Schwab Seeks to Provide Retail Investors Access to Private Companies

Core Insights - Charles Schwab (SCHW) is exploring options to allow retail investors direct access to private companies, including notable firms like Stripe and OpenAI [1][2] - The CEO, Rick Wurster, emphasized the growing number of private companies and the need for retail investors to participate in their growth [2] - Schwab's initiative follows the launch of its alternative investments platform, Schwab Alternative Investments Select, which is available to retail clients with household assets over $5 million [2] Industry Trends - There is an increasing demand among wealthy clients for private market opportunities to diversify their portfolios [3] - Competitor Robinhood Markets (HOOD) is also taking steps to provide retail investors access to private companies through its planned venture capital fund, Robinhood Ventures Fund I [4][6] - Robinhood's CEO highlighted the historical exclusion of retail investors from private company investments, indicating a shift towards more inclusive investment opportunities [5] Company Performance - As of this year, SCHW shares have increased by 24.8%, while the industry has seen a growth of 30% [5] - Schwab currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), while competitor Interactive Brokers Group (IBKR) has a higher Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and has seen a 45.9% increase in shares this year [7]