Schwab Witnesses Rise in July 2025 Client Assets: What's Behind it?

Core Insights - Charles Schwab (SCHW) reported a significant increase in client assets, reaching $10.96 trillion in July 2025, which is a 15% increase from July 2024 and a 2% increase from June 2025 [1][8] - The company continues to benefit from market volatility, strong asset gathering, and increased client engagement, despite lowering fees on some products [2] - Schwab's total client assets have shown a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.1% over the past five years, driven by acquisitions and market appreciation [3] Financial Performance - Core net new assets increased by 62% year-over-year to $46.9 billion, with a 10% increase from June 2025 [1][8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Schwab's 2025 revenues is projected at $23.41 billion, indicating a year-over-year growth of 19.4% [4] - Trading revenues have risen year-over-year in the first half of 2025, reflecting the increase in average client assets [2] Client Activity - Schwab opened 377,000 new brokerage accounts in July 2025, a 15% increase from the previous year [7][8] - Active brokerage accounts totaled 37.7 million, up 5% year-over-year [7] - Average interest-earning assets were $418.6 billion, with average margin balances increasing by 17% year-over-year [6] Competitive Landscape - Schwab's close competitor, Robinhood, reported increases in Daily Average Revenue Trades (DARTs) across various categories, indicating a competitive market environment [9][10] - Interactive Brokers also reported a year-over-year rise in client DARTs, suggesting a robust trading backdrop [10][11] Valuation and Estimates - Schwab's shares have increased by 29.9% year-to-date, outperforming the industry average of 20.8% [12] - The forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for Schwab is 18.72, which is above the industry average [13] - Earnings estimates for 2025 and 2026 indicate year-over-year growth of 42.5% and 17.3%, respectively, with upward revisions in estimates over the past 30 days [15]