Quantifying Touchable Assets 

Dec 1, 2007,

David A. Geracioti Editor-In-Chief

At an auction in mid-November, a poster for the movie Bride of Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff, fetched $334,600. That's right a movie poster. Granted...

Giving Odd Lots To A Good Cause 

Dec 1, 2007,

By Kevin McKinley

Financial Advisors may discuss charitable giving with clients for the same reason that most people choose to give in the first place: It's the right thing...

Geri Pell 

Dec 1, 2007,

Kristen French

Registered Rep.: What was the scariest moment in your career? Geri Pell: Jumping off a 130-foot cliff on a zip-line at a leadership/change retreat. RR:...

The Fight Is On 

Dec 1, 2007,

By Karen Donovan

When a client opens a brokerage account, he agrees that he won't sue you, the registered rep, in a court of law. In opening the account, the client agrees...

Greg Hopper 

Dec 1, 2007,

David A. Geracioti

Registered Rep. spoke with Greg Hopper about how the liquidity crisis has affected high-yield issues. RR: There has been a flight to safety, and the spreads...

Party Like It's 1999 

Dec 1, 2007,

By Stan Luxenberg

What are the chances that one of your funds will return 100 percent (or more) next year? Slim extremely slim. Funds rarely double in a 12-month period;...

Getting Cozy With Canadians 

Dec 1, 2007,

By Halah Touryalai

RBC's job on that front is far from done. The bank is giving Dain a makeover, and making major investments in the firm. In March 2008, Dain Rauscher will...

Go Team 

Dec 1, 2007,

By Mindy Diamond

Not everyone can be a great hitter, fielder and pitcher. That's why teams work. And not just in the realm of baseball. Over the last several years, there...

Advisors Are Pro Choice 

Dec 1, 2007,

By Christina Mucciolo

So far in this young century, the brokerage industry seems to have successfully endured its run down the gauntlet. Let's see, there was that embarrassing...

Registered Rep.'s 2007 Broker Report Cards 

Dec 1, 2007

Business is looking good for reps: Over the last couple of years, they have become increasingly satisfied with their firms, on average. At least, that's...

Merrill Lynch: Trouble In Paradise? 

Dec 1, 2007,

Christina Mucciolo

Merrill Lynch at a Glance: Total client assets: $1.8 trillion Number of advisors: 16,610 Average annualized revenue per advisor $794,702 Pretax profit...

Smith Barney: Living In A Chuck-Free World 

Dec 1, 2007,

Halah Touryalai

Smith Barney at a Glance: Total client assets: $1.6 trillion Number of advisors: 14,873 Average annualized revenue per advisor: $768,000 Pretax profit...

Morgan Stanley: Cruisin' Baby 

Dec 1, 2007,

Halah Touryalai

Morgan Stanley at a Glance: Total client assets: $734 billion Number of advisors: 8,341 Average annualized revenue per advisor: $817,000 Pretax profit...

Edward Jones: Can't Nobody Hold Me Down 

Dec 1, 2007,

Halah Touryalai

Edward Jones at a Glance Total client assets: $539 billion Number of advisors: 10,136 Average annualized revenue per advisor: $291,229 Pretax profit margin:...

UBS: Back At The Bottom 

Dec 1, 2007,

John Churchill

UBS at a Glance: Total client assets (Capital Management Group): $858 billion Number of advisors: 8,175 Average annualized revenue per advisor: $751,000...

Office Space 

Dec 1, 2007,

By Anne Field

It was a less than ideal situation. When Jeffrey Keefe left his job as a financial advisor with Ameriprise to start his own Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based...

MERRILL-CHOVIA! 

Dec 1, 2007,

By John Churchill

The third quarter was tough on all of the major brokerage firms as bets on mortgage derivatives came home to roost. According to an October 26 story in...

Morgan Stanley Management Shuffle: Cruz Out, Gorman In 

Nov 30, 2007,

By Halah Touryalai

Morgan Stanley underwent a major management shakeup yesterday. Effective tomorrow, December 1, James Gorman, president of the firm’s Global Wealth Management Group will take on a co-president role ...

Morgan Stanley in the EEOC’s Sights on Age-Discrimination? 

Nov 29, 2007,

By Christina Mucciolo

The EEOC is investigating claims made by former Morgan Stanley advisors that the firm discriminated against older workers when it laid off 1,000 financial advisors back in 2005, according to a story in the Associated Press. ...

Major Lay Offs for Wall Street? Or Just a Blip on the Radar?  

Nov 26, 2007,

Halah Touryalai

When the going gets tough, the tough get … laid off. We’re not sure how hard Wall Street will be hit by pink slips, but one recruitment firm estimates that about 140,000 employees will be let go in the aftermath of the credit crunch ...

FPA Elects New President 

Nov 16, 2007,

Halah Touryalai

The Financial Planning Association elected Richard Salmen as president for 2008, and six new members to its Board of Directors. Salmen is currently serving as senior vice president...

Will Thain Emerge As A Backslapping Komansky Type—Albeit A Fit Version? 

Nov 16, 2007,

By David A. Geracioti

Thain realizes that you brokers are important. While O'Neal was criticized as being too aloof, Thain tells the FT today that he understands that this is a “people business,” and appreciates the importance of the retail part of Merrill’s business. Alas, he doesn't play golf....

NYSE’s John Thain New Merrill CEO 

Nov 14, 2007,

By John Churchill

According to reports in the online versions of the New York Post and The Wall Street Journal, NYSE Euronext CEO John Thain has accepted the top spot at Merrill Lynch...

Fink offered O’Neal’s post 

Nov 5, 2007,

By Christina Mucciolo

Less than a week after Stan O’Neal retired as CEO and Chairman of Merrill Lynch, sources in the know say the firm’s Board of Directors has offered the position to BlackRock’s Chairman and founder Larry Fink...

Questions Surround Citigroup, Smith Barney Solid 

Nov 5, 2007,

By John Churchill

Another one bites the dust. Citigroup’s Charles Prince resigned Sunday night in the aftermath of Citi’s horrendous third-quarter earnings report ...

Bonds Are Bad For Retirees 

Nov 1, 2007,

By Stan Luxenberg

For decades, most financial advisors have clung to a central belief about asset allocation: The older you are, the more fixed income you should hold....

Tax Planning: In House or Out? 

Nov 1, 2007,

By Anne Field

For the past few years, Mark Kemp has offered low-cost income-tax preparation services to the mostly middle-income clientele of his Plymouth Meeting,...

The CMA Promise 

Nov 1, 2007,

By Guy Manuel Andre Cappon, Stephan Mignot, of The CBM Group, Inc.

Exactly 30 years ago, Merrill Lynch launched the first CMA (Cash Management Account). The revolutionary new product combined an investment account, a...

Beating Recession Depression 

Nov 1, 2007,

By Stephen Gresham

If you've been an advisor for even a few years, then the sub-prime mortgage crisis probably has you feeling like it's d vu all over again. A high-growth...

Thinking Long Term 

Nov 1, 2007,

By Kristen French

Long-term care is not an easy thing to talk about with aging clients. In fact, most folks would rather contemplate their deaths than illness or infirmity...

When Change Is Good 

Nov 1, 2007,

By Mindy Diamond

Why switch firms late in the game? There are plenty of reasons to stay put until retirement: deferred compensation, familiarity with the system at your...

Meet the Retirement Geek 

Nov 1, 2007,

BY DAVID ADLER

Moshe Milevsky, professor of Finance at York University Canada, is a widely recognized innovator in the field of retirement-income planning, insurance...

Bob Palmer 

Nov 1, 2007,

Kristen French

What book has had the greatest impact on your career? Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crocket Johnson. Not only is it a great story it's a great foundation...

Setting the Perfect Price: a Fool's Errand? 

Nov 1, 2007,

BY CHRISTINA MUCCIOLO

Are you charging enough? That's hard to say. These days, discounting runs rampant in the financial-advisory industry: Firms allow giant haircuts on commissions,...

All the Yuan In China 

Nov 1, 2007,

Christina Mucciolo

If you're looking for more billion-dollar prospects, you might want to relocate to China. The yuan-loving country has more billionaires than any other...