v3.26.1
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Nature of Operations

Nature of Operations

Stifel Financial Corp. (the “Company”), through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is principally engaged in retail brokerage; securities trading; investment banking; investment advisory; retail, consumer, and commercial banking; and related financial services. Our major geographic area of concentration is throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Canada. Our company’s principal customers are individual investors, corporations, municipalities, and institutions. We have organized our operations into three reportable segments: Global Wealth Management, Institutional Group, and Other. See Note 22 for additional information on segment reporting.

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include Stifel Financial Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, principally Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (“Stifel”), Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. (“KBW”), Stifel Bancorp, Inc. (“Stifel Bancorp”), Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc. (“SNC”), and Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited (“SNEL”). Unless otherwise indicated, the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” or “our company” in this report refer to Stifel Financial Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

We have prepared the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Pursuant to these rules and regulations, we have omitted certain information and footnote disclosures we normally include in our annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. In management’s opinion, we have made all adjustments (consisting only of normal, recurring adjustments, except as otherwise noted) necessary to fairly present our financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Our interim period operating results do not necessarily indicate the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full fiscal year. These financial statements and accompanying notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 on file with the SEC.

Certain amounts from prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period’s presentation. The effect of these reclassifications on our company’s previously reported consolidated financial statements was not material.

On January 26, 2026, our Board approved a 50% stock dividend, in the form of a three-for-two stock split, of our common stock payable on February 26, 2026, to shareholders of record as of February 12, 2026. All share and per share information has been retroactively adjusted to reflect the stock split.

On February 2, 2026, the Company sold Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC (“SIA”), a wholly owned subsidiary and independent contractor broker-dealer, for cash consideration to an affiliate of Equitable, a financial services organization and principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc. We recognized a gain on the sale of $49.8 million that is included in other income in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. The results of operations of SIA have been included in our results up to the date of disposition.

Consolidation Policies

Consolidation Policies

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Stifel Financial Corp. and its subsidiaries. All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

We have investments or interests in other entities for which we must evaluate whether to consolidate by determining whether we have a controlling financial interest or are considered to be the primary beneficiary. Under our current consolidation policy, we consolidate those entities where we have the power to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the rights to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the entity. When we do not have a controlling interest in an entity, but we exert significant influence over the entity, we apply the equity method of accounting.

We determine whether we are the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity (“VIE”) by performing an analysis of the VIE’s control structure, expected benefits and losses, and expected residual returns. This analysis includes a review of, among other factors, the VIE’s capital structure, contractual terms, which interests create or absorb benefits or losses, variability, related party relationships, and the design of the VIE. We reassess our evaluation of whether an entity is a VIE when certain reconsideration events occur. We reassess our determination of whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE on an ongoing basis based on current facts and circumstances. See Note 25 for additional information on VIEs.

Loan and Advances to Financial Advisors and Other Employees, Net

Loans and Advances to Financial Advisors and Other Employees, Net

We offer transition pay, principally in the form of upfront loans, to financial advisors and certain key revenue producers as part of our company’s overall growth strategy. These loans are generally forgiven by a charge to compensation and benefits over a five- to ten-year period if the individual satisfies certain conditions, usually based on continued employment and certain performance standards. We present the outstanding balance of loans to financial advisors on our consolidated statements of financial condition, net of the allowance for credit losses. Our allowance for credit losses was approximately $31.1 million and $32.3 million at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively.