance sheet and capital position are another positive.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Raymond James’ fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026 has been revised marginally upward over the past month. The positive estimate revision indicates that analysts are optimistic regarding the company’s prospects an ...

Raymond James (RJF) has announced enhanced capital distribution plans, including a dividend hike and a new share buyback program. RJF's board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 50 cents per share, representing an increase of 11.1% from the prior payout. The new dividend will be paid out on Jan. 16, 2025, to shareholders on record as of Jan. 2, 2025.Raymond James has a record of regularly raising dividends over the last decade. Before the recent hike, the company announced a 7.1% increase ...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On December 3, 2024, the Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE: RJF) Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend on shares of its common stock of $0.50 per share, payable January 16, 2025 to shareholders of record on January 2, 2025. This is an 11.1% increase over the previous dividend of $0.45 per share paid on October 15, 2024. The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.3984375 per depositary share of 6.375% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Series B ...

The most critical stretch of third-quarter earnings season is in the rearview. Through the bulk of the Q3 reporting cycle (476 S&P 500 members) total earnings jumped 8.1% on 5.5% higher sales, blowing away Q3 estimates of roughly 3.3% growth.Looking ahead, Q4 earnings are projected to pop 7.7% on 4.9% higher revenue, based on the most recent Zacks estimates.The overall market and plenty of big tech stocks such as Nvidia have cooled off following their post-Trump election rally. Yet, the S&P 500 and the Nasd ...

Regulatory Compliance and Capital Requirements - Raymond James Bank and TriState Capital Bank are categorized as well-capitalized as of September 30, 2024[96] - The FDIC's deposit insurance covers up to $250,000 per account ownership type for Raymond James Bank and TriState Capital Bank[92] - RJF is subject to the Volcker Rule, which prohibits proprietary trading but allows underwriting, market-making, and risk-mitigating hedging activities[97] - Raymond James Bank and TriState Capital Bank are subject to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), which requires lending to low- and moderate-income communities[99] - The SEC's Regulation Best Interest requires broker-dealers to act in the best interest of retail clients when recommending securities transactions or investment strategies[109] - The U.K. Consumer Duty, effective July 31, 2023, requires firms to deliver "good outcomes" for retail customers in areas such as products, price, and consumer support[110] - The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule in April 2024 expanding the definition of "investment advice fiduciary," which may impose additional compliance costs if enacted[111] - RJF's U.S. broker-dealer subsidiaries are required to maintain minimum net capital to meet customer commitments and are limited in transferring capital to parent companies[108] - The FDIC's assessment rate for banks with over $10 billion in assets, including Raymond James Bank and TriState Capital Bank, is based on a scorecard method evaluating financial performance and stress resilience[92] - Failure to meet capital requirements could result in constraints on distributions, including limitations on dividend payments and stock repurchases for RJF, Raymond James Bank, and TriState Capital Bank[86] - Raymond James Ltd. in Canada provides investor protection up to 1 million CAD per client, with additional coverage of 1 million CAD for certain accounts[114] - U.K. subsidiaries are regulated by the FCA and benefit from the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme[115] - Raymond James Corporate Finance GmbH in Germany is licensed by BaFin and must comply with capital, liquidity, governance, and business conduct requirements[116] - U.S. investment advisory operations are regulated under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, with asset managers registered with the SEC[117] - The U.S. Bank Secrecy Act mandates client identification verification and monitoring of transactions to combat money laundering and terrorism[118] - The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control enforces economic and trade sanctions programs[119] - The California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) became enforceable in 2023, requiring additional disclosures and data subject rights for California residents[125] - The E.U. and U.K. GDPR imposes strict data protection compliance requirements for companies processing personal data of E.U. and U.K. residents[126] - SEC amendments to Regulation S-P require broker-dealers to notify individuals of unauthorized access to sensitive customer information within 30 days, effective December 21, 2025[127] - The E.U. Artificial Intelligence Act poses challenges for transparency, fairness, and accountability in AI use[128] Credit Risk and Allowance for Credit Losses - The company's allowance for credit losses on loans was $457 million as of September 30, 2024, with a portion related to the Raymond James Bank allowance for credit losses (ACL) on C&I and CRE portfolio segments[567] - The collective ACL is estimated using a current expected credit losses methodology based on historical losses, current conditions, and economic forecasts[567] - The company uses third-party historical information combined with macroeconomic variables to estimate probability of default (PD) and loss given default (LGD)[569] - For the C&I portfolio segment, the company reverts to historical loss information over a one-year period using a straight-line reversion approach after the forecast period[569] - For the CRE portfolio segment, the company incorporates a forecast of macroeconomic variables over the remaining life of the assets[569] - The assessment of the September 30, 2024 collective ACL on Raymond James Bank loans related to the C&I and CRE portfolio segments was identified as a critical audit matter[570] - The audit involved evaluating the collective ACL methodology, including the methods and models used to estimate PDs and LGDs, and their significant assumptions[570] - The audit also included evaluating the qualitative factors by portfolio segment and the conceptual soundness and performance of the PD and LGD models[570] - Credit risk professionals assisted in evaluating the company's collective ACL methodology for compliance with U.S. GAAP and assessing the conceptual soundness of the models[572] - The sufficiency of the audit evidence was assessed by evaluating the cumulative results of the audit procedures and the qualitative aspects of the company's accounting practices[574] - The allowance for credit losses (ACL) is estimated using multiple methodologies, considering factors like economic conditions and collateral value[663][665] - Credit losses are charged off against the allowance, with recoveries credited back, and adjustments made in earnings each reporting period[666] - The allowance for credit losses on loans is estimated using credit risk models incorporating macroeconomic indicators like GDP and unemployment rates[667] - Loans are evaluated collectively or individually based on risk characteristics, with allowances comprising quantitative and qualitative components[668][669] - The allowance for credit losses on unfunded lending commitments is estimated based on expected funding probabilities and portfolio mix[675] - Loans to financial advisors are evaluated using credit risk models, considering factors like affiliation status and repayment ability[676] - Available-for-sale securities are assessed for credit losses quarterly, with zero credit losses expected for U.S. government-backed securities[677][678] Financial Performance and Metrics - Total assets increased to $82,992 million in September 2024 from $78,360 million in September 2023, reflecting a growth of 5.9%[576] - Net income for the year ended September 2024 was $2,068 million, up 18.9% from $1,739 million in 2023[577] - Total revenues for the year ended September 2024 reached $14,923 million, a 14.9% increase from $12,992 million in 2023[577] - Interest income grew to $4,232 million in 2024, a 12.9% increase from $3,748 million in 2023[577] - Compensation, commissions, and benefits expenses rose to $8,213 million in 2024, up 12.5% from $7,299 million in 2023[577] - Earnings per common share (diluted) increased to $9.70 in 2024 from $7.97 in 2023, reflecting a 21.7% growth[577] - Bank deposits increased to $56,010 million in September 2024, up 3.3% from $54,199 million in September 2023[576] - Total other comprehensive income for 2024 was $469 million, a significant improvement from $11 million in 2023[577] - Retained earnings grew to $11,894 million in September 2024, up 16.5% from $10,213 million in September 2023[576] - Net income attributable to Raymond James Financial, Inc. increased to $2,068 million in 2024, up from $1,739 million in 2023 and $1,509 million in 2022[578] - Total equity attributable to Raymond James Financial, Inc. rose to $11,673 million in 2024, compared to $10,214 million in 2023 and $9,458 million in 2022[578] - Net cash provided by operating activities was $2,155 million in 2024, a significant improvement from a net cash used in operating activities of $3,514 million in 2023[579] - Increase in bank deposits reached $1,811 million in 2024, down from $2,842 million in 2023 but up from $6,269 million in 2022[579] - Repurchases of common stock and share-based awards totaled $984 million in 2024, compared to $862 million in 2023 and $216 million in 2022[579] - Dividends on common and preferred stock amounted to $383 million in 2024, slightly higher than $355 million in 2023 and $277 million in 2022[579] - Proceeds from FHLB advances were $1,300 million in 2024, down from $3,200 million in 2023 but up from $1,025 million in 2022[579] - Repayments of FHLB advances and other borrowed funds totaled $1,350 million in 2024, compared to $3,391 million in 2023 and $967 million in 2022[579] - Net cash used in investing activities was $968 million in 2024, higher than $274 million in 2023 but lower than $7,151 million in 2022[579] - Net cash provided by financing activities was $438 million in 2024, down from $1,438 million in 2023 and $5,879 million in 2022[579] - Net increase in cash and cash equivalents for the year ended September 2024 was $1.8 billion, compared to a decrease of $2.111 billion in 2023 and a decrease of $1.79 billion in 2022[580] - Cash and cash equivalents, including those segregated for regulatory purposes and restricted cash, stood at $14.348 billion at the end of September 2024, up from $12.548 billion in 2023 and $14.659 billion in 2022[580] - Cash paid for interest in 2024 was $2.119 billion, a significant increase from $1.31 billion in 2023 and $323 million in 2022[580] Revenue Recognition and Financial Instruments - Asset management and related administrative fees are recognized monthly based on the value of client assets, which are impacted by market fluctuations and net inflows or outflows[590] - Brokerage revenues include upfront commissions and trailing commissions, with trailing commissions recognized when it is probable that a significant reversal will not occur[594] - Principal transactions revenues include gains and losses on inventories of fixed income products, equity securities, and derivatives[596] - Investment banking revenues are recognized based on the amount of the transaction and the role in the transaction, with underwriting revenues recognized on trade date[599] - Cash equivalents include money market funds or highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less[600] - Assets segregated for regulatory purposes and restricted cash include cash, cash equivalents, and highly liquid securities such as U.S. Treasuries[603] - Reverse repurchase agreements and repurchase agreements are accounted for as collateralized agreements and financings, respectively, with collateral values evaluated daily to ensure market value sufficiency[605] - Securities borrowed transactions require cash deposits generally in excess of the market value of securities borrowed, while securities loaned transactions receive cash in excess of the market value of securities loaned[606] - Financial instruments are classified into three levels based on fair value hierarchy: Level 1 (highly liquid instruments), Level 2 (observable inputs), and Level 3 (unobservable inputs requiring significant judgment)[610][611] - Trading assets and liabilities are recorded at fair value, with Level 1 instruments valued using quoted prices in active markets[616] - Available-for-sale securities, primarily agency MBS and U.S. Treasuries, are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, with fair values determined using third-party pricing services[621] - Derivative assets and liabilities are recorded at fair value, with netting by counterparty allowed under master netting agreements to reduce credit exposure[623] - Interest rate derivatives are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, with fair values obtained from internal or third-party pricing models[626] - Foreign-exchange derivatives, primarily forward contracts, are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, with fair values determined using third-party pricing services[629] - Private equity investments are measured at fair value, with the majority utilizing the NAV of the fund as a practical expedient and the remainder using Level 3 valuation techniques[632] - Fractional shares held by clients are included in "Other assets" and recorded at fair value based on quoted prices in active markets, classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy[633] - Brokerage client receivables are reported at their outstanding principal balance, net of any allowance for credit losses, and are generally collateralized by securities owned by clients[634] - Other receivables, net, primarily include receivables from brokers, dealers, and clearing organizations, with minimal credit risk due to the low probability of clearing organization default[635] - Bank loans held for investment are recorded at unpaid principal balance plus premiums or less discounts, net of deferred fees and costs, and include securities-based loans, commercial and industrial loans, and residential mortgage loans[637] - Residential mortgage loans held for sale are carried at the lower of cost or estimated fair value, with fair values estimated using observable prices from counterparties for similar loans[641] - Small Business Administration (SBA) loans are accounted for at the lower of cost or estimated fair value, with fair values determined based on committed sales price, third-party price quotes, or third-party pricing services[642] - Corporate loans, including commercial and industrial loans, are designated as held for investment upon inception and recorded in loans receivable, with fair value estimates based on collateral value less selling costs or discounted cash flows[644] - Unfunded lending commitments are secured by collateral such as marketable securities, accounts receivable, inventory, and real estate, with the allowance for potential credit losses included in "Other payables"[645][648] - Loan modifications to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty may involve principal forgiveness, interest rate reduction, payment delay, or term extension, and are subject to nonaccrual policies[650] - Nonperforming assets include nonperforming loans and other real estate owned, with loans placed on nonaccrual status when full payment of principal and interest is in doubt or the loan is past due 90 days or more[652] - Loans to financial advisors are considered past due after 30 days of delinquency and placed on nonaccrual status if full payment is in doubt or 180 days delinquent[661] - The company evaluates loans for potential write-downs when full collection is unlikely, with charge-offs taken against the allowance for credit losses[662] Asset Management and Valuation - Goodwill is evaluated for impairment annually or when events indicate potential impairment, using qualitative or quantitative assessments[683][684] - Company-owned life insurance policies are recorded at cash surrender value as determined by the insurer, used to fund non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other employee benefit plans[689] - Investments in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funds and similar structures are consolidated and included in "Other assets" on the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition[691] - The Bank segment holds tax-beneficial investments, including LIHTC funds managed by RJAHI, also included in "Other assets"[692] - Property and equipment are depreciated using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives: buildings (15-40 years), furniture (3-10 years), software (2-10 years), and leasehold improvements (lesser of useful life or lease term)[693] - Internally developed software costs are capitalized when they result in additional functionality, while preliminary and post-project activities are expensed as incurred[693] - Lease liabilities are recorded at the present value of lease payments, discounted using the incremental borrowing rate or imputed lease rate[697] - Bank deposits include money market accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit, with interest rates primarily determined by market rates[698] - Contingent liabilities are recognized when a loss is probable and reasonably estimable, with the most likely amount within the range accrued[699] - Legal and regulatory liabilities are recorded in "Other payables" and adjusted periodically based on management's judgment[700]

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Raymond James Financial, Inc. (RJF) . Shares have added about 11.1% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Raymond James Financial due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Raymond James' Q4 Earni ...