Here's one way to evaluate equity research: Measure the impact it has on stock prices. Bespoke Investment Group, a financial research firm, did just that, and apparently, Robert W. Baird takes top honors. Out of 16 firms, Baird's upgrades impacted...
Most clients wouldn't question the superiority of a 10-percent return over a 5 percent one. Or would they? For some accounts, it's not so much where they end up, but how they got there. Reporting gross returns even when they're not so gross gives...
Wall Street Brokerage Giants like Merrill Lynch may not see Charles Schwab as a big threat, but the firm has come a very long way from its scrappy upstart days. In fact, some analysts say it's on track to becoming the biggest brokerage firm in the...
How much corporate bigwigs get paid is a hot topic this political season, as the gap between the rich and the poor has reached its widest point in 60 years. Some lefty politicians (and even President Bush) have been raising the issue of whether...
In a story titled Meet the New Panic, Just Like the Old Panic in our October issue, we wrote that the co-author of The Panic of 1907 was Robert F. Burns. In fact, his name is Robert F. Bruner. We regret the error.
Not only is the investing public clamoring for financial advice, but broker/dealers (and registered investment advisories) are searching for advisor talent as never before. In fact, advisory firms are competing for talent even more than they are...
Picking an independent broker/dealer to join is a daunting task. After all, on paper, most independent b/d networks provide similar platforms and services. While every firm will say it has it all and, in most cases, they really do in the end an...
Blame It On The Quaaludes: Jordan Belfort grossed millions as a drug-fueled pump-and-dump artist. He eventually served 22 months in prison and spent one month in rehab. He now owes $107 million in restitution. His story has been bought by a...
Takeover bait. It's a description most regional brokerage firms have become accustomed to and for good reason. Several have been gobbled up over the years, of course. And, truth be told, there is probably many a midsized broker/dealer who wouldn't...
